In a medium hot pan or large pot, add diced onion, garlic, ginger, red Thai paste, and lemongrass. Cook this for about 5 mins until it starts to dry out a little and become pasty

Pour in chicken stock, and stir in.

Rise lentils to reduce starchiness, then add them in along with coconut milk, soy sauce, and lime leaves if using

Stir for 3 minutes then add in chopped up chicken breast, spread out in pan/pot.

Add coriander and basil

Bring pot to high heat near boil/simmer then drop down and sit for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent any lentils sticking.

Rinse rice in hot water (swill hot water around rice and pour off until less cloudy), then cook rice.

Taste test curry, may need extra salt to your desired taste.

When rice is done, you can add some vinegar and salt and stir in to let cool more - this just improves rice a little more and helps with forming if you want to do that (in spoon of a ladle for the presentation!)

Enjoy!