Green curry paste

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 ingredients 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, pork, chicken, and fish ball. The green curry can be eaten with rice or with round rice noodles known as khanom jeen (ขนมจีน).

Green curry paste is a combination of ingredients that is sold packaged in ethnic markets. Typically the curry consists of Phrik Khi Nu (fresh small green chilis), salt, galangal, lemon grass, dried skin of the kaffir lime, whole coriander plant, peppercorns, shallot, garlic and shrimp paste.

Recipe

 * Thai Green Curry Paste