Authentic Thai Green Curry with Beef | แกงเขียวหวานเนื้อ

Video tutorial

Thai Green Curry with Beef | แกงเขียวหวานเนื้อ

Master the Art of Thai Green Curry with Beef: Insider Tips and Tricks for Perfecting Your Recipe!

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

- For the Curry:

- 1 kg beef (2.2 lbs)

- 1 cup sweet basil

- 6-7 kaffir lime leaves

- 1 1/2 tbsp palm sugar

- 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce

- 1 liter coconut milk (34 fl oz) *(you can add 250 ml water if needed, e.g., if your coconut milk is too thick or you’d like to add more vegetables to the curry)*

- 500 ml water + 500 ml coconut milk for beef braising (17 fl oz + 17 fl oz)

- 180 g eggplant, cleaned (6.3 oz)

- 60 g pea eggplant, cleaned (2.1 oz)

- Optional: Additional vegetables like bamboo shoots

- Garnish: Finely sliced red chilies

- For the Paste:

- 1/2 cup chopped lemongrass

- 1/2 cup chopped Thai shallot

- 1/4 cup chopped garlic

- 1 1/2 tbsp chopped galangal

- 1 tbsp kaffir lime rind (from 1 whole fruit)

- 5 green spur chilies (peppers) or 80 grams (2.8 oz)

- 6 medium (2 inches long) green bird eye chilies

- 1-1 1/2 tbsp shrimp paste *(recommend 1 tbsp for store-bought shrimp paste)*

- 2 spice spoons roasted cumin seeds (before grinding)

- 2 spice spoons roasted coriander seeds (before grinding)

- 2 spice spoons white peppercorns (optional, if you’d like to lift the taste of spice)

- 2 coriander roots (optional, if you’d like to raise herbal aroma)

- Notes:

- No sea salt added in the paste as salt is used when braising the beef, and the fresh shrimp paste already has a good balance.

- Spice spoon is 1 ml of capacity

- Optional: 5-6 leaves of blanched sweet basil if you are not happy with the green color

Instructions:

1. Brown the Beef:

- Start by browning the beef in a pot with a little bit of oil. Add a few pinches of salt and continue cooking until all the liquid from the beef has disappeared and the beef has turned a nice brown color with a glaze.

2. Braise the Beef:

- Add 500 ml coconut milk and 500 ml water to the pot to braise the beef over medium heat. Turn the beef from time to time to ensure it does not burn at the bottom of the pot. Braise until the liquid has reduced to a glaze.

3. Prepare the Paste:

- Grind and pound the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and white pepper.

- Chop the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime rind, Thai shallot, garlic, long green pepper, and coriander root (if using).

- Pound the hard ingredients first, such as galangal and lemongrass, then add the remaining ingredients.

- Once the mixture becomes a fine paste, add the ground spices and finish pounding with the shrimp paste. Set the paste aside.

4. Prepare the Vegetables:

- Cut the eggplants and soak them in saltwater to prevent oxidation.

- Pick out the tops of the pea eggplants and soak them in saltwater as well. Additional vegetables like bamboo shoots or coconut shoots can also be added.

5. Cook the Curry:

- Heat a little cooking oil in a pan over medium to low heat. Add the paste and fry it, adding a few tablespoons of coconut milk to add some more fat and liquid into the pan to prevent burning or sticking.

- Add palm sugar at this stage to help harmonize the taste and prevent bitterness. Stir fry until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.

- Add the braised beef to the paste, ensuring to deglaze the pan with a little water and add it to the curry. Turn the beef in the paste to coat each piece.

- Gradually add coconut milk to the pan to keep the bottom from drying and burning. The green color should appear nicely separated.

- Add eggplants and pea eggplants, turning them to absorb the curry flavor for about 2-3 minutes, then add more coconut milk gradually until it covers the beef and veggies.

- Let it boil, add 1-2 tbsp fish sauce, stir, and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed, then top with sweet basil and torn kaffir lime leaves.

6. Serve:

- Rest the curry for about 5 minutes before serving.

- Garnish with some sliced red chili.

- Serve with steamed rice or fermented rice noodles.

Enjoy your delicious Thai Green Curry with Beef! 🥘🍚