Green Curry

Green Curry Recipe provided by chef Hong Thaimee from the cookbook True Thai. In collaboration with City Harvest, chef Hong offers a Curry Kit with all the hard-to-find ingredients you need to produce an authentic Thai green curry at home. $5 from every kit goes to support New York City's largest food rescue organzation.

LISTEN: Cooking lesson: green curry paste with chef Hong Thaimee
 
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or coconut cream

• 1/4 cup green curry paste (recipe below)

• 1 pound boneless chicken thighs, sliced into 1-inch pieces 1 

• 13.5 ounce–can coconut milk

• 1 cup eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves, whole

• 1/4 cup long Thai chili, sliced thinly crosswise

• 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn 3-4 times to release their oils

• 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or to taste)

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or to taste)

True Thai by Hong Thaimee

Directions

In a medium-size pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil until sizzling or if using coconut cream, heat until bubbling. Add the green curry paste and cook carefully just until fragrant and the color has intensified, about 1 minute.

Stir the chicken into the thickened curry mixture to coat. Once well mixed, pour in the coconut milk and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat to medium and add the eggplant. Simmer until the chicken and eggplant are cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the Thai basil, Thai long chilies, and kaffir lime leaves. Add palm sugar and fish sauce, and stir to incorporate.

Serve hot over jasmine rice or rice noodles, or with roti for dipping.
 

Green Curry Paste

Makes 1/2 cup
 
Ingredients

• 2 teaspoon coriander seeds

• 2 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon whole white peppercorns

• 3-4 green bird eye chilis, chopped

• 2 long green chili, chopped

• Pinch of salt

• 1-inch long piece galangal, thinly sliced

• 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised and thinly sliced (use only about the first 2-3 inches of the bottom)

• 5 kaffir lime leaves or 2 kaffir lime peel, if available

• 3 pieces cilantro root (substitute with whole cilantro)

• 8 medium cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

• 2-3 small shallot, peeled and coarsely chopped

 
Directions

Toast coriander, cumin seeds and white peppercorns in a small skillet over very low heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Grind using a stone mortar and pestle

In the same mortar, pound the two chilies until they break apart. Add the salt and continue to pound until well mixed.

Add the galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro root, garlic, and shallot, and continue pounding until it forms a paste.

Add the ground spices and pound until well blended, about 1-2 minutes more.

Note: I discard the usage of using shrimp paste to this recipe to be sensitive to those who are allergic to seafood.