first class thai green curry vest

thai green curry

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Cuisine

Thai green curry

Forget buying a jar of ready-made sauce and make an aromatic Thai green curry from scratch. This recipe makes more curry paste than needed, but you can freeze the rest for next time

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2-3 tbsp green curry paste (see below)
  • 200g chicken thighs, skinned, de-boned and cut into chunks
  • 400g can coconut milk
  • 2 Thai aubergines
  • 50g pea aubergines
  • 2 baby corn, sliced at an angle
  • 50g sugar snap peas
  • 2-4 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2-4 tsp sugar or palm sugar
  • 2 lime leaves, stems removed
  • ¼ bunch of Thai basil
  • 1 red chilli, sliced
  • For the green curry paste
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 8 green chillies, finely sliced
  • 5g fresh turmeric root
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised and finely chopped
  • 25g galangal, finely chopped
  • 2 stalks coriander root, finely chopped
  • 2 lime leaves, roughly chopped
  • 4 Thai shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 10g ginger, finely chopped (optional)
  • ½ tsp shrimp paste

Direction

 

  1. To make the curry paste, gradually combine all the ingredients, except the shrimp paste, using a pestle and mortar. Add the ingredients one at a time and pound vigorously after each to form a rough paste. Add the shrimp paste and continue to pound together until you have a smooth paste. The paste is ready when you can no longer identify any of the ingredients. Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to three months.
  2. To make the curry, heat the oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the green curry paste and stir until fragrant – you won't need all the paste. Increase the heat to medium and add in the chicken pieces, coating with the paste. When the chicken has browned, spoon in half the coconut milk, avoiding adding any of the water at the bottom of the tin – this will split the curry. Stir continuously for 10 mins or until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce is simmering.
  3. Pour in the remaining coconut milk, discarding the water, and turn the heat up to bring to the boil, then return the heat to medium. Add the Thai and pea aubergines with the baby corn and sugar snap peas and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 mins or until the flavours combine, the sauce thickens slightly and vegetables are tender.
  4. Gradually add the fish sauce and palm sugar, stirring and tasting after each addition until you are happy. Add the lime leaves and most of the Thai basil, then cook for a further 5 mins to let their flavours infuse. To serve, pour the curry into individual serving dishes and scatter over the sliced chilli and the remaining Thai basil leaves.