Thai Green Curry (Kaeng Khiao Wan)
A fragrant, gently spicy Thai curry of chicken and vegetables simmered in green curry paste and coconut milk. With store-bought paste it's a 25-minute one-pot dish, perfect over jasmine rice.
Ingredients
- Chicken thigh (or breast) · bite-size400 g
- Green curry paste · store-bought3 tbsp
- Coconut milk · 1 can400 ml
- Water or chicken stock150 ml
- Eggplant (Thai or regular) · bite-size1
- Bell pepper · sliced1
- Bamboo shoots · optional100 g
- Fish sauce2 tbsp
- Sugar (or palm sugar)1 tbsp
- Kaffir lime leaves · optional4
- Thai basil · optional1 handful
- Cooking oil1 tbsp
Steps
- ⏲ 3 min
Spoon 3–4 tbsp of the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk into a pan and simmer over medium heat 2–3 minutes until it 'cracks' and the oil separates (use oil if it won't separate).
- ⏲ 2 min
Add the green curry paste and fry 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- ⏲ 3 min
Add the chicken and stir-fry until the surface turns opaque.
- ⏲ 7 min
Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and the water (stock), bring to a simmer, add the eggplant and bamboo, and cook 5 minutes.
- ⏲ 5 min
Season with fish sauce, sugar, and lime leaves, add the bell pepper, and simmer 3–4 minutes more until the chicken is cooked and the veg is tender-crisp.
- ⏲ 1 min
Off the heat, stir in the Thai basil. Serve with warm jasmine rice.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Shrimp or beef: Swap the chicken for shrimp or beef.
- Vegetarian: Tofu, mushrooms, and veg, with soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
- Red/yellow curry: Just change the paste for a different curry.
- Milder: Use less paste and more coconut milk.
Tips
- Crack the coconut cream first — frying the paste in the separated oil blooms the aroma.
- Fry the paste well to cook off the raw edge for deeper flavor.
- Balance fish sauce, sugar, and lime for salty-sweet-sour harmony.
- Add the basil and lime leaves at the end to keep them fragrant.
- Pastes vary in saltiness, so season last.
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