This recipe can be altered to taste, so if you like it spicier add more chilli, or if you like the taste of lime, add more lime. You can buy curry paste, but the advantage of making your own is that it is a lot more aromatic and definitely tastier. Every chef has his or her own special recipe and I swear by mine. I always enjoy it more the next day so make a little extra.
Thai green curry
Ingredients
Green curry paste
- 15ml (1 tbsp) dried coriander
- 3ml (½ tsp) ground cumin
- 3ml (½ tsp) black peppercorns
- 5m (1 tsp) salt
- 8 chillies, or to taste, seeded and chopped
- 2 lemon grass stalks, chopped
- 4 Thai lime leaves
- 2 small onions, chopped
- 20ml (4 tsp) ground coriander
- 1 small bunch fresh coriander, chopped
- 20ml (4 tsp) ginger, chopped
- 15ml (1 tbsp) garlic
- 5ml (1 tsp) shrimp paste, pan-fried
- zest of 1 lime
- a pinch of mace, optional
- 15ml – 30ml (1 tbsp – 2 tbsp oil), optional
Curry
- 30ml (2 tbsp) oil
- 2 small onions, chopped
- 1 lemon grass stalk, bruised
- 60ml (¼ cup) curry paste
- 3 whole chillies, split, optional
- 600g chicken thighs, deboned and cut into cubes or strips
- 3 lime leaves
- 300ml – 400ml coconut milk
- 20ml (4 tsp) fish sauce
- 5ml (1 tsp) dark soy sauce, optional
- 5ml (1 tsp) palm sugar
- 100g mangetout, topped and tailed
- 2 – 3 aubergines, roasted, peeled and cubed
- 100g baby corn, optional
- fresh coriander, to taste
- Thai basil, to taste
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced, optional
- steamed jasmine or basmati rice, to serve
Instructions
For the paste, dry-roast the coriander and cumin, then grind it in a pestle and mortar. Add the pepper and salt (it will help to grind the remaining ingredients), then add the remaining ingredients. Add oil if needed to make it easier to blend to a paste.
For the curry, heat the oil in a wok or heavy-based pot and sauté the onion and lemon grass. Add the curry paste and fry until aromatic and fragrant.
Add the chicken and fry until all the paste has been incorporated but has not yet coloured. Stir in the lime leaves and coconut milk. Bring back to a simmer and add the fish sauce and soy sauce. Reduce the liquid for 5 minutes, then add the palm sugar. Adjust the seasoning and add the vegetables.
To finish the curry, add the coriander, Thai basil and spring onion if desired.
Serve with steamed jasmine or basmati rice.
Notes
To drink: A mint, lime and melon fruit lassi – the perfect burn extinguisher!
