The aroma of a green curry is almost as enjoyable as the taste and this one is a great dish for a cold winter night.
Curries aren’t something I use a lot in our house, both MOTH (Man of the House) and I having somewhat tender tastebuds. I love the aroma of them though and in this case, you can adjust the seasoning to be as mild, or as hot as you like, by way of the amount of green curry paste used.
This almost 100-year-old recipe isn’t set in the ingredients; it very much depends on the personal tastes of those making it. For us, I like the milder tastes of chicken or lamb particularly, but the recipe below also substitutes tofu and fish sauce for those who are vegetarians.
You can also add in celery if you like the taste.
The green curry isn’t to be confused with the red curry dish, which uses dry red chillies as a base for its paste, whereas the green paste of the green curry requires coriander roots, green chillies, which give it its colour and is much sweeter than the former.
For a belly warmer on a cold night though, this is a great dish and is best served with a fragrant rice such as jasmine or basmati.
Ingredients:
Two Tbs green curry paste
One can coconut milk
One cup chicken or vegetable broth
One Tbs fish sauce (optional)
One Tbs brown sugar
One Tbs vegetable oil
500gms chicken, beef, lamb, shrimp, or tofu (cut into bite-sized pieces)
One bell pepper, sliced
One zucchini, sliced
One C green beans, trimmed and halved
4-5 kaffir lime leaves (optional, but highly recommended)
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Method:
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add the green curry paste and stir-fry for one to two minutes until fragrant.
Add the chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu to the pan and cook until browned (if using chicken or beef) or until tofu is slightly crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, add the sliced capsicum, zucchini, and green beans. Stir-fry for two to three minutes until slightly softened.
Return the cooked meat or tofu to the pan with the vegetables and mix well.
Pour in the coconut milk and chicken or vegetable broth. Stir in the fish sauce (if using) and brown sugar.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for five minutes, allowing the flavours to meld together.
Add the kaffir lime leaves if using, and continue to simmer for an additional couple of minutes.
Taste the curry and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If you prefer a spicier curry, you can add more green curry paste. If it’s too hot, more coconut milk, or Greek yoghurt will cool it.
Remove the pan from the heat and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Serve the green curry hot over cooked jasmine rice.
