Gaeng keow wan

Green Curry with Prawns and Thai Aubergines

Green curry is the pounded fresh paste of green chillies, lemongrass, galangal and coriander root, cooked in split coconut cream and diluted with milk. This version, from a Michelin-starred Bangkok chef, makes the paste from scratch, by weight, and serves it with grilled prawns.

Green curry is a classic of central Thailand.

The chef's paste is 50 g of green goat peppers, 15 g of green bird's eye chillies, 55 g of lemongrass, 25 g of galangal, 7 g of makrut zest, 30 g of shallots, 4 g of shrimp paste, 20 g of garlic, 10 g of coriander root, 6 g of red turmeric and toasted coriander, cumin, white pepper and cardamom. For two to three, 80 g of paste goes into 150 ml of coconut cream and 350 ml of coconut milk.

Ingredients

For the paste

  • 50 g large green chillies
  • 15 g green bird's eye chillies
  • 55 g lemongrass, thinly sliced
  • 25 g galangal
  • 7 g makrut lime zest
  • 30 g shallots
  • 4 g shrimp paste
  • 20 g garlic
  • 10 g coriander root
  • 6 g red turmeric or fresh turmeric
  • 1 tsp white peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 Thai cardamom seeds

For the curry

  • 150 ml coconut cream
  • 80 g of the paste
  • 350 ml coconut milk
  • 20 g palm sugar
  • 25 g fish sauce
  • 2 Thai aubergines, quartered
  • 10 to 15 pea aubergines
  • 10 g Thai basil leaves
  • 4 makrut lime leaves, to garnish
  • 150 g raw prawns, seasoned with salt

Method

  1. Pound the paste Pound the paste ingredients, starting with the hardest, in a large mortar until completely smooth.
  2. Toast the spices Roast the peppercorns, coriander, cumin and cardamom in a dry pan until fragrant and grind to a fine powder.
  3. Fry the paste Heat the coconut cream in a hot pan until it splits and the oil separates. Add 80 g of the paste and stir for 5 minutes.
  4. Season and simmer Add the spice powder, palm sugar and fish sauce, then pour in the coconut milk. Add the aubergines and simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in the basil and taste.
  5. Grill the prawns Grill or pan-fry the seasoned prawns for 4 to 5 minutes until pink and opaque all through.
  6. Serve Spoon the curry into bowls, top with the prawns and garnish with torn lime leaves.

Food safety

Cook the prawns until pink and opaque all through. Thai chillies are very hot: wear gloves. Contains shellfish.

The paste makes more than needed and freezes.

Split the coconut cream properly; the oil should shine.

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