I have been trying to make a good Thai curry for a while now. I love it so much, but have never really put the effort into researching how to make a good one at home. I've always just added curry paste to coconut milk, but it ends up lacking that certain je ne sais quois. I followed this recipe from 'Thai Cooking,' a great illustrated cookbook that I think I got in the cheapie bin at Border's.
I guess the secret is in all the ingredients added in addition to coconut milk and curry paste - and, well, duh. Most of these ingredients can be found at your regular grocer. As you can see from my ingredients pile above, I also added lemongrass (the little circles). I couldn't find any kaffir lime leaves, even at the Asian Market up on Congress St., but this dish turned out great (and spicy!) nonetheless. I can't wait to eat it again.
Green Chicken Curry
1 T. oil
1 onion, chopped
1-2 T. green curry paste (depending on your spice preference)
1 1/2 c. coconut milk
1/2 c. water
1 lb chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
3/4 c. green beans, cut into short pieces
6 kaffir lime leaves
1 T. fish sauce
1 T. lime juice
1 t. lime zest
2 t. brown sugar
3/4 c. cilantro or basil leaves
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. Add curry paste and onion, and sautee for one minute. Stir in the coconut milk and water, and bring to a boil. Add chicken, beans, and lime leaves, and stir to combine. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is tender. Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, lime zest, and brown sugar. Stir to combine. Add cilantro or basil and serve over steamed rice.