Green Curry — Thai Authentic
Unlock the true taste of Thailand with this authentic green curry recipe. Homemade curry paste makes all the difference!
30 min active, minimal dishes
Green Curry — Thai Authentic
Unlock the true taste of Thailand with this authentic green curry recipe. Homemade curry paste makes all the difference!
30 min active, minimal dishes
Key move
Toast and grind your own spice blend, then bloom the paste in coconut cream before adding the rest of the coconut milk.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
The Setup
- Mortar and PestleOptional
- Food ProcessorOptional
- Dutch Oven6 quart
- Skillet10-inch
The Mise en Place
5 of 18Your prep station before cooking begins
The Protein (0/1)
The Braise (0/4)
Curry is too spicy.
Add more coconut milk or a little bit of sugar to balance the heat.
Curry is too bland.
Add more fish sauce or a pinch of salt to enhance the savory flavor.
Chef's Notes
Toast curry paste in oil for 1-2 mins to bloom spices and deepen flavor before adding liquids.
Add coconut milk gradually, simmering gently to prevent splitting. Stir often.
Serve hot over jasmine rice. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and sliced red chilies.
Curry base (paste, coconut milk, aromatics) can be made a day ahead. Add protein and veggies when ready to cook.
The Method
TOAST
Prep aheadIn a dry skillet over medium heat, toast cumin seeds (1 tsp) and coriander seeds (1 tsp) until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Over-toasting: Burnt spices turn bitter and ruin the base flavor of the curry.
Spices are fragrant
GRIND
Prep aheadUsing a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the toasted spices with white peppercorns (½ tsp) into a fine powder.
Incomplete grinding: Large spice chunks create an unpleasant, gritty texture in the finished curry.
Spices are ground into a fine powder
MAKE
Prep aheadIn a food processor or using a mortar and pestle, combine green chilies (½ cups), galangal (¼ cups), lemongrass (¼ cups), kaffir lime leaves (6 leaves), coriander root (2 tbsp), ground spices, shrimp paste (1 tsp), and salt (½ tsp). Process or pound into a smooth paste.
Uneven texture: Large chunks of lemongrass or galangal will ruin the paste's mouthfeel. Ensure they are fully pulverized.
A smooth curry paste is formed
HEAT
Heat vegetable oil (2 tbsp) in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Overheating: If the oil begins to smoke, remove from heat immediately; it has surpassed the ideal temperature.
Oil is shimmering
ADD
Time-sensitiveAdd 1 cup of coconut milk (4 cups) to the pot and stir until it thickens and the oil separates, about 3-5 minutes.
Broken emulsion: If the mixture curdles rather than separating into clear oil, lower the heat and whisk vigorously.
Coconut milk has thickened and oil has separated
ADD
Add the green curry paste and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
Scorch risk: Curry paste contains sugar and can burn quickly. Keep heat at medium and stir constantly.
Curry paste is fragrant
ADD
Add the chicken and stir to coat with the curry paste. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until lightly browned.
Crowding the pan: Overcrowding will cause the chicken to steam rather than brown. Work in batches if necessary.
Chicken is lightly browned
POUR
Pour in the remaining coconut milk (4 cups), fish sauce (2 tbsp), and palm sugar (1 tbsp). Bring to a simmer.
Curdling: Do not let the coconut milk reach a rolling boil, as it may cause the fats to separate.
Mixture is simmering
ADD
Add Thai eggplant (1½ cups) and bamboo shoots (1 cup). Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Overcooking vegetables: Eggplant can turn mushy if simmered too long. Check for tenderness early.
Chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender
STIR
Stir in Thai basil (½ cups) just before serving.
Loss of aromatics: Boiling the basil will destroy its delicate essential oils and turn the leaves black.
Thai basil is stirred in
SERVE
Serve hot with steamed rice.
Temperature drop: Ensure bowls are warm; cold bowls will cause the coconut cream to separate and form a film.
Curry is served
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