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Thai Green Curry (Gaeng Keow Wan)

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

  • 1.2-1.4 kg (or ~600-700g meat) Chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2-3 cups Coconut cream/thick coconut milk
  • 2 cups Water or light stock (for initially cooking chicken)
  • 6-10 pieces Thai eggplants, round and small, quartered
  • 6-10 stems or 1 cup leaves Thai sweet basil (โหระพา) stems/leaves
  • 5-20 leaves Kaffir (makrut) lime leaves, torn
  • 2 whole Red spur chili for garnish, sliced
  • 2-3 tbsp Fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp Palm sugar
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 4-6 tbsp Green curry paste (see below)
  • 150 g Fresh Thai green chilies (bird's eye or similar)
  • 1 whole Garlic, whole head
  • 3 small (~2 tbsp chopped) Shallots
  • 1 piece Galangal, thumb-sized piece, sliced
  • 2 stalks Lemongrass, tender inner part, sliced
  • 5 roots Cilantro roots (or lower stems)
  • 1 whole Kaffir lime peel (green zest only)
  • 1 tbsp White peppercorns
  • 1 tsp Coriander seeds, dry-roasted
  • 1 tsp Cumin seeds, dry-roasted
  • 1 tbsp Shrimp paste (กะปิ)
  • 1 tsp Salt for paste
  • to serve portions Steamed jasmine rice for serving

Instructions

  1. PREPARE CURRY PASTE: In a mortar and pestle (traditional for best flavor), pound ingredients in this order:
  2. Start with coarse ingredients: green chilies, shallots, garlic. Pound to coarse paste.
  3. Add galangal, lemongrass, cilantro roots; pound together.
  4. Add kaffir lime peel, white peppercorns, roasted coriander seeds, roasted cumin seeds.
  5. Add shrimp paste (กะปิ) and 1 tsp salt; pound and mix until everything is well combined and aromatic.
  6. Grind until relatively smooth paste forms (texture can be slightly coarse). Set curry paste aside. You'll use 4-6 tbsp in the curry.
  7. MAKE CURRY: In large pot, heat 1-2 tbsp coconut cream over medium heat.
  8. Add 4-6 tbsp prepared green curry paste; fry 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and oil separates from paste.
  9. Add chicken pieces and stir-fry 2-3 minutes, coating with curry paste.
  10. Pour in 2 cups water or light stock and bring to simmer. Cook 10-15 minutes until chicken is almost cooked through.
  11. Add remaining 1.5-2 cups coconut cream and mix well.
  12. Add quartered Thai eggplants, torn kaffir lime leaves, 2-3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp palm sugar, and 0.5 tsp salt.
  13. Bring back to gentle simmer and cook 5-8 minutes until eggplants are tender and flavors meld.
  14. Taste and adjust: add more fish sauce for saltiness, palm sugar for sweetness, or more paste if you want more spice/depth.
  15. Just before serving, add Thai sweet basil stems/leaves and sliced red chili for garnish. Stir gently.
  16. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice.