Main, Thai
Thai Green Curry with Shrimp
Fragrant coconut curry with snappy shrimp, Thai basil and lime.
- Total
- 30 min
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Skill
- Medium
- Serves
- 2
- Cost for two
- about $16
A good green curry is all about balance: salty fish sauce, a touch of sugar, sour lime and the heat of the paste, softened by coconut. Frying the paste in 'cracked' coconut cream first is the step most home cooks skip and the one that makes the flavor bloom.
Ingredients
Method
Start the rice so it is ready when the curry is.
Spoon 3–4 tbsp of the thick cream from the top of the coconut can into a pot with the oil. Fry over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until it sizzles and the oil separates.
Add the curry paste and fry 1–2 minutes until very fragrant.
Add the rest of the coconut milk, the stock, fish sauce, sugar and lime leaves. Simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the vegetables and simmer 4–5 minutes until tender-crisp, then add the shrimp and cook 2–3 minutes until just pink.
Off the heat, stir in the Thai basil and a squeeze of lime. Taste and balance: more fish sauce for salt, sugar for sweet, lime for sour. Serve with the rice.
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Tips
- Start with 2 tbsp paste. You can always stir more in; you cannot take it out.
- Swap the shrimp for tofu and fish sauce for soy sauce for a vegetarian version.
Make ahead
Cut the vegetables and peel the shrimp ahead. The curry base can be made a day ahead; reheat and add vegetables and shrimp to order.
Plating
Pack the rice into a small bowl and turn it out as a dome beside the curry in a wide bowl. Finish with basil and thin chili slices.
What to drink
Wine: Off-dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer to cool the heat.
Zero-proof: Iced lemongrass-ginger tea.
Questions
Is green curry very spicy?
It depends on the brand. Mae Ploy and Maesri are hot; supermarket brands are milder. Adjust the amount.