Thai Green Curry with Pink Fir Apple Potatoes
This is an edible flower classic! Every since we learnt to make Thai curries from scratch in Thailand in 2012 it’s been a go-to dinner. And then when Jo started growing pink fir apple potatoes and we discovered how delicious they are in a Thai green curry we’ve been making this veggie-ish version every summer since. It’s featured on many event menus!
The key to making a great Thai curry is getting the balance of salty, spicy, sweet and sour just right. I urge you to taste and adjust the seasoning until it’s perfect for you!
You can make the curry paste from scratch (recipe below) or you can buy a good quality ready-made paste - we recommend the Mae Ploy brand from the Asia supermarket or buy online. The pastes last forever in the fridge. Thai basil makes all the difference here, but you can use regular basil at a push!
Green curry paste (see recipe below or use 2 heaped tablespoons of shop-bought curry paste such as Mae Ploy brand)
1 x 400ml can coconut milk (don’t shake it – you want the cream separated)
200ml water
300g new potatoes, cut into 2-3cm chunks - we particularly love this with pink fir apple potatoes
200g courgette cut into 2-3cm chunks
150g aubergine, cut into 2-3cm chunks
150g green beans, cut into 3cm lengths
2-3 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce (to taste)
1-2 teaspoons palm sugar (to taste)
Juice of ½ lime (to taste)
A handful of Thai basil
Scoop off a couple of tablespoons of the coconut cream on top of the coconut milk and add to a heavy bottomed wok or pan over a high heat. Fry until you can see the oil separating out of the cream. If the cream isn’t very thick you can add a tablespoon of sunflower oil to help it along.
Turn the heat to medium and add the curry paste, fry for about 1 minute, stirring the whole time. You should be able to smell the spices and aromatics in the paste. Add the coconut milk and 100ml of water and bring to the boil. Add in the potatoes and bring back to the boil. Cook 5 minutes over a medium low heat, and then add the courgettes and aubergine. Cook for another 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the green beans and cook for a couple of minutes more. If the sauce seems too thick add the remaining 100ml water. A Thai curry is usually quite soupy.
Alternatively, you can use pre-cooked the vegetables. This is a good way to transform leftover roasted veg or boiled potatoes into a yummy new meal. If you use pre-cooked veg then you only need to cook for a couple of minutes before seasoning.
Add the fish or soy sauce, palm sugar and lime juice to taste. Add a little and taste and then keep tasting until the balance is just right. Stir in the basil, keeping a few leaves back to garnish.
You can also garnish with sliced red chilli (for more heat), roasted peanuts or crispy shallots.
Thai Green Curry Paste
This makes about 100g green curry paste, enough for a curry for 4 people.
Fresh Ingredients:
1 tablespoon galangal (chopped) – or substitute fresh ginger
3 stalks of lemongrass (chopped)
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons coriander stalks (chopped)
2 shallots (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
5 - 10 green chillies (chopped) - more or less to taste
30g Thai basil leaves – or substitute regular basil leaves
Dried Ingredients:
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
½ teaspoon salt
Toast the coriander seeds in a dry pan until the aroma is released. Then toast the cumin seeds. Grind the coriander and cumin seeds and black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Stir in the salt and turmeric.
Put all the fresh ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until a smooth paste is formed. Add a little water if you need to help the ingredients liquidize.
Stir in the dried ingredients.
Use the paste immediately, or if you have some left over, either pop it in the freezer or fry it off with a little sunflower oil and you can then keep in the fridge in an airtight container for about 1 month.