Chicken in Thai Green Curry

Chicken in Thai Green Curry

There was a time when the Hub would ask for Chicken in Thai Green Curry almost every week and we must have eaten so much of it that we got sick of it. But last evening, when he brought a colleague over for dinner, I felt like revisiting the curry and am glad to see that I have not lost my touch. Served it with Thai Pineapple Fried Rice.

At the beginning when I started making this curry, I would blend or pound my own spices to make the green curry paste. It is not a difficult operation, but would be worth doing if I had a freezer to store the paste for future use (which I don't). Later I would find a few reasonably good ready-made pastes and would use them.

Other cooks will probably do this curry differently. But the following is the way I like to do mine.

Curry in the wok

Chicken in Thai Green Curry :

Green Curry Paste :

5 Green Chillies (12 Thai ones if you like it very hot)

2 Shallots

4 Garlic Cloves

Thumb-sized Galangal

Fresh Coriander Leaves

2 Lemongrass stalks (bashed and finely chopped)

2 Kaffir Lime Leaves (chopped)

10 Black Peppercorns

1/2 Tsp Ground Coriander

2 Tsp Shrimp paste

6 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

The Chicken :

Chicken breasts (sliced) marinated with

1/2 Tsp Ground Turmeric

1/2 Tsp Ground Coriander

1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin

1 Tbsp Fish Sauce

2 Tbsp Lime/lemon juice

The Gravy :

1 Onion (sliced)
2 Garlic cloves (sliced)

1 Lemongrass stalk (bashed and sliced in 2)

1 slice Galangal (sliced)

2 Fresh Green Chillies (sliced or julienned)

2 Tbsp Green curry paste

1/2 cup Vegetable Stock/Warm water

400ml Coconut Milk

4 Kaffir Lime leaves (shredded)

1 Tbsp Fish sauce

1 Tsp Palm Sugar

Vegetables e.g. Zucchini, French bean, Red Pepper, Carrot, Thai Aubergine (sliced or cubed)

10-12 Fresh Thai Sweet Basil Leaves

If you can pound the spices, do so as blending in a machine usually discharges heat that could lower the quality of the paste. But of course the latter is faster and easier.

Marinate the chicken slices for at least 30 minutes to tenderise the meat. Heat up some oil in the wok and stir-fry them quickly. Remove and set aside.

Add more oil in the wok and brown the onion, garlic, lemongrass and galangal till fragrant. Add in the green chillies and green curry paste. Fry till the oil seeps out of the paste.

Stir in the stock/water and then the coconut milk. Add in the shredded kaffir lime leaves (for an incredible aroma), the fish sauce and palm sugar (I would insist on this as it really does affect the taste). Return the chicken to the curry and add in the vegetables.

If using French beans blanch them for 10 minutes in boiling water before adding them to the curry.

Ran out of Italian Basil substitute

About 3 minutes before serving, add in the fresh basil leaves. Serve hot with Jasmine or glutinous rice.