Green Thai curry

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 500 ml coconut milk
• 1 tbsp, heaped Thai curry paste, green
• 300 g chicken or beef strips or tofu pieces or shrimp
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 stalk(s) lemongrass
• 2 cm galangal root
• 1 small lime(s)
• 1 tsp palm sugar or honey
• 1 tsp glutamate
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce, light
• 4 small Thai eggplants
• 1 tbsp vegetables (eggplant buds/pea eggplants)
• 2 stalk(s) pepper, green, fresh
• 3 baby corn cobs
• 4 mushrooms, e.g. button mushrooms
• possibly onion(s), red
• 6 Thai basil leaves
• 2 spring onions (Thai spring onions)
• possibly Thai chili pepper(s), red

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

authentic, recipe from a street food market on the island of Koh Chang

Peel the garlic and cut into eighths. Wash the lemongrass and cut into large pieces. Cut the galangal, with or without peel, into 0.5cm slices. Wash the lime and cut into eighths. Wash the mini Thai eggplants, then halve or third them. Wash the baby corn and halve them. Roughly chop the onion. Wash the fresh pepper. Wash the mushrooms and cut into thick quarters or fifths. Wash and tear the Thai basil. Roughly chop the Thai spring onions. Wash the Thai chilies and roughly slice them. Place all the vegetables, except the garlic, in a large bowl. Ideally, use a wok or a deep saucepan and heat it over high heat. It is important to use a high heat, otherwise the cooking times will vary significantly and, in the worst case, the vegetables will lose their crispness. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add the curry paste and mix. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add the meat/tofu and garlic. Boil vigorously for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the kaffir leaves, galangal, lime, lemongrass, MSG, sugar, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Add the Thai eggplant, bud/pea eggplant, fresh peppercorns, baby corn, chopped chili, onion, and mushrooms, and boil vigorously for 3-4 minutes. Stir in gently and continuously. Season to taste with fish sauce, lime juice, and soy sauce. Thin with water or more coconut milk if desired. Finally, stir in the Thai basil and Thai spring onions and immediately remove from the heat. Serve in two bowls and garnish with more Thai basil. Serve the rice in a separate bowl. Notes: The kaffir leaves, lime pieces, galangal, and lemongrass are absolutely necessary and are simply left in the bowl. They are not eaten; they are for flavoring purposes. – The MSG can, of course, be omitted and replaced with more fish sauce. However, it is part of every Thai street food restaurant I’ve visited. – This Thai curry is spicy, even without the extra chili. If you don’t tolerate heat well, use only two-thirds of the paste or prefer a milder version. The fresh peppercorns can, of course, be omitted, but they contribute greatly to the authentic flavor. – I haven’t found eggplant buds/pea eggplants in any market in Germany yet; they can also be omitted.