Thai Green Curry (แกงเขียวหวาน) — Fragrant Coconut Chicken Curry

• 2 tspcoriander seeds
• 1 tspcumin seeds
• 1 tspwhite peppercorns
• 16Thai green bird's eye chiles (stemmed)
• 4large mild green chiles (seeded and chopped for color and body)
• 2lemongrass stalks (tender lower 10 cm only, thinly sliced)
• 25 gfresh galangal (peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 tspmakrut lime zest
• 4cilantro roots (scrubbed clean and chopped)
• 4shallots (peeled and chopped)
• 6 clovegarlic (peeled)
• 2 tspshrimp paste
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 180 gprepared green curry paste (from the ingredients above)
• 180 mlcoconut cream
• 400 mlfull-fat coconut milk
• 600 gboneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 3 cm pieces)
• 8Thai eggplants (quartered and held in water until used)
• 80 gpea eggplants (optional but traditional)
• 120 gbamboo shoots (drained and sliced)
• 6 leafmakrut lime leaves (torn, center ribs removed)
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 12 gpalm sugar (finely shaved)
• 1 cupThai basil leaves (loosely packed)
• 1red spur chile (thinly sliced)

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and white peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes, shaking the pan often, until fragrant. Transfer them to a mortar or spice grinder and grind them to a fine powder before adding the wet aromatics.

2. 2

   Pound the green chiles, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime zest, cilantro roots, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, salt, and ground spices into a smooth paste. Add the hardest ingredients first and work patiently, because a well-pounded paste releases flavor into the coconut cream more cleanly than a coarse paste.

3. 3

   Place the coconut cream in a heavy saucepan or wok over medium heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it thickens and glossy oil begins to separate at the edges. Add 180 g of the prepared curry paste and fry it in the cream for 4 minutes, stirring constantly so the paste smells aromatic rather than raw.

4. 4

   Add the chicken pieces and stir for 3 minutes until the outside turns opaque and is coated in the green paste. Pour in the coconut milk, add the torn makrut lime leaves, and bring the curry to a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.

5. 5

   Add the Thai eggplants, pea eggplants, and bamboo shoots, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the eggplants are tender but not collapsed. Stir occasionally and keep the heat moderate so the coconut broth stays creamy.

6. 6

   Season with fish sauce and palm sugar, then simmer for 2 minutes and taste for balance. The curry should be salty first, gently sweet, aromatic from basil and lime leaf, and hot enough to be lively without masking the coconut.

7. 7

   Turn off the heat and fold in the Thai basil leaves so they wilt in the residual heat without blackening. Spoon the curry into bowls, garnish with sliced red chile, and serve immediately with hot jasmine rice.