Recipe: Quick, Easy and Tasty Thai Green Curry

This tantalisingly tasty Thai green curry is quick and easy to make and will be a winner with the entire family with flavours to suit all palates. You can keep it simple with ready-made curry paste or you can be a bit more adventurous and get your pestle and mortar out to make your own.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 – 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1-2 tbsp ready-made green curry paste
• 6 chicken breast of thighs
• 400ml coconut milk
• 2 lime leaves (optional)
• 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• handful green beans, trimmed
• lemongrass stalks
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

You will find the coconut milk and Thai green curry paste on the world food aisles in most large supermarkets with a range of brands and lower fat coconut milk available too. The low fat coconut milk still tastes great so this is ideal if you’re cutting back.

You can use chicken breasts or thighs, both will taste delicious. Chicken thighs are easier on your budget. If you love the coconut flavour then you can swap the vegetable oil for coconut oil.

Utensils:

• Wok – for true Thai style cooking a Wok will focus the heat at the base of the pan to speed-fry your food to keep ingredients extra fresh and tasty. Keep an eye on your food as it can burn quickly, so keep stirring.
• Spatula – a nice wide spatula will help you to keep the chicken turning in the wok and cooking quickly without any of your ingredients burning.

Method

• Heat your oil in the pan and once hot add your Thai green curry paste and stir fry for 2 minutes.
• Use a rolling pin to lightly crush the chunky end of your lemongrass stalks, add these to your paste and leave them until your curry is cooked.
• Add your chicken strips, give a good stir to coat the chicken in the paste and then continue to cook until the chicken has browned on all sides.
• Add your coconut milk, lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar, giving it a good stir to mix it all in. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat so it’s simmering. You don’t want your coconut milk to boil or you risk the mixture separating and becoming lumpy. Simmer for around 10 minutes until your sauce has thickened and become creamy.
• Add your green beans and simmer for a further 2 – 3 minutes or until your green beans are tender.
• Remove the lemongrass stalks.
• To serve, pour over boiled rice and add a sprinkle of coriander leaves. If you really want a strong coconut flavour then try using coconut rice, like Tilda microwave coconut and basmati rice.

Make Your Own Thai Green Curry Paste

We’ve cheated a little with this recipe by using the ready made Thai green curry paste but you can make your own if you’re looking for a real authentic meal. Thai green curry paste is traditionally made by mixing green chillies, garlic, galangal, shallots, lemongrass, kaffir lime peel, coriander roots, cumin seeds, white peppercorns, shrimp paste and salt. Crushing these ingredients together in a mortar to blend the flavours.

About Thai Green Curry

The name comes from the colour of the Thai green curry which happens because of the green chillies that make up the paste. In Thai the name is kaend khiao wan which translates to ‘sweet green curry’. The curry was invented between 1908 and 1926.

Thai green curry is normally served with rice and the protein doesn’t have to be chicken, you can use fish or shrimp to mix it up a little. If you’re looking for a real feast then you can add some roti which tastes delicious dipped in the curry sauce.

You Will Love Thai Green Curry If…

• You like a bit of spice in your food. You can add as little or as much curry paste as you want which will determine how spicy it is. If you add more Thai green curry paste than intended, then you can make the curry milder with more coconut milk.
• You love coconut milk. This Thai green curry recipe has a strong coconut flavour which can be enhanced by frying with coconut oil and serving on a bed of coconut rice.
• You like refreshing, citrus flavours. This Thai green curry will have a tang of citrus from the kaffir lime peal in the curry paste.