Weeknight Thai green curry

Name: Weeknight Thai green curry
Yield: 1 batch
Ingredients: 3 tbsp green curry paste (homemade or Mae Ploy); 400 ml full-fat coconut milk, unshaken; 500 g chicken thighs, bite-size; 150 g Thai eggplant, quartered; 6 makrut lime leaves, torn; 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised; 2 green bird's-eye chillies, slit; 1.5 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp palm sugar; 1 tsp lime juice; 1 handful Thai basil; jasmine rice, to serve

Final version from attempt #3 — tested through 3 attempts.

See the development storyCopied by 4 kitchens

Ingredients

3tbspgreen curry paste (homemade or Mae Ploy)
400mlfull-fat coconut milk, unshaken
500gchicken thighs, bite-size
150gThai eggplant, quartered
6makrut lime leaves, torn
1stalklemongrass, bruised
2green bird's-eye chillies, slit
1.5tbspfish sauce
1tbsppalm sugar
1tsplime juice
1handfulThai basil
jasmine rice, to serve

Method

1. Spoon the thick coconut cream from the top of the can into a wok over medium heat. Simmer 3–4 minutes, stirring, until it splits and a slick of green oil pools at the edges. 2. Stir in the curry paste and fry for 2 minutes more — this is where the smell turns from raw to roasted. 3. Add chicken in a single layer, toss to coat, then pour in the remaining coconut milk, lime leaves, lemongrass and chillies. Simmer 8 min. 4. Add the eggplant and cook 4 more minutes until just tender. 5. Season off the heat with fish sauce, palm sugar and a squeeze of lime — taste and adjust until salty/sweet/sour are all loud. 6. Tear in Thai basil, lid on for 30 seconds, then serve over jasmine rice.