Homemade Thai Green Curry Paste and Green Curry Chicken

Step 1: Prepare Green Chili for Paste

Take 8 pieces of long green chilies, remove their stems, then slice them lengthwise to remove the seeds. Chop the deseeded chilies into small pieces.

Step 2: Prepare Aromatics for Paste

Peel and chop 1 piece of lemongrass, 10g of galangal, and 1 piece of coriander root into small pieces.

Step 3: Prepare Dried Chilies and Spices

Chop 2 pieces of small dried chilies. In a dry pan, toast 10 pieces of white peppercorn, 1 tsp of coriander seed, and 1/4 tsp of cumin on low heat until aromatic. Transfer the toasted spices to a mortar.

Step 4: Prepare Shallot, Garlic, and Kaffir Lime Leaves

Chop 60g of shallot and 40g of garlic. Add them to a manual chopper along with 6 pieces of kaffir lime leaves. Chop until finely minced.

Step 5: Pound the Green Curry Paste

Add the chopped small dried chilies, coriander root, lemongrass, and galangal to the mortar with the toasted spices. Pound until well combined and fine. Then, add the chopped long green chilies and continue pounding until smooth. Finally, add the minced shallot, garlic, and kaffir lime leaves, along with 1 tsp of shrimp paste. Pound until all ingredients are thoroughly combined into a fine paste.

Step 6: Fry the Curry Paste

Heat 5 tbsp of vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 130g of the homemade green curry paste and fry until aromatic, about 5 minutes.

Step 7: Cook Chicken with Curry Paste

Add 200ml of coconut milk to the pan with the fried curry paste and stir well. Add 500g of chicken meat (cut into pieces) and mix to coat the chicken with the paste. Pour in 300ml more coconut milk and 1.5 cups of water. Cover the pan and cook on medium-low heat for 30 minutes.

Step 8: Season the Curry

Remove the lid. Add 2 tsp of sugar, 1/2 tbsp of palm sugar, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Stir well to combine. Cover the pan again and cook on low heat for another 20 minutes.

Step 9: Add Wax Gourd and Finish Cooking

Add 2 tbsp of fish sauce and 3-4 kaffir lime leaves to the curry. Stir. Add 1/2 cup of water and 300g of wax gourd (cut into pieces). Continue to cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the wax gourd is tender.

Step 10: Add Basil and Red Chili

Finally, add fresh basil leaves and sliced long red chilies to the curry. Stir gently until the basil wilts, about 1-2 minutes. The green curry chicken is now ready to serve.

• Remove seeds from green chilies to reduce heat if preferred.

• Toast spices on low heat to release maximum aroma without burning.

• Pound the curry paste ingredients thoroughly in a mortar and pestle for the best texture and flavor, or use a food processor for convenience.

• Fry the curry paste with coconut milk until the oil separates to deepen the flavor and color of the curry.

• Adjust sugar, salt, and fish sauce to taste for your preferred balance of sweet, salty, and umami.

• Substitute chicken with beef, pork, or tofu for different protein options.

• Add other vegetables like bamboo shoots, eggplant, or bell peppers.

• For a spicier curry, leave some seeds in the long green chilies or add more small dried chilies.