Chef-tested recipe
A fragrant Thai green curry of chicken, coconut milk, fresh green curry paste, Thai basil and small eggplants, balancing heat, sweetness and savory depth.
Gaeng keow wan is built around a fresh green curry paste rather than bottled sauce. The paste is fried in coconut cream until aromatic, then loosened with coconut milk and seasoned with fish sauce and palm sugar.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Prep Time
- 35 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Cuisine
- Thai
- Course
- Main Dish
- Best Served With
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice or thin rice noodles and fresh cucumber.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Mortar and pestle or blenderpaid link
- Wok or saucepanpaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
Ingredients
- Green curry pastepaid link
- 60 g green bird’s-eye chillies
- 80 g shallots
- 25 g garlic
- 20 g galangal
- 25 g lemongrass
- 10 g coriander roots or stems
- 1 makrut lime zest
- 5 g coriander seeds, toastedpaid link
- 3 g cumin seeds, toastedpaid link
- 5 g white peppercorns
- 8 g shrimp paste
- 5 g saltpaid link
- Curry
- 700 g boneless chicken thigh, sliced
- 500 ml coconut milk Shop paid link
- 200 ml coconut cream Shop paid link
- 150 g Thai eggplants, quartered
- 80 g pea eggplants, optional
- 30 ml fish sauce Shop paid link
- 20 g palm sugarpaid link
- 4 makrut lime leaves, torn
- 30 g Thai basil leaves
- 1 red spur chilli, sliced
Preparation Overview
Pound the curry paste very finely, fry it in coconut cream until aromatic and glossy, then simmer chicken and eggplant briefly in coconut milk before finishing with Thai basil.
Method
-
Pound or blend all curry-paste ingredients into a smooth, bright green paste.
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Place coconut cream in a wok or saucepan over medium heat and cook until it begins to release oil.
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Add 80 g curry paste and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until intensely fragrant.
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Add chicken and toss in the paste for 2 minutes.
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Pour in coconut milk. Add fish sauce, palm sugar and makrut lime leaves. Simmer 8 minutes.
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Add Thai eggplants and optional pea eggplants; cook 6 to 8 minutes until just tender.
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Taste for a balance of spicy, salty and gently sweet.
-
Turn off the heat and fold in Thai basil. Garnish with red chilli.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Do not overcook the eggplant; it should remain intact.
- Add basil after the heat is off to preserve aroma.
- Curry paste strength varies, so adjust before adding extra chilli.
Tips and Variations
- Chicken thigh stays juicier than breast.
- Use Thai basil rather than Italian sweet basil when possible.
- Fresh curry paste can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen in portions.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently and add fresh basil at service.
Nutritional Value
Approximately 610 kcal, 38 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate and 43 g fat per serving, excluding rice.
Allergen Notes
Contains fish and crustaceans through fish sauce and shrimp paste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Thai green curry green?
The color comes primarily from fresh green chillies and herbs in the curry paste.
