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.
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  • Nina

    I totally share your love for green curry and luckily my family loves it too. Very pretty pic, even with the red in there(oops)!

  • http://willtravelforfood.com mayssam

    I missed this last night and thank goodness because it would’ve started a whole lot of craving. Thai curries are my favourites and this one looks absolutely delicious… Who says you can’t crave curry for breakfast??

  • Lindsey@Lindselicious

    Love thai green curry too!  I never knew how many things went into making it before.  I’ve only done the lazy man style with the premade sauce.  I need to try this!

  • Christopher Nguyen

    I absolutely love all kinds of curry, but I must say my favorite is actually red curry. This looks great though!

    http://eatcafelove.blogspot.com/

  • http://twitter.com/kimchi_mom Amy Kim

    lovely images and i love thai green curry. where can one get kaffir lime leaves?

  • Anonymous

    If you don’t have a Thai market nearby you can order them from http://www.templeofthai.com. If you’re ever in NY there’s a Thai market that sells them on Mosco street in Chinatown. 

  • Anonymous

    Thank you Nina!

  • Anonymous

    I had some for breakfast! :) 

  • http://www.mangotomato.com/ Olga @ MangoTomato

    you deliver, right? it looks gorgeous and I love eggplant.

  • http://twitter.com/thegentlesnail Gough

    I’m in Malaysia(country just below Thailand). – These ingredients are Soooo easy to get here. I’m definitely gonna  try this recipe out after my assignment due Wednesday :) 

    Will let you know how it went!! 

  • http://profiles.google.com/gnocchiaifunghi Frank Fariello

    Fantastic! I love green curry but never had the slightest notion what could be in it. Thanks for the recipe… now I’ll always feel guilty about using the paste…

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Sj-Sebellin-Ross/100002303639028 Sj Sebellin-Ross

    Gorgeous! I made my first Thai green curry at culinary school (here, I wrote all about it if you want to read it: “Culinary School: Three
    Semesters of Life, Learning, and Loss of Blood” – http://amzn.to/oqXw1R ). Totally addictive. I make it at home periodically. In fact, I made a vegetarian version Saturday night!

  • http://www.ediblepotential.blogspot.com Sandi

    You always have such creative recipes…nice!

  • Jim B.

    What about your Curry Seafood Tarts?  I’ve been meaning to make those for a long time!

  • http://twitter.com/Grubarazzi Grubarazzi

    I’m a huge fan of green curry too. Yours has a gorgeous color. Makes me want to make it again tonight. 

  • Anonymous

    Oh yea! I forgot about those. Me and my short term memory. :)

  • Anonymous

    That’s the book I want to read! I’m ordering it now. 

  • Anonymous

    Please do!

  • Andrew

    I love the Thai Kitchen and the many vegetables they use… gonna make this dish….

  • http://mytastyhandbook.com Adelina

    You are sooo my idol. I love thai food and always wanted to make my own paste but yet to do. Your photos and recipe look mouth-watering.

  • http://twitter.com/UnrivaledKitch Kimberly Fujitaki

    love green curry… I’m making some this week. beautiful photo

  • http://www.subcide.com/member/15020/ Misty Reece

    Very beneficial post here. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me. I’ll definitely come back again.

  • http://www.vodkitchen.com Jon @ vodkitchen

    Red and green for me… love them both.  Yellow can be good or boring depending on the version.  Will have to try this variation of the green, thanks!

  • alice

    zenny, i want this in my belly, right now!

  • Cookingrookie

    I just made this – delicious recipe! Yum!