thai style curry

thai style curry

I still remember the first time I had a thai green chicken curry. It really blew my mind with the fragrance and flavour, the lightness and the rich creaminess all in one. Instantly hooked!

per person
200g (7oz) protein &/or veg, finely sliced
2-3 tablespoons thai curry paste
1/2 can coconut milk (200g / 7oz)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
small handful garnish / highlight

1. Heat a few tablespoons peanut oil in a large frying pan and stir-fry the protein for a few minutes or until starting to brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

2. Add the spice paste to the pan and cook, stirring for about a minute or until the spice paste smells fragrant.

3. Add the coconut milk and fish sauce and bring to a simmer. If uing veg, add them here. Cook gently for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly and any veg are tender.

4. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan and bring back to a simmer. Taste, season and serve hot.

variations

tender cuts of protein, finely sliced across the grain – steak, eye fillet of beef (fillet mignon), lamb fillet or backstraps, pork fillet, pork shoulder, chicken breast, chicken thighs.

tougher cuts of protein, on the bone – beef shin (osso buco), oxtail, lamb shanks, lamb neck chops, chicken wings or drumsticks. These will need to be simmered in the sauce, covered for 1-2 hours or until super tender and falling off the bone. Shred meat and retun to the saucepan. Add more water if starting to dry out.

veggie protein – tofu, cashews, peanuts, almonds, setian, boiled eggs (just add at the end), cooked or canned lentils, cooked or canned beans.

vegetables – fennel, zucchini, cabbage, carrots, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, snow peas, sugarsnap peas, red capsicum (bell peppers). Leafy veg such as spinach, kale or collard greens can be added at the end and just simmered until wilted.

curry paste – red, green, yellow, massaman. Indian curry pastes will also work well but you may need to use more or less of them.

no coconut milk? – try regular cream stirred in at the end. Don’t boil again after the cream has been added to avoid it curdling.

herby garnish / highlight – try fresh coriander (cilantro), basil, mint, parsley.

crunchy garnish / highlight – nuts especially cashews, peanuts or almonds, super finely sliced red onion, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, shredded or flaked toasted coconut.

vegetarian / vegan – replace the fish sauce with soy sauce or just season with salt instead.

soup -add an extra 1/2 -1 cup water per person.

more substantial – toss in some cooked noodles, lentils, chickpeas or steamed rice. And cook until hot.

leftover potential?

Brilliant!. Will keep in the fridge for a week or so. Warm up in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove top. Also freezes well.

problem solving guide

too watery – Simmer for another 10-15minutes with the lid off.

too thick – easy to fix – just add more water!

tough protein – it’s super important to use a tender cut of meat, or cook tougher cuts for a long time. Over cooked meat will be tough and dry so make sure you only cook it for long enough to change the colour.

veg too crunchy – it’s important to finely slice your veg so they cook as quickly as possible.

too bland – add more curry paste. Season with a little more salt & pepper.

serving suggestions

Serve straight up in little bowls with chopsticks and a spoon. Or with steamed rice or cauliflower ‘rice’. I also like it on a big bed of baby spinach leaves.

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