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🇹🇭 Curry · Thailand
Green Curry (Gaeng Khiao Wan)
Thai green curry of chicken, eggplant and kaffir lime leaves — paste bloomed in cracked coconut cream.
Crack the cream first
What separates restaurant green curry from watery home version
Galangal, lemongrass, basil
Bangkok-back-street perfume from the green paste
Thai eggplants + bamboo
Soft but holding shape after 10–12 minutes uncovered
Four notes at once
Salty, sweet, herbaceous and a clean green-chilli heat
Ingredients 4 servings
- 4 tbsp green curry paste (homemade, or a good Thai brand like Mae Ploy)
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk (Aroy-D is ideal)
- 200 ml coconut cream (the thick top layer from the can, or 100 ml plus the skimmed cream)
- 500 g chicken thighs, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 4 Thai eggplants, quartered (or 1 small Asian eggplant cubed)
- A small handful of pea eggplants (mainly garnish, optional)
- 100 g bamboo shoots, sliced
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn (stem removed)
- 2 long red chillies, sliced thinly on the bias
- 1 tbsp palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
- A small handful of Thai basil leaves (horapha)
- Jasmine rice to serve
How to make it
- 1In a wok or heavy pan over medium heat, spoon in the coconut cream and let it cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oil cracks out and the cream takes on a slick sheen — this foundation step is what separates Thai-restaurant green curry from the watery home version.
- 2Add the green curry paste to the split cream and fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens, releases its perfume of galangal, lemongrass and Thai basil, and the oil turns a vivid green — the kitchen will smell like a Bangkok back street.
- 3Slide in the chicken and turn the pieces in the paste until coated, cook 3–4 minutes until the meat is half-sealed, then pour in the coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer; add the eggplants, bamboo shoots and torn kaffir lime leaves, and simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes until the eggplants are tender and the chicken is just cooked through.
- 4Season with the fish sauce and palm sugar, tasting as you go — the curry should hit salty, sweet, herbaceous and a clean green chilli heat all at once — then stir in the sliced red chillies and Thai basil, swirl the pan once and take it off the heat after 30 seconds so the basil stays bright in the bowl.
- 5Serve in shallow bowls with jasmine rice on the side.
Tip: Fry the paste in coconut cream until the oil splits and pools — that's when the curry stops tasting flat.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Calories 620 kcal
Protein 32 g
Carbs 22 g
Fat 44 g
Fiber 5 g
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
🍚 Thai jasmine rice
🌿 Fresh Thai basil and coriander
🌶️ Birds-eye chillies in fish sauce
🍋 Lime wedges
