A simple Thai green curry with prawns

Here’s a quick way to make a delectable thai green curry. Please keep in mind that this is not necessarily a true & authentic green curry, but more of something that tastes good, fairly close to a green curry and can be whipped up easily. Sometimes speed trumps authenticity, especially if you’re tired or not really in the mood to cook but still want something delicious.

 

Ingredients

• Lemongrass sticks – 2, chopped roughly
• Galangal (or ginger) – 2 inch piece, chopped roughly
• 5-6 kaffir lime leaves
• 7-8 basil leaves
• Coconut milk (400 ml tin)
• 6-8 large baby corn pieces, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 6-8 mushrooms (regular button mushrooms will do, though straw mushrooms would be better), cut into bite-sized chunks
• Handful of green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
• Around 20-25 King Prawns (depending on size)
• 2 tsp Fish Sauce
• 1-2 tsp Palm sugar (or regular caster sugar)
• Mae Ploy (or other) Thai green curry paste

Method

• To start, take the lemongrass, galangal (or ginger), kaffir lime leaves and basil leaves. Whizz these up into a paste in a mixer with a dash of water to help things along if needed.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a deep saucepan,  put in 2 heaped tsp of Mae Ploy (or other) Thai green curry paste, and sauté for a minute. Stir so that it doesn’t burn or catch, then add in the veggies. I used baby corn, mushrooms and green beans, but these are optional & interchangeable, and you could add in others like aubergines.
• Stir-fry the veggies for a couple of minutes, then add in the coconut milk. Rinse out the tin with some water if needed and add that water into the pan as well.
• Add the fish sauce, palm sugar and the paste made earlier with the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves and basil. Bring to a boil and set to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the veggies are tender but still with a bit of a bite.
• Check the salt levels and add extra if needed.
• With the heat turned up to medium, add the prawns, and when they turn a coral pink the dish is ready to serve with some fragrant steamed rice.

Note: I have not added any extra chillies, as I think the curry paste is hot enough, but you can add a chopped red birds-eye chilli for extra heat if required.

Tagged: green curry, lemongrass, prawns