Thai Green Chicken Curry
July 20, 2016
10 Comments
This recipe is for either Bangkok Style Green Curry or Southern Thai Green Curry
Possibly the most famous of Thai dishes, certainly the most abused! I long ago gave up shaking my head in amazement at what passes for Thai green curry outside Thailand for fear of repetitive strain injury to my neck.
The quality of meat available in the West is far superior to that available in Thailand, and yet in Thailand they produce divine tasting curries. That is because they know the quality of the paste and the coconut milk is far more important to a Thai curry than the quality of the meat. An expensive corn-fed organic chicken can’t redeem a curry cooked with a jar of supermarket gloop and a can of coconut milk loaded with stabilisers.
Looking back, probably this got me started on my present career path; the desire to show people what a Thai green curry should really taste like. Cooking it for friends and watching their reactions as they tasted it was reward in itself. These days I have customers all over the world I ship curry pastes to but I still get the same feeling when a customer posts a review on my curry pastes, putting the world right with one Thai green curry at a time!
There are several ways to cook Thai Green Curry and the way of doing it in Thailand varies between the different regions, I find that this method works out best for my paste. One note of caution, the easiest way to spoil a Thai Green Curry is to use the "wrong" type of coconut milk.
Make sure you’re using the “right” type of coconut milk as it will make or break this or any other coconut based curry. Quick guide here, Coconut Milk Summary or if you would like to see the difference between different brands of coconut milk the full article is here, Cooking Thai Curry with Coconut Milk. Just use half a can to start with, if it has separated in the can to a thick part at the top of the can then use the top part. You can add the remaining coconut liquid later depending on how thick you want your curry to be. The "traditional" method of heating the milk until it separates from it's oil and using that to cook the paste is not something I recommend as many people find it hard to achieve consistent results with canned coconut milk.
Ingredients
I packet Thai Green Curry paste, Bangkok or Southern Style
1 can Coconut Milk
500g (1lb) of Chicken breast or thighs
Baby sweet corn, green beans, red pepper.
The pastes are very flexible so you can swap the above ingredients around as you wish. Kaffir lime leaves are already in the paste but if you wish to add more then see the details towards the end of this recipe.
The pastes are complete but it is always a good idea to have a little lime juice to hand to adjust sweetness, if needed, to your personal taste at the end of cooking. You also adjust saltiness by adding a little more fish sauce or salt if required.
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Slice chicken into chunks, the sweetcorn lengthwise and the green beans diagonally. Put pan on a medium heat, add paste and cook for 2 minutes
Add the chicken and stir into the paste for a few minutes more.
Add the coconut milk. Just half the can at first.
Bring to a simmer and add the remaining coconut milk whilst stirring.
Reduce the heat and cover pan, cook for around 10 minutes.
Remove the cover and reduce the cooking liquid until it thickens, this is very dependent on personal taste and the brand of coconut milk that you used. At this stage you add the vegetables and stir through. I've garnished mine with some kaffir lime leaves I have cut into a chiffonade (love that word!) or long thin strips if you must! A note about
kaffir lime leaves, you can buy them frozen in many Asian food stores and they last for ages.
Serve and enjoy!
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Jonathon Wood
August 22, 2021
Just tried the Bangkok Thai Green Curry paste and it is as good as the other reviews state! Had many packet sauces in the UK that were criminal to be called Thai Green Curry paste. This is the perfect heat level for us and made the best Home cooked Green Curry I have ever cooked. Your tip to buy Chaokoh coconut milk played a big part I think, which we found in a local Asian supermarket. Our local waitrose has fresh kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil, so did pop a little in to enhance, along with your tip of Nam Pla and fresh lime juice. We bought the Panang & Massaman paste at the same time and now already look forward to trying and following your tips!