Authentic Thai Green Curry with Chicken (Kaeng Kiew Waan Kai)
Thai Green Curry features a complex blend of spicy heat, salty, subtly sweet, and bright flavors that blend beautifully in a coconut milk-based sauce. Chicken makes it filling, and serving it with jasmine rice makes it a hearty meal.
Heat the coconut oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the green curry paste and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. (Try not to breathe the fumes; it’s hot!)
Add the chicken in an even layer, and cook 2 minutes without stirring. Stir in the garlic and galangal, and cook 20 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the eggplant, coconut milk, lime leaves, coconut sugar, fish sauce, and salt. Bring it back up to a simmer, turn the heat down so it’s simmering gently, and cover the skillet with the lid ajar (or just drape a piece of foil over the top). Let it simmer until the eggplant is tender, about 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the bamboo shoots, red chile peppers, lime juice, and basil leaves.
Serve along with jasmine rice with any garnishes you like.
Notes
Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the jasmine rice for serving or the garnish ideas.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Thai Green Curry Paste: You can use homemade or store-bought. Homemade is of course preferred for the best flavor. If you aren’t allergic to shellfish, Maesri Thai Green Curry Paste is a highly-recommended option (and you can get it on Amazon!). However, if you’re allergic to shellfish, a good vegan choice is Mekhala Green Curry Paste (which is also available on Amazon).
Thai Eggplant: This eggplant is green and white-colored, and about the size of a golf ball. You can look for it in the fresh produce area of Asian grocery stores. However, if you can’t find Thai eggplant, you can substitute with other types of eggplant, such as Japanese eggplant (thinly sliced) or baby eggplant (sometimes also called Indian eggplant).
Kaffir Lime Leaves: Now called makrut limes, these can sometimes be difficult to find, even at Asian markets. I went to 3 local Asian grocery stores in my area when I wanted to make this dish and I still couldn’t find these leaves! Instead, I used 3 strips of peel from regular limes.
Bamboo Shoots: Look for these fresh in the fresh produce area of an Asian grocery store. If you buy them fresh, you can cut them into slices, half-moons, or strips. Alternatively, you can find canned bamboo shoots in the canned goods aisle (or find canned bamboo shoots on Amazon).
Red Thai Chile Peppers: These are mostly just for a little pop of red color in green curry! However, they also add spicy heat. If you want to add a pop of color without adding more spicy heat, you can use ¼ of a red bell pepper cut into thin slices instead.