Green curry paste

Thai green curry recipe

With its vibrant green colour, next-level spice, flavour and heat, green curry is one of the best-known dishes from Thailand. Perfect with any meat, fish or veg, the dish is warming and surprisingly easy to make. First appearing in Thai cookbooks in the 1920s, green curry is said to have a shorter history than other Thai curries, such as massaman, which is thought to be around 300 years old. And as for heat levels, green curry is often set against its red curry counterpart, with many saying the fresh green birdseye chillies used in green curry make it far hotter than red, which uses dried red chillies. But it all comes down to your preference - if you like things hot, add more chillies! If you like milder curries, leave out some or all of the chillies.

Thai green curry ingredients

First up, choose your protein or veg - you can use pork, chicken, fish, tofu, eggplant, zucchini, carrots, baby broccoli, snow peas, which are all perfect in a green curry. Coconut milk or coconut cream are also key ingredients, giving the dish that all-important creaminess and flavour. But when it comes to what makes a great green curry, it’s all down to the green curry paste. Making your own means you can control how much chilli, and therefore heat, to include, plus it’s super easy to make! There are certain ingredients that make an authentic Thai green curry paste recipe – green chillies, galangal, spices – which work together to create its signature flavour. This green curry paste recipe is a milder version and calls for 2 long green chillies which are deseeded, but leave the seeds in if you want a curry paste with kick. You’ll also need some galangal, a root spice that’s related to ginger, which you can use as a substitute if you can’t find galangal. One bunch of coriander is also used to make this green curry paste, including its roots and stems, for maximum flavour. There’s also some coarsely chopped spring onion, which, together with the coriander and green chillies, helps give the curry paste its bright green colour. Lime juice and zest, along with a kaffir lime leaf and lemongrass, impart a unique citrus hit. And we can’t forget about the spices, which give the curry paste its fragrant, flavourful trademarks it’s known for. A splash of fish sauce is the perfect seasoning for the curry paste. You can store green curry paste in an airtight container or jar for up to 1 month in the fridge, or freeze in a sealable bag or in ice cube trays for up to 3 months.

How to make Thai green curry

Once you have all your ingredients for a green curry paste, you simply place all of them in a food processor and process until you achieve a smooth paste. Another brilliant reason for making your own is having it on hand so you can have green curry whenever the craving hits.  To use the paste in a green curry, cook your protein/veg first in a wok or frying pan over high heat - this ensures it cooks quickly and thoroughly. Then you can add the curry paste and cook until it’s aromatic - your kitchen will be filled with the wonderful mouth-watering aromas. Add chopped vegetables and coconut milk, and simmer until the sauce thickens. You can add a squeeze of lemon to finish – this gives a zesty freshness to the dish.

How to serve Thai green curry

Whether you sprinkle coriander or mint sprigs, or coconut flakes, over the finished dish, an authentic Thai green curry recipe must have steamed rice. The rice is ideal for soaking up all the spicy, sweet, salty flavours of the green curry. You could also serve this with an Asian-style salad or slaw with a sesame oil and ginger dressing. Apart from making a steaming bowl of Thai green curry, green curry paste is also brilliant for adding plenty of flavour to stir-fries and fried rice. Simply fry the paste until it’s aromatic then add your veggies or rice for a twist on Thai green curry.

Now get cooking

You may want to make a big batch of green curry paste to use in these fantastic recipes. It’s perfect in this Thai-style pork green curry that’s given the slow cooker treatment for a super tender result. For a speedy weeknight dinner, try this green chicken curry with Asian-style veggies that’s ready in just 15 minutes. Meat-free Mondays just got tastier with this tofu green curry with coconut flakes you’ll want to make every day of the week. Salmon takes on the aromatic flavours of green curry in this dish that’s filled with crisp greens. Try salmon and snow pea green curry.