Thai Green Chicken Curry - Creamy

Thai green chicken curry is a mild, creamy and fragrant curry, usually eaten with steamed rice. The curry is green in colour - from the use of green chillies (which give less heat than red chillies). The ingredients that distinguish this curry from other curries is the use of lots of green chillies, shrimp paste, kaffir lime and Thai basil leaves. In this video, I have substituted kaffir lime juice with lemon juice and omitted Thai basil leaves as both were not available at the time. Nevertheless, the green curry still tasted pretty good although lacking in the fragrance these ingredients will otherwise impart.This recipe for green curry paste will yield a paste enough to make a few portions of curry. I use half of this paste for 1 kg of chicken with 2 cans of coconut milk and freeze the rest of the paste for use on another day. Please adjust the proportion according to your requirement.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/ZatuGZ9gjKY

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg chicken meat (chicken legs & thighs)

• 2 cans coconut milk

• 2 Tbsp oil

• 1/2 tsp sugar

• A handful of Thai basil leaves (if available)

• Kaffir lime peel (if available)

• Thai green curry paste (blend or pound together):

  • 1 stalk of lemongrass (sliced, use white part only)

  • 6 long green chillies

  • 1 Tbsp fried onion (or fresh sliced shallots)

  • 1 Tbsp ground coriander

  • 1 Tbsp ground ginger (or fresh ginger or galangal preferred)

  • ½ Tbsp ground cumin

  • 1 Tbsp garlic (minced)

  • ½ tsp black pepper

  • 1 tsp shrimp paste

  • 1 Tbsp coriander roots (sliced)

  • 1 Tbsp lime or lemon juice (use kaffir lime juice if available)

  • 1 Tbsp salt

METHOD

To make Thai curry paste:

1. Gather all the ingredients for the green curry paste and grind in an electric chopper until a paste if formed (or pound in a mortar & pestle, if preferred).

2. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a saucepan. Add green curry paste and fry till fragrant. Remove. This recipe is enough for several servings. I use half for 1 kg of chicken and store the rest in the freezer for use on another day.

To make Thai green chicken curry:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil.  Add 1/2 a portion of the green curry paste. Fry for a couple of minutes.

2. Add chicken and mix well to ensure the chicken is fully coated.

3. Add coconut milk and bring the mixture to a boil.

4. Cover and simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through.

5. Taste it and adjust seasoning.

6. Add 1/2 tsp sugar.

7. Add a handful of green beans.

8. Simmer till cooked.

9. Sprinkle some fried onion on top.

10. Add basil leaves if available, just before serving.

11. Serve with steamed rice or cooked noodles.

Note: You could keep the chicken legs and thighs chunky without cutting them up. Alternatively, chop up the legs and thighs for a refined, easier to eat version of Thai Green Chicken Curry.