Thai Green Curry

April 20th, 2009
by: Blue

Read this for more information on the ingredients for Thai green curry.

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons green curry paste, to taste
1 medium chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 stalk fresh lemongrass (optional), white part only, cut in 1 inch pieces and “bruised”
6 kaffir lime leaves (optional), chopped
1 small can bamboo shoots
Approx 2 cups green beans, fresh or frozen
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 can unsweetened coconut milk (approx 15 oz can)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon brown sugar
fresh basil and cilantro

Add a tablespoon or so of oil to a pot over medium-high heat.  Saute onion for a few minutes.  Add the curry paste, ginger, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves and saute for a couple of minutes.  Throw the green beans and carrots in and again, saute for a few minutes.  Add coconut milk, chicken stock, brown sugar, and fish sauce.  Cover and let this simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add sliced chicken, give it a good stir, and let cook over low heat until chicken is cooked through (another 10 minutes or so).  Serve over jasmine rice and top with fresh basil and cilantro after plating.

Variations:

I use all kinds of different veggies in this – it depends on what I have on hand.  Try it with sweet potatoes, eggplant, peas, potatoes, mushrooms, etc.  It’s all good.

About Thai Green Curry

April 20th, 2009
by: Blue

 It stands to reason that I love green curry since the main ingredient in green curry paste is green chiles.  I’m so predictable. Thai green curry is a flavor explosion in your mouth!  On top of that it is a very quick and easy meal to put together, perfect for weeknights.  You can start some jasmine rice cooking and around the time the rice is done your curry will be ready. 

Some of the ingredients may seem foreign.  That’s because they are.  But once you get familiar with them they will become a staple in your pantry as they have in mine. 

Let’s start with rice, since that’s what you serve green curry on.  I only buy Jasmine rice, it is incredibly fragrant and flavorful.  As this rice cooks you will be able to smell the difference in this compared to regular white rice.  I buy Jasmine rice at the oriental market because it’s much cheaper, but I also find it at my regular grocery store.  The rice that you buy at the oriental market probably will not have cooking instructions on it – just cook it in the normal method:  2 cups rice, 4 cups water, salt.  Bring water to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass are optional ingredients in this recipe (I know, Thai experts, BLASPHEMY!!).  The fact is that the green curry paste has both, so not having either or both of these does not a tragedy make.   Definitely make an effort to find them, your curry will have an incredibly complex, authentic flavor.  Go to the oriental markets first!   But don’t let not being able to find them stop you from making this curry.  I have found kaffir leaves in the produce section of Central Market and Whole Foods (and these days I actually find them in my back yard on my very own kaffir lime tree!).  Fresh lemongrass can also be found in many grocery stores in the produce section.  Don’t waste your time or money on dried lemongrass though, it is flavorless.  Freeze any extra kaffir lime leaves or lemongrass for future use.

Green curry ingredients at your regular grocery 

Thai products by Thai Kitchen have become relatively mainstream, I have been able to purchase these in the regular grocery store for years. 

Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste

Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk

Thai Kitchen Fish Sauce

Green curry ingredients at your local oriental market

I love visiting the oriental market, it’s like stepping into another country.  I peruse the aisles for new treasures and always ask lots of questions.  The owners of the stores I frequent know me by now, and they are always very helpful and friendly.   When I am looking for an oriental grocery, I try to find one that focuses on Thai, Philippine,  or Vietnamese cuisine.  These are more likely to have the products and brands I want.   The market that I go to also has fresh lemongrass, big bags of fresh basil, and kaffir lime leaves.  Bonus!

My favorite products available at the oriental market are below.  Honestly I don’t think you can go wrong with any brand of green curry paste, I never met a green curry I didn’t like.  But I frequently buy these brands.

Green curry

Another good green curry

Coconut milk (this is hands down  my favorite coconut milk and America’s Test Kitchen agrees)

Fish sauce

Ok.  Thai green curry discussion, ad naseum, is finally over.  My apologies.  Now get your bitch ass in the kitchen and make me some curry!  My recipe is here.