Step 1

For curry paste, chop chillies, then pound with remaining ingredients and 1 tsp salt to a smoothpaste with a mortar and pestle (or process in a small food processor).

Step 2

Heat coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add curry paste and stir until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add chicken and star anise, stir to coat, then add 400ml water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is almost cooked (15-20 minutes). Add ginger, tamarind and palm sugar, season to taste with fish sauce and extra tamarind if necessary; sauce should taste salty and sour. Simmer until chicken is tender and curry is well flavoured, adding peanuts during the last few minutes of cooking (20-25 minutes). Adjust seasoning with fish sauce and tamarind if necessary, then serve on rice and scatter with basil, extra ginger andextra peanuts.