ThaiCookingHouse

Green curry is one of the broader group of Thai curry dishes. The curry paste creates the green color. The flavor and fragrance of green curry comes from fresh herbs like kaffir lime leaves, chilies and Thai sweet basil. Together with the other ingredients such as Thai eggplants, pea eggplants and winter melon this lends a lot of flavor, texture and visual appeal. The vibrant curry enhances a chicken and rice foundation.

Preparation

1. Clean and slice chicken into thin bite-sized pieces.
2. Clean and remove stems from the pea eggplants and chilies. Cut chilies in half.
3. Clean and remove center vein of the kaffir lime leaves.
4. Clean Thai eggplants and cut stems off. Cut into 4-6 wedges depending on the size of Thai eggplants.
5. Remove seeds from winter melon. Cut off hard skin. Cut into 1.5"x1.5"x1.5" pieces.
6. Open the coconut can. Place the water-like part in one bowl (about 1 cup) and the creamy part in another bowl (about 1 cup).

Directions

1. Heat 1 cup of creamy coconut milk in a pan on medium-high heat.
2. Once the creamy coconut milk boils and the coconut oil starts to separate, add green curry paste. Keep stirring and flipping so that it does not get burned. Add creamy coconut milk 3-4 tablespoons at a time if the paste starts to stick to the cooking spoon and pan. Cook until fragrant, about 4-6 minutes.
3. Add chicken. Stir chicken to prevent burning on medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes or until cooked. If the coconut milk is drying up, keep adding the creamy coconut milk 3-4 tablespoons at a time.
4. Add sugar and fish sauce. Stir well.
5. Add the rest of the coconut milk (1 cup water-like part). Bring to a rapid boil and add all vegetables except Thai sweet basil. Boil for about 6-8 minutes. Turn off heat.
6. Serve in a bowl. Add Thai sweet basil on top.
7. If desired, add 1 tablespoon of creamy coconut milk on top, for presentation.

  Before Cooking

• Serving size: 3-4 persons.
• The amount of green curry paste used depends on the brand you choose. Start with one tablespoon and taste it. If you want it spicier, add more.
• If fresh green curry paste is preferred, here is my green curry paste recipe.
• Using fresh coconut milk is the best. If canned coconut is used, do not shake the can because we will use the creamy coconut milk and the water-like part separately.
• Try not to use "light" coconut milk because it is not as creamy as the regular version. Aroy-D or Chao Koh Coconut Milk brand is recommended.
• Palm sugar can be substituted with regular sugar.

  Ingredients

1 cup Chicken
5-7 Thai eggplants
1/4 cup Thai pea eggplants
1 1/2 cups Winter melon
12-15 leaves Thai sweet basil
3-5 Thai chilies
4-6 leaves Kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon Palm sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Fish sauce
2 cups Coconut milk
1-3 tablespoons Green curry paste