Thai Green Curry

Recipe by Natty Netsuwan and Peter Kuykendall, 2-4 servings

Green Curry Paste Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon sliced cilantro stems
  

• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons galangal root, finely minced
  
• 1/4 cup garlic
  
• 1 Kaffir Lime
  
• 3-4 tablespoons sliced lemongrass (1 lemongrass stalk should work, sliced into ½ inch segments)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon salt
  
• 1/2 cup sliced shallots
  
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
  
• 10-15 Green Thai Chili Peppers
  
  
  

Green Curry Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
  

• 1 can coconut milk
  
• 1-2 tablespoons green curry paste
  
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  
• 4-5 kaffir lime leaves
  
• 1 tablespoon sugar (add more if the curry is too spicy for you)
  
• 3 sprigs Thai basil
  
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into small rounds or half rounds
  
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size squares
  
• 1 bell pepper, cut into bite-size squares
  
• ½ cup canned bamboo shoots
  
• 1 cup water
  
• fresh jasmine rice, for serving
  
  
  

Green Curry Paste Instructions:

1. Slice shallots, lemongrass, peeled galangal, and cilantro stems into small pieces. Slice thinly or grate the kaffir lime zest, about 1 tablespoon.
   
2. Using a food processor, place the ingredients with the least amount of water content first, for grinding. This means, add the coriander, pepper, cumin, lemongrass and galangal into the food processor first. Blend for about a minute into rough fibers. Add salt, kaffir lime zest, cilantro stems and shrimp paste next and blend for another minute. Add the 15 green thai chili peppers and shallots next. Blend for a few minutes until the mixture turns into a fine paste so that you can't recognize individual ingredients. If water is needed to help add the blending process, add a very small amount at a time.
   

*The role of salt in curry pastes is to help with grinding and to act as a preservative. You may add more salt than what's called for; just remember when you cook with it to taste your curry prior to seasoning.


Green Curry Instructions:

1. Into a pot over medium-high heat, put in 3 tablespoons of green curry paste and 3 tablespoons of oil. Stir around and let the paste cook for about 1-2 minutes to release the aromatics of the ingredients. If the paste begins to splatter, turn the heat down to medium and continue to cook.
   
2. After cooking the green curry paste in oil, add in the chicken thigh pieces stir to coat the chicken for a couple minutes, until it is partially cooked.
   
3. Pour in the coconut milk as well as 1 cup of water. Stir to combine, then add in the sliced carrots, potatoes, and bell peppers. Let it simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
   
4. Add the seasonings; fish sauce and sugar. Taste for the balance of flavors, salty with a hint of sweet.
   
5. Add the kaffir lime leaves, for a nice nuance of flavor. Let it boil one more time. At this point, taste the curry. If it needs more spice, go ahead and add in 1 tablespoon more of the green curry paste. If it is too spicy, add in another tablespoon of sugar.
   

* Tip: If you want the curry to be greener, blend well a handful of basil leaves with a few tablespoons of water and stir the puree into the curry, before serving, to make it greener.

1. When you are ready to serve, add the Thai basil. Stir to mix the basil in and immediately turn off the heat to keep the basil green.
   
2. Quickly pour over fresh jasmine rice and enjoy!