Thai Green Curry
I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love curry but Thai green curry might be my favorite of all. Ask me again tomorrow and I may point to another version but let’s not challenge this fact for now. I was recently looking at the recipes I’ve posted on this blog since its inception (by the way, we just passed the 1 million visits mark. Thank you!) and to my horror there was not a trace of anything with curry [insert sigh of disbelief here]. Let’s change that. Right now.
I’m sure there’s a debate raging out there on whether it’s ethical to use commercial green curry paste vs making your own. In my opinion, if you can find all the ingredients that go in Thai curry, go and make it yourself, you won’t be disappointed. If not, look for some premium Thai curry paste. I buy my Thai ingredients from a Thai grocer on tiny Mosco street at the edge of Chinatown in lower Manhattan but if you’re not in New York there is a first-rate Thai food website at www.templeofthai.com. To stay absolutely authentic, just remember that nothing red goes into green curry. (oops!)
Thai green curry is significantly milder than other types of curry but with a winning combination of green curry paste, ginger, lemongrass, Kaffir lime, coconut milk and Thai basil, it’s also one of the most aromatic one. Now if you excuse me, I have to go and finish the bottom of the pot.
-
Thai Green Curry
- Serves 4
-
-
For the green curry paste (or use 4 Tbs of good quality green curry paste):
- 4 green Thai chilies, chopped
- 1 tablespoon galangal (or ginger), chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemongrass, white part only – chopped finely
- 2 Kaffir lime leaves, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup cilantro stems, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup water
-
For the Thai Green Curry:
- peanut oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 green pepper, cut into strips
- 1 small eggplant, cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon ginger, julienned
- 1 1/2 lb chicken, white or dark meat, cut into strips
- 1 1/2 cans unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 cup fresh chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
- 1 or 2 limes
- 2 Kaffir lime leaves
- Thai basil leaves
- salt to taste
-
-
-
For the green curry paste:
- Put the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process down to a paste by adding the water little by little. Add some coconut milk if needed. If you have the patience the paste can be made with a mortar and pestle.
-
For the Thai green curry:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, green pepper, eggplant and ginger and sautee for a few minutes. Season with salt. Add 4 or 5 tablespoons of the green curry paste and stir until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, chicken stock and Kaffir lime leaves and bring to a very slow simmer. Add the chicken pieces and continue to cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender. Season with salt, Thai fish sauce, lime juice and add Thai basil leaves to the pot. Cook for a few more minutes and serve with plenty of steamed jasmine rice.
-