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Thai green curry

Coconut milk, green curry paste, basil, the smell that fills the whole flat.

35 min 20 min hands-on Serves 4 Thai Kid friendly

Thai green curry is a fragrant coconut curry built on a fresh green paste of chilli, lemongrass, and herbs. It is aromatic and can be quite hot, balanced by creamy coconut milk and a touch of palm sugar. It comes together quickly, especially if you use a good paste.

Ingredients

  • 400 ml coconut milk, full-fat, unshaken
  • 4 tbsp green curry paste
  • 600 g chicken thigh, skinless, thinly sliced
  • 200 ml chicken stock
  • 1 aubergine, cut into 2cm cubes
  • 200 g green beans, trimmed, cut into 4cm lengths
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn; also sold as makrut lime leaves (optional)
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tsp palm sugar, grated, or brown sugar
  • 1 handful thai basil
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 300 g jasmine rice
  • salt, a pinch, for the rice

Method

  1. Start with the rice: rinse it until the water runs almost clear. Put it in a pan with 500ml of water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat. Cover, turn to the lowest heat and cook until the water is absorbed and steam holes dot the surface, 10 to 12 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave it covered.
  2. While the rice cooks, get everything ready: slice the chicken, cube the aubergine, cut the beans, tear the lime leaves and pick the basil. Open the coconut milk without shaking it, so the thick cream stays on top.
  3. Scoop 4 tablespoons of the thick cream into a wok over a medium-high heat. Let it bubble, stirring, until it thickens and small beads of oil start to appear around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Some brands only turn thick and glossy, and that is enough to fry the paste in.
  4. Add the curry paste and fry, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until it smells fragrant and darkens a shade. Frying it in the coconut oil is what releases its full aroma.
  5. Add the chicken and stir to coat every piece in the paste, 1 to 2 minutes, until the outside starts to turn white. Sealing it in the paste first gives the meat its flavour before the liquid goes in.
  6. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and the stock, and add the aubergine and lime leaves. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the aubergine is soft and starts to turn translucent.
  7. Add the green beans, fish sauce and sugar and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes more, until the beans are bright green and tender but still crisp, and the chicken is cooked through with no pink when you cut the thickest piece.
  8. Take the wok off the heat and stir in the basil and half the lime juice. Taste and balance: more fish sauce for salt, sugar for sweetness, the rest of the lime for sourness. Fluff the rice with a fork and spoon the curry over it in warm bowls.

Tips

  • Fry the curry paste in a little of the thick coconut cream first to release its full aroma before adding the rest.
  • Add tender vegetables and herbs near the end so they keep their colour and bite.
  • Finish with fish sauce, a little sugar, and lime juice, then taste and adjust the balance.

Common questions

Is green curry hotter than red curry?

It often is, since green curry uses green bird's eye chillies, but heat varies by recipe and brand of paste.

Can I use light coconut milk?

You can, but full-fat coconut milk gives a richer, silkier sauce. Light versions can taste thin and may split more easily.