Thai Green Curry
Tender chicken and vegetables simmered in a fragrant coconut sauce with green curry paste, fish sauce and Thai basil. Ready in about 30 minutes.
Thai green curry, or gaeng keow wan (literally "sweet green curry"), is one of the best-known dishes from Central Thailand. Its color comes from fresh green chilies, lemongrass, galangal and herbs pounded into a paste and simmered with coconut milk. A good store-bought paste makes it an easy weeknight dinner, especially when you fry the paste in coconut cream first to release its aroma.
Why this recipe works
- Frying the curry paste. Cooking the paste in the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk until fragrant brings out its full flavor.
- Balancing the flavors. Thai curries are seasoned at the end with fish sauce (salty), palm or brown sugar (sweet) and lime (sour). Taste and adjust until it is balanced to you.
- Not boiling the coconut milk hard. A gentle simmer keeps the sauce silky.
About green curry paste
Store-bought pastes vary widely in heat and saltiness. Start with 3 tablespoons, taste the sauce and add more if you like. Thai brands sold in small cans or tubs are usually spicier and more aromatic than supermarket jars.
Vegetables to use
Thai eggplants are traditional. Zucchini, bell peppers, green beans, bamboo shoots and snow peas all work well. Add firm vegetables early and quick-cooking ones in the last few minutes.
FAQ
Can I make it vegetarian?
Use tofu or chickpeas instead of chicken, vegetable broth, and soy sauce instead of fish sauce. Check that your curry paste does not contain shrimp paste. For another fragrant one-pot dish from far away, try our jambalaya.
Thai Green Curry
Ingredients
Conversions are rounded for convenience. For baking, use the original measurements where possible.
Instructions
-
Open the cans without shaking them and spoon about ½ cup (120 ml) of the thick cream from the top into a large pan or wok.
-
Heat the cream over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until it bubbles and starts to separate. Add the curry paste and fry, stirring, for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
-
Add the chicken and stir to coat in the paste. Cook for 3 minutes.
-
Pour in the remaining coconut milk and the broth. Add the lime leaves and bring to a gentle simmer.
-
Add the green beans and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and bell pepper and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes more, until the vegetables are just tender and the chicken is cooked through.
-
Stir in the fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
-
Take off the heat and stir in the basil. Serve with jasmine rice, topped with sliced chili.
Notes
- Thai curries are thinner than Indian curries; the sauce is meant to be spooned over rice.
Tips
- Use a stalk of lemongrass, bruised, in the simmering sauce for extra fragrance. Remove before serving.
Substitutions
- Protein: shrimp (add in the last 3 minutes), tofu or sliced beef.
- Lime leaves: use the finely grated zest of 1 lime if you cannot find them.
Storage and reheating
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze without the vegetables for up to 2 months; add fresh vegetables when reheating.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Made this recipe? Be the first to share how it went.
Leave a review
You might also like
Vegetarian
Ratatouille
Vegetarian
Mushroom Risotto
Around the World
Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
Vegetarian