Green Curry with Chicken and Eggplant | Gaeng Keow Wan Gai | แกงเขียวหวานไก่
This Thai green curry with chicken and eggplant is spicy, rich, and incredibly fragrant. Served over a bed of jasmine rice, it makes for a delicious and satisfying Thai meal.
Prepare the Ingredients: Cut the chicken into thin bite-sized pieces, against the grain of the meat. Remove the stems of the eggplant and cut into halves. Slice the red pepper diagonally. Remove the Thai basil leaves from the stems. Devein the kaffir lime leaves and tear in half.
Break the Coconut Milk: Open a can of coconut milk and gently scoop the top layer of cream (~⅓ cup) into a saucepan. Save the thinner milk at the bottom of the can for later. Heat the cream over medium high heat until it starts to separate into an oily layer and a milky layer.
Fry the Curry Paste: Add the green curry paste and mix into the coconut milk until incorporated. Continue to fry the paste until it is very aromatic, approximately 3-5 minutes.
Add the Main Ingredients: Add the chicken, coat in the curry paste, and allow to cook until it is cooked through. Then add the rest of the coconut milk and 1 cup of water and bring back to a simmer. Add the eggplant and kaffir lime leaves and cook until tender. Depending on how long it takes for the eggplant to cook, you may need to add another ½ to 1 cup of water so that the curry remains soup-like in consistency. Once everything is cooked through and tender, add the red pepper slices and Thai basil leaves.
Adjust the Seasonings: Taste the curry and see if additional seasonings are needed. If they are, add fish sauce and/or sugar to round out the curry.
Serve: Remove the curry from the heat. Serve with jasmine rice or khanom jeen noodles.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. I find the curry is even better a day or two after cooking, as all of the flavors have had time to meld together.