Green Curry

Gaeng Keow Wan Gai (Thai Green Curry with Chicken)

A classic central Thai curry built on a fresh green curry paste, rich coconut milk, chicken, Thai pea aubergines and sweet basil. It is hotter than its pale green colour suggests, balancing heat with sweetness, salt and the cooling lift of coconut and herbs.

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •60 g (¼ cup) homemade green curry paste, see step 1; or store-bought Thai brand such as Mae Ploy or Aroy-D
• •800 ml (3¼ cups) full-fat coconut milk, two well-shaken cans, do not use light
• •600 g (1¼ lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm / 1¼ inch bite-size pieces
• •120 g (4 oz) Thai pea aubergines (makuea phuang), fresh, green and firm; quartered; do not substitute large purple aubergine without adjusting cook time
• •120 g (1 cup) Thai sweet basil (horapha), leaves only; do not substitute Italian basil
• •30 g (⅓ cup) fresh Thai basil leaves for garnish
• •60 ml (¼ cup) water
• •2 tbsp palm sugar (or light brown sugar), finely chopped or grated
• •2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla), plus more to taste; do not substitute soy sauce
• •4 leaves kaffir lime leaves, fresh; stems removed, torn
• •2 stalks fresh coriander root (or stems), lightly smashed, for simmering
• •1 piece fresh makrut / kaffir lime peel (optional), 1 thin strip, for extra aroma
• •4 pads fresh makrut / Thai chillies, sliced (optional), for extra heat; use sparingly
• •1 splash neutral oil (rice bran or coconut), only if paste is very lean
• •1 to serve jasmine rice, cooked separately; 80 g / ⅓ cup dry rice per person

Steps

1. 1 Prepare the green curry paste if making from scratch: pound or blend 15 g fresh green bird's eye chillies, 5 g deseeded large green chillies, 30 g chopped shallots, 20 g garlic, 20 g fresh coriander root, 15 g fresh galangal, 1 tbsp lemongrass (tender inner part only), 4 kaffir lime leaves, 1 tsp coriander seeds (dry-toasted and ground), 1 tsp cumin seeds (dry-toasted and ground), 1 tsp white peppercorns, 1 tbsp shrimp paste (kapi, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant), and the grated zest of 1 makrut lime. Blend to a smooth, wet paste. (Paste keeps 2 weeks refrigerated in a clean jar under a thin film of oil.)
2. 2 Heat a wide, heavy pot or deep wok over medium heat. Add 2 heaped tablespoons (about 60 g) of curry paste and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until darkened, aromatic and slightly oily. If the paste catches, add a splash of water.
3. 3 Pour in the coconut milk. Add about ⅓ of it first (roughly 250 ml / 1 cup) and stir briskly into the paste to split the cream and release the coconut oil; cook 3–4 minutes until the surface looks glossy and the oil begins to separate. Add the remaining coconut milk, the 60 ml water, palm sugar, fish sauce, torn kaffir lime leaves and smashed coriander root. Bring to a gentle simmer.
4. 4 Add the chicken. Simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, skimming any dark foam, until the chicken is opaque all the way through and reaches an internal temperature of 75°C / 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
5. 5 Add the Thai pea aubergines and the optional sliced fresh makrut chillies. Simmer 4–5 minutes more, until the aubergines are tender but still hold their shape (a skewer should meet light resistance). Fish out and discard the coriander root stems.
6. 6 Taste the curry. Balance it: add 1 tsp fish sauce for salt/umami, ½ tsp palm sugar for sweetness, or a splash of water if it is too intense. The finished curry should be spicy, salty, slightly sweet and richly coconutty.
7. 7 Off the heat, stir in the 120 g Thai sweet basil leaves (do not cook) and let them wilt for 30 seconds. Transfer to a warmed bowl, garnish with extra Thai basil, and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.