Maybe not the prettiest . . .

. . . but it is the best tasting I've made so far! This is my latest green curry:

Please remember, as you look at it, that it is, you know, green. And that it is steaming hot so the steam is making it look blurry. I think.

Let's try again. Here's another one:

Wow. Not even better.

I'm not defending my photos so much as I just think you shouldn't be put off by them. I just think you should, if you like green curry and you've been following my green-curry odyssey, make it immediately.

I used the recipe from the October 2008 issue of the British edition of Country Living magazine as my base, tweaking it with American measurements and to reflect what I had on hand. I know that lots of people suggested that I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk when I was talking about green curry a few weeks ago, but I have never seen coconut cream available in any of the grocery stores I shop at? (Not to be confused with cream of coconut, which is what you put in your pina colada). Only coconut milk. Maybe I need to go to the Asian market. But I think the brand I used last night was A Taste of Thai, and it seemed like it was all cream, and very little watery stuff at the bottom. Sometimes you open the can and there's this thin little layer of cream on top, with a big can of water below it. But I think I'm going to stick with Taste of Thai from now on, because whatever the reason, this was as creamy and thick as I could want. I'll shut up now and give you the recipe.

Thai Green Curry Chicken

Kosher salt, black pepper
6 free-range boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 large shallots, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon green curry paste (I used A Taste of Thai brand for this as well)
14 oz. can of coconut milk
1/2 c. chicken stock
Small squirt of lemongrass paste (can't remember where I got this, but I just keep the tube in the freezer — if you don't have it, don't sweat it)
2 medium-hot red chiles
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 heaped teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
1/2 c. chopped cilantro

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Season the tops of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper; turn them over and season the other side. Place in a 9" x 13" baking dish along with the lime wedges. Drizzle with oil and and bake for 25 minutes, turning over halfway through.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan and saute the shallots and garlic until they soften. Stir in the curry paste and cook for a few minutes longer. Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, lemongrass paste, and whole chiles. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. When chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the oven and shred the chicken into big chunks. Add the chicken chunks and the roasted lime wedges to the sauce. Add the fish sauce, sugar, and herbs and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve over hot jasmine rice.

I'm still really worried about that photo. Perhaps you'd just like to see the (vintage — sorry, no info!) bowl instead, and use your imagination. . . .

Comments

[Briana]

That sounds delicious! I love a good curry (am actually making a different kind of curry tonight!). I do recommend using the light coconut milk instead of the regular. The saturated fat in coconut milk is what makes it taste so decadent, but it is also crrrrazy chock full of it. When I've used the light stuff, it still tastes just as good, and I feel better about it too! Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe!

[jodie viall]

i am always peeking into your blog for inspiration & i always find it! your photos are great & i think your curry looks delicioso! thx

[Nancy Kay]

We made a stew called captain chicken...or something, it looked pretty gross but it was sooo yummy! So a totally trust you that is was good ;)

[Selena]

I'm on a similar search for a chicken korma but haven't even yet to begin to find recipes. I should because my tab at the curry house is not even funny any more. I think a curry looks good no matter what it is served on or how good/bad the light it. Now I'm hungry. Make that starving.

[danielle]

Oh Boy! Don't worry about the photo it's fine. Besides, it is hard to make chicken curry look as good as it tastes. That recipe sure sounds good. Thanks for the tast tests, I will definetly try this one.

[laura dodson]

i wish i could say i liked curry. it sounds so metropolitan or something. i can say cute bowl. and yummy rice. 2 outta 1 ain't bad, huh?

[laura dodson]

geepers. 2 outta 3 ain't bad.

[jenny holiday]

Sooooo up our alley!!!!! Def gonna try this!!!!!

xoxo Jenny

[Steph VW]

oooooh... you're making my tummy growl. I love green curry.

[Jennifer Klages]

Oh, those ingredients sound amazing. I'm going to try it. Regardless of your photo. Heh!

[Carolyn A.]

Alicia,
I love curry and this one looks like it would satisfy any taste.

One thing made me laugh though. It looks like the curry is sticking its tongue out at us. :) xxoo

[SooDarwin]

Yeah I think the coconut milk you are using will do fine.....they all vary as you say and sometimes the cream is not much thicker than a good coconut milk.
Best wishes with the voting coming up this weekend....I think the US will miss a huge opportunity for change if Obama isn't voted in. The world watches with great interest. x

[Su Bo]

no no no, don't use coconut cream, Chris accidentally used that when he made this dish, and it was so sweet and syrupy we couldn't eat more than a couple of bites. i immediately went out and bought coconut milk, but we haven't remade it yet... Hope all is well with you Alicia, su bochenski.

[brooke]

i just bought a creamer and sugar set very much like the pattern (if not the exact same) on your plate for a friend. i wanted it for me!
doesn't it just make you happy?

[brooke]

i looked again, and it is the same! oh, to have the whole set!

[Tricia]

YUM!!! looks amazing!!

[Kelly]

After your last post on green curry I bought coconut cream at the Asian Market at 31st and SE Hawthorne...along with some sweet rice. It made all the difference. So, I do think Asian markets are the best source and that coconut cream results in a superior curry. The store is not as lovely as Uwajamiya or Fubonn. Minimal inventory. But it's in my neighborhood and had all the ingredients I required. Thanks for all the curry conversation!

[fourdogday]

Reading your blog makes me hungry!!! The pictures are great.

[melissa s.]

my thai food-loving husband's birthday is friday (yes, halloween) so i can't wait to try this out for his bday dinner. there's an asian market a few blocks from us, i'll check for coconut cream there and report back on my findings (we live in NE). thanks for the recipe!

[patty]

Oh, I love the British Country Living! It always makes me want to decamp to some English countryside house with a thatched roof and raise sheep for wool and have a cute shop to serve tea, scones and knitting yarn - or some other crazy fantasy. The recipe looks great - thanks so much for translating the amts. I will be making it soon!

[Liz]

Mmmm. I was actually salivating at the picture. Good sign!

~Liz
www.AGiveawayADay.blogspot.com

[Kristin Maclean]

LOVE that plate..or bowl. I have some beautiful vintage sets from my grandma in the turquoise that you (and I) love so much!

[Jody]

I'm a new reader, but printed off your green shrimp curry yesterday and have made it twice. Great results! First time I've used green curry paste, and like it very much. Thanks for turning me on to it!
I know what you mean about the colour. It's a fine line between green and grey.
Cheers,
Jody.

[Linda]

If one, say, had children who clamped shut their mouths at the prospect of anything remotely spicy, might one omit the chiles or would one destroy the recipe entirely?

[DeeAnn]

What's wrong with the photo? I think everything looks perfect. I think the curry looks delicious & I have never ate curry in my life. The rice underneath it looks so yummy. Now, all I'm thinking about eating is rice in a vintage bowl. Trying some yummy curry.

I love, love, love the vintage bowl. It can come live with me. :)