Thai Green Curry
Have you wondered why two bowls of Thai green curry are never the same shade of green? Watch on to find out what gives green curry its colour, and how to naturally enhance its greenness!
Tweak your green curry however you want – you can add seafood, beancurd puffs, fishcake, etc. This dish is also suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Modifications in the recipe down below!
Pro tip: make an extra portion of curry paste to save in your freezer, and you can have green curry in a jiffy – whenever! ???
THE RECIPE
SERVES 3
Ingredients
Curry Paste
10 green chilli padi (bird’s eye chillies)
5 shallots, peeled
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4cm galangal
1 lemongrass stalk (fleshy portion)
1 kaffir lime peel, thinly sliced
2 cilantro roots (from root to leaf)
½ tbsp coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tbsp shrimp paste (see notes)
Curry
250-300g chicken thigh (skinned, deboned), cut into pieces
150g oyster mushrooms
1 block tau kwa, cubed
Handful ping-pong eggplants
200ml coconut milk
5 kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 large red chilli, sliced
¼ cup Thai basil leaves
Basil water: blend ⅓ cup Thai basil leaves with a splash of water and strain
Water
Oil
Directions
Curry Paste
Toast cumin and coriander seeds in a pan till fragrant. Cool and transfer to a grinder to grind to a fine powder.
Roughly chop all ingredients for the paste.
In a food processor, first blend the lemongrass till fine. Then, add the galangal and process till fine too.
Add the rest of the ingredients in small batches and add some oil as you go along to help it come together.
Keep 2 tbsp aside for the curry, and store the rest in a jar.
Green Curry
Heat some oil over medium heat and sauté 2 tbsp of green curry paste until aromatic. Add the chicken pieces (if using) and stir to combine well with the curry paste. Add the coconut milk and 3/4 water, and bring it to a quick boil.
To enhance the colour of the curry, add in basil water and stir to combine.
Add in the kaffir lime leaves, half of the sliced red chilies, and any other ingredients for the green curry. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 10 minutes, or until the curry thickens slightly. Do not let it boil.
Add the fish sauce, sugar, and Thai basil leaves. Stir to mix well.
Turn off the heat and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Notes
Instead of shrimp paste, you can use miso paste, belacan, or bagoong.
Other ingredients you could add into the curry: quail eggs, prawns, tofu, tempeh, green beans, red capsicum.