Recipe > Mains
Thai Green Curry
Ready for a little secret...most restaurants, even thai restaurants, make their curries using a pre-packaged curry paste. Once you become accustomed to the real thing you'll be able to taste the difference between a homemade curry and a purchased curry that uses packaged paste, because freshly made curry kicks, beats and humiliates pre-packaged substitutes until it crys like a little girl. Trust me, there's no substituting the real deal!

I would advise that when you make the curry paste you make enough to freeze. The extra paste keeps really well in the freezer and reduces your cooking time drastically when you make the curry next.

Oh and the ingredients; most supermarkets now stock these asian ingredients (at least since the turn of 2000!) however if you're local doesn't hold all of these ingredients the nearest oriental grocer surely will.

Feel free to change the chicken in this recipe for fish, squid or vegetables to meet your preference

Thai green is classically served with rice, but I won't tell anyone if you choose to use noodles.

Serves 4

Ingredients
For the curry paste:
6 green chillis
4 shallots or 1 large onion
8 cloves garlic
6 cm / 2 thumbs galangal or ginger
4 lemongrass stalks
1 Tblsp shrimp paste
1 Tblsp cumin, ground
1 Tblsp turmeric, ground
1 bunch of coriander

For the curry:
1 Tblsp vegetable oil
4 chicken breasts
800ml / 1.8 pints coconut milk
300ml / 11fl oz chicken stock
85g / 3oz mushrooms
85g / 3oz baby aubergine
1 Lime, juice and zest of
4 Tblsp oyster sauce
2 Tblsp nam plaa / fish sauce
3 Tblsp brown sugar

To finish / garnish:
1/4 bunch coriander or basil
2 kaffir lime leaves

Mise-en-Place:
Roughly chop all of the paste ingredients
Slice the chicken breasts, mushrooms and aubergine
Prepare the stock, zest and juice the lime

Method:
Make the paste:
Blend all the ingredients together to form a thick paste

In a wok or saucepan over a medium heat:
Add the oil
Add 6 - 8 tablespoons of the curry paste
Stir for 2-5 minutes to cook through
Add the coconut milk, bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes
Add the chicken, then sliced vegetables
Simmer for 5 minutes
Add the oyster sauce, nam plaa and sugar, cook for a further 30 seconds
Finish with the lime leaves and fresh herbs
Skim any fat that has risen to the surface with a ladle (the fat is clear and forms little puddles across the coconut milk)
Check seasoning and serve

Adjust:
It's important to get this heady, fragrant mix of flavours just right. It should taste balanced and smooth, no single flavour should stand out above the others. Unity
Too bland: Add more oyster sauce, nam plaa and fresh herbs
Too spicy: Add more coconut milk and a touch of sugar
Flavours too shallow: Add more stock
Flavours too deep: Add more herbs and lime juice
Too sharp: Mellow with sugar

Presentation:
Serve with rice:
You can either serve the rice in the same bowl as the curry, or on the side
Garnish with lime and coriander

Chef Insight:
Chilli is not a native of thailand and although it is an ingredient that has been embraced by the Thai culture it is in fact a native or the south americas and was only brought to Thailand between the 16th and 18th Century due to Portuguese trade