The scent of Thai curry cooking is possibly one of the greatest kitchen smells ever.

Ingredients like lemongrass, chilies, garlic, ginger, coconut milk and spices like coriander and cumin all mingle together to create a heady perfume that pulls people to the table.

There are as many versions of Thai curry as there are provinces of the country — perhaps as many as there are Thai cooks. Thailand is at the center of Southeast Asia, and its cooking has influenced and been influenced by the cuisines of many countries, from India to China.

While making your own curry paste is an interesting and rewarding experience, opening a jar of Thai curry paste is by far the easiest solution for a weeknight dinner. It’s available in the Asian section of supermarkets.

Fish sauce is the other crucial ingredient. Made from fermented anchovies or other seafood, it has a pungent smell, but when a small amount is employed in a recipe, it adds a bracing, salty flavor that calls your taste buds to attention. If you like Thai food, you probably like fish sauce. Start with a small amount and add more from there.

The sauce of this curry is fairly thin. If you want a thicker sauce, stir a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of water and add with the coconut milk. Either way, you’ll want to serve it with plenty of rice to soak up the delicious liquid.

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• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
• 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 red bell pepper, slivered
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (patis)
• 2 cups small cauliflower florets
• 4 cups cubed pork loin
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Lime wedges, to serve

In a large pot over medium-high, melt butter with oil. Add onion and garlic; saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add curry paste and ginger; stir until you can smell the spices. Stir in bell pepper, then add broth and coconut milk and bring to gentle simmer (do not let the mixture boil or it might separate or curdle).

Add fish sauce and cauliflower. Simmer 5 minutes, until cauliflower starts to soften. Add pork and chickpeas and simmer, stirring occasionally, 7 to 10 minutes, until pork is cooked and cauliflower is tender. Stir in basil and lime juice. Serve over hot rice, with lime wedges on the side to squeeze over. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 644 calories, 42 g total fat, 22 g saturated fat, 105 mg cholesterol, 963 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 44 g protein