METHOD

1. To make the cucumber and coconut salad, place the vinegar, lime juice, ginger and sugar in a bowl. Mix until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cucumber, chilli and coconut and toss to combine. Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for 5 minutes or until softened. Drain and refresh under cold running water. 
2. Heat the oil in a large deep-sided frying pan over high heat. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the fish sauce, sugar, coconut milk, stock, lime leaves and lemongrass and bring to the boil. Add the chicken, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10–15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through . Add the broccolini and cook for a further 1–2 minutes or until tender. Stir through the lime juice. 
3. Divide the noodles between bowls and top with the curry, coconut salad, lime and basil, if using. Serves 4
   

+ Coconut sugar is similar to coconut nectar, but in granule form. Its caramel flavour gives a lovely note to baked goods. Find it in specialty food stores, Asian grocers and health food stores.

Cook’s tip:
For our freshly shaved coconut, we used a regular coconut with a brown husk. To open, find the soft, indented ‘third eye’ with your fingers and pierce a hole using a skewer. Drain the water and keep refrigerated. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the whole, drained coconut on a baking tray and cook for 15–20 minutes. Holding the warm coconut with a tea towel, use a heavy, blunt tool (such as a sharpening steel or hammer), to break the husk around the middle. To remove the flesh from the husk, gently prise it from the shell using a strong butter knife. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the flesh into long flat pieces.

Photography: Chris Court