Thai curry with chicken – ready quickly and always delicious (video)

Green curry with chicken

Not much time tonight, but still tasty Thai food? This chicken recipe is ready in just 20 minutes. This light Thai curry full of crunchy vegetables is healthy too!

Green curry with chicken, known as “แกงเขียวหวานไก่” (Gaeng Keow Wan Gai) in Thai, is one of the most loved and famous dishes of Thai cuisine. This curry is distinguished by its vibrant green color and a harmonious blend of sweet, spicy and creamy flavors.

The phonetic translation of “แกงเขียวหวานไก่” (Gaeng Keow Wan Gai), which helps in correctly pronouncing this Thai name for green curry with chicken, is approximately as follows:

• Gaeng: sounds like “gæng”, where the “æ” sounds like the 'a' in “cat”.
• Keow Wan: sounds like “kee-ow wan”, where “kee” rhymes with “see”, “ow” as in “slow”, and “wan” as in “wan”.
• Gai: sounds like “guy”, rhyming with 'pie'.

So together it sounds like “gæng kee-ow wan guy”.

History and origin

• Origin: The origins of green curry go back to the Siamese cuisine of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (14th-18th centuries). The influences of neighboring countries and trade relations brought new ingredients and cooking techniques to Thailand, which contributed to the development of this dish.
• Cultural melting pot: The green curry recipe is influenced by both Indian and Thai cooking traditions. The curry paste used resembles Indian spice mixes, but is adapted with local ingredients and flavors.

Particularities

• Green Curry Paste: The key to the unique taste of Gaeng Keow Wan Gai is the green curry paste. This is made from green chili peppers, lemongrass, galangal (a type of ginger), kaffir lime leaves, coriander roots, shallots, garlic and a mixture of traditional Thai herbs.
• Color and aroma: The bright green color of the curry comes from the fresh green chili peppers and herbs in the paste. The dish has a tempting aroma that is created by the combination of fresh herbs and coconut milk.

Flavor profiles

• Complex and layered: Gaeng Keow Wan Gai is known for its complex flavor profile. It is typically sweeter and milder than other Thai curries, but still has a spicy undertone.
• Balance of flavours: The perfect balance of sweet (from the coconut milk and palm or coconut sugar), salty (fish sauce or salt), sour (lime juice or tamarind) and spicy (green chili peppers) makes this dish irresistible.
• Texture and ingredients: In addition to chicken, the dish often contains Thai eggplant, bamboo shoots, and Thai basil, which provide an interesting texture and additional dimensions of flavor.

To serve

Gaeng Keow Wan Gai is traditionally served with steamed jasmine rice. It is a favorite in both Thai households and restaurants around the world and represents the richness and diversity of Thai culinary tradition.

Ingredients

• 500 g chicken cubes
• sunflower oil
• 1 red bell pepper, in strips
• 150 g bean sprouts
• 100 g snow peas
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp curry powder (you can also use curry paste), you can choose from green/red/yellow curry.
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 dl chicken stock (water + 1/2 chicken stock cube)
• 1 dl (coconut) cream
• coriander
• white or brown rice

Preparation

Step 1: Heat a dash of sunflower oil in a deep pan or wok. Fry the onion and add the chicken cubes and curry powder.
Step 2: Add the vegetables and let them fry for a while. Deglaze with the stock and cream and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 3: Thicken the sauce with cornstarch if necessary. Spoon the curry into plates and garnish with coriander. Delicious with white rice.

Tip: Prefer a vegetarian dish? Then replace the chicken with pieces of tofu.