Green Curry with Chicken (Kaeng Khiao Waan Kai)

Homemade green curry with chicken and Thai eggplant

Green curry is a very well known dish served at most Thai restaurants. The curry paste is made from fresh herbs and toasted dried spices that are pounded together in a mortar. Homemade curry paste has much more depth of flavor than the canned variety. I like using bone-in chicken thighs but you can substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs.

Green Curry with Chicken (Kaeng Khiao Waan Kai)

Curry Paste

• 16 fresh green Thai chiles

• 1 medium bulb garlic

• 3 medium Asian shallots or regular shallots

• 2 large stalks lemongrass

• 2 1/2 inch piece galangal

• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro roots or stems

• zest of 1 makrut lime

• 1 heaping tsp coriander seeds

• 1 heaping tsp cumin seeds

• 1/4 tsp yellow mustard seeds

• 1 tsp white peppercorns

• 1 Tbsp shrimp paste

• 1 tsp salt

Curry

• prepared curry paste

• 3 1/2 cups coconut cream

• 2 cups water

• 8 bone-in chicken thighs skin removed or 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs

• 2 Tbsp fish sauce or more to taste

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 Tbsp palm sugar

• 15 makrut lime leaves

• 12 Thai eggplants

• 3 fresh red long chiles

• 1 1/2 cups Thai basil

Curry Paste

Remove the stems from the Thai green chiles. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Peel and finely chop the shallots. Thinly slice the lemongrass. Peel and finely chop the galangal. Clean and finely chop the cilantro roots or stems. Peel and finely chop the makrut lime zest. Toast the coriander, cumin and mustard seeds in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3 minutes or until fragrant.

In a mortar pound the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and white peppercorns. Add the cilantro roots or stems, lemongrass, galangal, Thai green chiles, garlic, shallots, salt, makrut lime zest and shrimp paste, pounding after each addition until fully incorporated.

Curry

Remove the skin and excess fat from the bone-in chicken thighs. Using a sharp cleaver hack the chicken through the bone into 2 inch pieces. If using boneless skinless chicken thighs remove the excess fat and cut into 2 inch pieces. Season the chicken with salt on all sides. Slice the long red chiles into thin strips on a diagonal lengthwise. Fold the makrut lime leaves in half and remove the stems down the center. Leave the Thai eggplants aside until you start cooking the curry.

In a pot over medium-high heat add the water and let it simmer. Turn the heat down to medium and add the green curry paste, chicken and makrut lime leaves. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Add the coconut cream and cook for 15 minutes. Add the fish sauce, salt and palm sugar. Remove the stems from the Thai eggplants and cut them into quarters right before adding it to the curry. Add the Thai eggplants and long red chiles and cook for 5 minutes. Add the Thai basil leaves off the heat and stir until wilted.