Green curry paste is always a favourite of Thai food lovers. It can be made with various vegetables, tofu, or meats such as beef, water buffalo, pork, wild boar, goat, lamb, duck, chicken, fish from the rivers or sea, shellfish such as squid, prawn or crab as well as an array of vegetables like eggplant, pea eggplants, green beans, okra, etc.

If using seafood krachai (Chinese Keys or Lesser Ginger) is usually added as well. It has a lovely fragrance that balances the seafood flavours.

Green Curry (Phrik Kaeng Kiao Wan)
Ingredients
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Green Curry paste*
14 ounces coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 pounds chicken thigh (boneless, skinless) cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup green beans cut into 1" long pieces, or Thai eggplant
6 (3 pairs) bai makrut (kaffir) Lime leaves
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 teaspoon date palm sugar
1 cup fresh sweet Thai basil leaves (bai Horapha)

Garnish: cilantro leaves

*Green Curry (kaeng khiao wan) has a touch of sweetness to the taste unlike red curry. You can make your own green curry paste or use brands such as Mae Ploy or Mae Sri which are available in small tins or various sized plastic tubs at Asian markets. Green curry can be quite hot so add just a little at a time to your curry, taste, and add more to your taste.

Method

Heat the oil in a wok or a heavy-based pan.

Add curry paste to the wok and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly until it separates and becomes fragrant. Add the onion and continue stir frying until onion is translucent.

Add coconut milk and water to the wok. Stir until blended.

Bring the mixture to a boil.

Add the chicken pieces, beans and kaffir lime leaves stirring until it returns to a boil. Lower heat to maintain a low simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is done and tender.

Add the fish sauce, lime juice and zest, and date palm sugar to the wok; stir to combine. Taste and adjust flavour to a balance of hot-sweet-salty-sour.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with steamed Jasmine rice.