Thai Green Chicken Curry

Method

1. 01

   Separate coconut cream

   Without shaking the can, spoon 120 ml thick coconut cream from the top into a bowl; measure the remaining 280 ml coconut milk separately. Drain the eggplants only immediately before they enter the pot.

   

2. 02

   Fry the curry paste

   Put 120 ml coconut cream in a wide pot over medium heat and simmer 3–5 minutes until glossy and slightly reduced. Add green curry paste and stir 3 minutes until deeply fragrant; lower the heat if the paste catches.

   

3. 03

   Coat the chicken

   Add chicken and stir over medium heat for 4 minutes, until every surface loses its raw pink colour and is coated in green paste. The centres are not yet cooked and must remain in the curry.

   

4. 04

   Build the coconut broth

   Pour in the remaining 280 ml coconut milk and 250 ml stock while scraping the pot. Add fish sauce, palm sugar, and four lime leaves; bring to a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.

   

5. 05

   Cook chicken safely

   Partly cover and simmer 8 minutes, stirring once. Check the largest chicken piece reaches at least 74°C; if not, continue in 2-minute intervals before adding vegetables.

   

6. 06

   Set eggplant and bamboo

   Drain eggplant and add with bamboo shoots. Simmer uncovered 7–9 minutes until eggplant is tender at the cut face but still holds its skin; stir gently twice so the pieces remain intact.

   

7. 07

   Balance and add basil

   Taste after the vegetables are tender. Add up to 10 ml fish sauce only if needed. Turn off the heat, fold in basil, sliced chile, and remaining two lime leaves, then cover for 2 minutes to trap the fresh aroma.

   

8. 08

   Serve with rice or roti

   Divide curry into four bowls, giving each equal chicken, eggplant, and bamboo. Serve immediately with hot jasmine rice or warmed plain roti; the sauce should flow but lightly coat a spoon.