Green curry
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Ingredients for green curry paste.
a grey, stone mortar is shown from above, containing a bright green, slightly lumpy paste
Freshly made green curry paste in a mortar
Green curry (Thai: แกงเขียวหวาน, literally sweet green curry) is a variety of curry in Thai cuisine. The name "green" curry derives from the color of the dish. Other Thai curry dishes are identified solely by their colors, such as yellow and red curry. Green curries tend to be as hot as red curries, both being hotter than panang/padang curries. However, green curries, regardless of heat, have a definite and desired sweetness that is not usually associated with red curries.
The main i
ngredients for the sauce consist of coconut milk, green curry paste, aubergine, pea aubergine, sugar, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, and thai basil leaves. The consistency of its sauce varies with the amount of coconut milk used. Green curry paste is made by pounding in a mortar green chillies, shallots, garlic, galangal, fresh turmeric, shrimp paste and salt. The paste is briefly fried in split coconut cream, then coconut milk, meat or fish, and vegetables added along with a pinch of brown sugar. Finally, kaffir lime leaves, phrik chii faa ("sky-pointing chilies", 
large mild chilies) and thai basil are added just at the end of cooking for fragrance. When the curry is made with fish or seafood, krachai (wild ginger, Chinese keys) is added.Thai green curry can be made with all kinds of meat. However, the more popular ones are made with beef, chicken and fish ball. The green curry can be eaten with rice or with round rice noodles known as khanom jeen (ขนมจีน).
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp green curry paste (according to taste)
1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
1-2 thick stalks lemongrass, fat ends bashed with a rolling pin (optional)
750g/1½lb skinless, boneless chicken, cut into chunks (use breast and/or leg meat)
6-8 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces (if unavailable, use the grated zest of 1 lime)
400ml/14fl oz coconut milk
good shake of Thai fish sauce or light soy sauce
small handful of coriander, roughly chopped
½-1 lime, juice only
Method
1. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the green curry paste and sugar and cook over a fairly high heat for about a minute, stirring with the lemongrass, if using. Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the chicken pieces and lime leaves or zest until coated in the paste. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce or soy sauce and bring to a simmer, cooking for 25-30 minutes until thickened slightly. Stir in the coriander and lime juice. Check for seasoning, adding more fish sauce or soy sauce if needed.
2. The curry is now best left to sit for a few minutes so the sauce becomes creamier. You will also taste the true flavours of the curry paste ingredients when it's slightly cooler. Serve with lots of fragrant Thai jasmine rice.
