Thai Green Curry

How to Make Thai Green Curry

1. 1

   Step 1: Make the green curry paste

   Roughly chop the green chilies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass and cilantro stems. Pound in a mortar and pestle or blitz briefly in a small food processor with the shrimp paste until you have a coarse but well combined paste; scrape down the sides once or twice. The aroma should be bright and pungent — taste cautiously for heat.

   For this step

   • 6 pcsThai green chilies (or serrano), stemmed
   • 2 smallShallots, peeled
   • 4 clovesGarlic cloves, peeled
   • 1 stalkLemongrass (white part), sliced thin
   • 1/2 cup (packed stems)Cilantro stems (packed)
   • 1 tspShrimp paste (kapi), optional but traditional
   
2. 2

   Step 2: Toast and bloom the paste in coconut cream

   Shake the coconut milk cans and pour into a medium deep skillet or saucepan; bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and spoon off about 1/3 cup of the thicker coconut cream that rises. Add the paste to the hot cream and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and the oil begins to separate. This step blooms the aromatics and deepens the flavor.
   
3. 3

   Step 3: Add chicken and remaining coconut milk

   Add the chicken pieces to the pan and toss to coat in the paste, cooking for 2–3 minutes to seal. Pour in the remaining coconut milk, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle simmer. Skim any excess oil if you prefer a lighter curry.

   For this step

   • 1 lbBoneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
   
4. 4

   Step 4: Simmer with vegetables until tender

   Add the Thai eggplant (or swap in bell pepper or zucchini) and simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Maintain a gentle simmer; reduce heat if the curry is boiling too vigorously.

   For this step

   • 1 cup (halved)Thai eggplant (or bell pepper), halved or sliced
   
5. 5

   Step 5: Season and balance

   Stir in the fish sauce and taste; add additional fish sauce for saltiness or a pinch of sugar if you want more balance. Adjust heat by adding sliced fresh chilies or a splash of lime juice (optional) to brighten the flavors.

   For this step

   • 2 tbspFish sauce
   
6. 6

   Step 6: Finish and serve

   Turn off the heat and let the curry rest for a minute to meld. Serve over steamed jasmine rice and finish with chopped cilantro leaves, Thai basil and lime wedges if available; these garnishes add fresh contrast to the rich coconut sauce.
   

1. Roughly chop the green chilies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass and cilantro stems. Pound in a mortar and pestle or blitz briefly in a small food processor with the shrimp paste until you have a coarse but well combined paste; scrape down the sides once or twice. The aroma should be bright and pungent — taste cautiously for heat.
2. Shake the coconut milk cans and pour into a medium deep skillet or saucepan; bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and spoon off about 1/3 cup of the thicker coconut cream that rises. Add the paste to the hot cream and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and the oil begins to separate. This step blooms the aromatics and deepens the flavor.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and toss to coat in the paste, cooking for 2–3 minutes to seal. Pour in the remaining coconut milk, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle simmer. Skim any excess oil if you prefer a lighter curry.
4. Add the Thai eggplant (or swap in bell pepper or zucchini) and simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Maintain a gentle simmer; reduce heat if the curry is boiling too vigorously.
5. Stir in the fish sauce and taste; add additional fish sauce for saltiness or a pinch of sugar if you want more balance. Adjust heat by adding sliced fresh chilies or a splash of lime juice (optional) to brighten the flavors.
6. Turn off the heat and let the curry rest for a minute to meld. Serve over steamed jasmine rice and finish with chopped cilantro leaves, Thai basil and lime wedges if available; these garnishes add fresh contrast to the rich coconut sauce.