Easy Thai Green Curry in under 30 Minutes!

Today I’m going to show you a quick way to make a deliciously creamy, easy Thai green curry in under 30 minutes and theres even a way you can make this using just 5 ingredients! This curry is also great if you’re planning on meal prepping for the week. 

I use this brand of Thai green curry as I feel it packs more of a flavour punch but I’m warning you guys now, this stuff is strong. Start with 1-2 tbsp and if you still find it mild, throw in a couple more. I tend to use around 3 heaped tbsp worth of green paste. Do try and avoid the supermarket brand curry paste as I feel it doesn’t impart much of the aromatic flavour or heat, but if you don’t have a choice but to use their brand, throw in a few more spoonfuls when cooking.

Any form of coconut milk works here; canned, fresh, powder. I use the Maggi brand coconut powder as I like to control how thick/thin I can make the coconut milk. It is also easier to add the powder at any point during cooking. If you’re finding the curry too spicy, then add in 2 tbsp of coconut powder to help tone the heat down. 

Bash up some lemongrass with a mortar and pestle so that the floral citrusy notes can be released during cooking. You can also do the same with the kaffir lime leaves, although I just tend to rip them up and throw them in the pot. Follow with a chicken stock cube and leave to boil. 

Once it has started to boil, you will want to remove the lemongrass stalks you had put in. You can opt to strain the mixture through a sieve but who wants to dirty another dish, so I just use a slotted spoon and fish out the lemongrass. 

Place the raw chicken in the curry and leave to poach until it is 90% cooked, so give it 3-4 minutes max. Remove from the curry and then throw in the vegetables. This is so that the chicken doesn’t become overcooked nor do the vegetables. 

Once the vegetables are cooked, put the chicken back in and let it simmer. 

Add in some fish sauce and a spoonful of brown sugar, both are completely optional but add a new dimension of flavour to your green curry. The brown sugar helps to cut through the richness of the curry whilst the fish sauce adds a salty hit. Again, this is completely optional but nice to have! 

I’ve used chicken in this recipe but feel free to substitute this with prawns, tofu, chickpeas, whatever your heart desires. Just be sure to follow the same steps of removing the protein before cooking your vegetables and then adding them again afterwards. No one likes overcooked protein! 

Yes, it may seem a bit hectic when you first read the recipe and perhaps you may not have on hand some of the ingredients like lemongrass or kaffir lime leaves, so I’ve included the recipe I use and an easier version too. Both recipes produce almost the same outcome and both are ready in under 30 minutes! 

EASY THAI GREEN CURRY RECIPE 

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp oil 
3-5 tbsp Thai green curry paste 
Pinch of turmeric
8-10 heaped tbsp of coconut powder, dissolved in water to make a slightly thick liquid
4-6 lemongrass stalks, crushed 
8 kaffir lime leaves, cut into strips 
1 chicken stock cube
3 chicken breasts, cut into cubes OR prawns OR tofu OR chickpeas
Assortment of vegetables (mange tout, carrots, baby corn, baby aubergines, button mushrooms, green beans etc)
1 tsp fish sauce 
1 tsp brown sugar 
Garnishes: red chillies, Thai basil, coriander, lime

METHOD

1. Heat oil up in a pan and add in the green curry paste. Fry until the paste becomes fragrant, but do not let it become dark. You may need to switch on an extractor fan as the fumes are quite strong! 
2. Add in a pinch of turmeric and stir. Then add in the coconut milk, crushed lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and a chicken stock cube. Stir well until the paste is fully incorporated into the coconut milk and let this come to a boil. 
3. Add in the chicken and let it cook 90%, before removing. 
4. Throw in the vegetables and once cooked, add the chicken back in. 
5. Add in the fish sauce and brown sugar and let it come to a simmer. 
6. Garnish with red chillies and coriander and serve with jasmine rice. 

EASIER METHOD

1. Heat oil up in a pan and add in the green curry paste. Fry until the paste becomes fragrant, but do not let it become dark.
2. Add in the coconut milk and chicken stock cube. Stir well until the paste is fully incorporated into the coconut milk and let this come to a boil. 
3. Add in the chicken and after a few minutes add in the vegetables. Let this come to a boil, before lowering the heat to a simmer. 
4. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.