This red curry is suppose to be quite spicy, but I've been hearing a lot of complaint from my family lately that, my food is getting spicier then ever, so I try to go mild on this one. It is a good karma to keep your family happy :).  Of course, if you want your curry spicier,  use the exact amount of chili given for this recipe. Otherwise, you can do what I did by scraping the seeds from the red jalapeno, and omitted the red bird chilies, or serrano chili completely.

Thai Red Curry With Chicken, Shitake Musroom Fresh Sugar Peas, and Snap Peas
Serve 6

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size
1 small onion, sliced
1/4 cup (or more depending on your taste) red curry paste, recipe follows
5 kaffir lime leafs
1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, cut - bruised lightly with the back of kitchen knife
4 cups water or chicken stock

1 tbs sugar (don't skip the sugar, it really impart the end result)

19 fl oz coconut milk

2 cups fresh sugar peas, trim ends off 
2 cups fresh snap peas, trim ends off
1 red jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional) 
2 spring onions, chopped
2 tbs  roughly chopped cilantro
2 tbs fish sauce
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs vegetable oil

Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large pan, add onion, fry until translucent. Add curry paste, kaffir lime leafs, and lemongrass, stir for a few seconds until fragrant. Add chicken, and water or chicken broth, bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and tender. Pour the coconut milk, and sugar, stir, cook just until bubble start to appear at the edge of the pot. Add sugar peas, snap peas, thinly sliced jalapeno, fish sauce, salt and pepper. Taste to see if need more seasoning. Cook for another  minute or two until vegetable are tender but still crunchy, turn off the heat. Serve with plain steam jasmine rice.

Thai Red Curry Paste (Keang Pet Daeng) 
adapted from Su-Mei Yu's Crackling The Coconut
makes 1/2 cup

1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp white peppercorn
1 tbs coriander seeds
1 tsp salt
7 cloves garlic, minced
15 dried de arbol  or jalapeno chilies, soften in hot wate, seeded, minced (I used 5 seeded red jalapeno)
7 - 8 fresh red bird chiles, or 4 - 5 serrano chilies, minced (I omitted this)
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp minced fresh galangal
1 stalk fresh lemongrass, white part only
3 - 4 kaffir lime, zested
2 shallots, minced
1 tsp shrimp paste

Toast lightly cumin seeds, caraway seeds, and white peppercorn. Cool, then grind using coffee grinder to make a fine powder.

Using a mortar and pestle, or a food processor place all ingredients including the ground spices. Process to make a smooth paste. Add water if necessary to keep the blade running smoothly. If not planning to use that day, transfer to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate until ready to use. According to this book, it will keep for a month in the refrigerator. I never keep mind that long though.