Thai Green Curry (Kaeng Khiao Wan)

🧾 Ingredients

Protein — pick one:

• 250 g shrimp (peeled, deveined)
• 250 g chicken (sliced thin or bite-size)
• 250 g firm tofu (cut into cubes, patted dry)

Curry base:

• 25–30 g Lobo Green Curry Paste (about ½ pouch — save the rest)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 240 ml coconut milk (1 small can)
• 1 cup water (240 ml)

Vegetables:

• 1–2 Thai aubergines (quartered) or 1 small regular eggplant (chunks)
• 1 handful green beans or snow peas (cut into 3 cm pieces)

Seasoning:

• 1–2 tbsp fish sauce (to taste)
• 1–2 tsp sugar or palm sugar

Optional (recommended):

• 4–5 Thai basil leaves (added at the end)
• 1–2 kaffir lime leaves (torn)
• sliced red chili (garnish)
• handful spinach (added at the end)

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🍚 Rice

Cook jasmine rice separately in rice cooker.

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🔥 Instructions

1. Fry the curry paste

• Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a pot or deep pan over medium heat
• Add green curry paste
• Stir and fry 1–2 minutes until fragrant

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2. Add protein

If chicken or tofu:

• Add chicken slices or tofu cubes
• Stir to coat with the curry paste
• Cook 2–3 minutes until chicken is mostly done on the outside (tofu just gets coated)

If shrimp:

• Skip this step — shrimp goes in later (step 6)

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3. Add coconut milk

• Pour in coconut milk
• Stir well so the paste dissolves into the liquid
• Bring to a gentle bubble

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4. Add liquid

• Pour in water
• Stir well to combine
• Bring to a gentle boil

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5. Add vegetables

• Add Thai aubergine (or regular eggplant chunks)
• Add green beans or snow peas
• Add kaffir lime leaves if using

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6. Simmer

If chicken or tofu:

• Reduce heat to medium-low
• Cover and simmer 10–12 minutes until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through
• Stir occasionally

If shrimp:

• Reduce heat to medium-low
• Cover and simmer 5 minutes to cook the vegetables
• Add the shrimp
• Simmer 3–4 minutes until shrimp are pink and curled
• Do not overcook — shrimp get rubbery fast

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7. Season

• Add fish sauce — start with 1 tbsp, taste, add more if needed
• Add sugar — just a little to balance the salt and heat
• Stir and taste again

👉 Green curry should be herbaceous, slightly sweet, with a fresh chili kick.

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8. Finish

• Add Thai basil and/or spinach (if using)
• Stir and cook 1 more minute until just wilted
• Turn off heat
• Let rest 5 minutes

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🍽️ Serve

• Ladle curry over jasmine rice
• Or serve rice on the side
• Garnish with sliced red chili and extra Thai basil

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⚠️ Key Tips

• Green curry is the most herbaceous and freshest-tasting Thai curry — basil at the end is important
• Shrimp cook fast — add them at the end and watch carefully
• Thai aubergines cook faster than regular eggplant — if using regular eggplant, cut into smaller chunks
• Fish sauce goes in gradually — easy to over-salt
• If you like it spicier, add an extra spoon of curry paste

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🍤 🐔 🫘 Protein Variations at a Glance

Protein	When to add	Cook time	Notes
Shrimp	Step 6 (after vegs have simmered 5 min)	3–4 min	Do not overcook — pink and curled = done
Chicken	Step 2 (with the paste)	~15 min total	Slice thin for faster cooking
Firm tofu	Step 2 (with the paste)	~15 min total	Pat dry first for better texture
Chickpeas (canned or dried)	Step 2 (with the paste)	~15 min total	Drain and rinse (canned). If dried: soak overnight, then simmer 60–90 min until tender before using
Kidney beans (canned or dried)	Step 2 (with the paste)	~15 min total	Drain and rinse (canned). If dried: soak overnight, then simmer 45–60 min until tender before using

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👍 Result

With shrimp: Light, fragrant curry with tender pink shrimp, crisp green beans, and soft aubergine in a herbaceous coconut broth.

With chicken: Classic green curry — rich coconut sauce with tender chicken, fresh basil, and a chili-herb kick.

With tofu: Mild, creamy, and satisfying — tofu soaks up the green curry flavor beautifully.