Lovers of chicken dishes are always ready to try out unique preparations and flavours in it. Chef Aswini Geetha Gopalakrishnan introduces a special Thai green chicken curry in which three different types of eggplants are added. Some may wonder whether eggplants go well with chicken. However, those who have tasted this Thai green chicken curry vow that it indeed is a winning combination.
Tongue twister
This special chicken curry is called Gaeng Kiew Wan Gai in the Thai language. However, it is often called Thai green chicken curry as the sauce or gravy of this dish is a distinct and pleasant green colour. Fresh green chillies and fragrant kaffir lime leaves give the flavoursome curry paste, its amazing green hue. The sweetness from the coconut milk perfectly cuts through the spiciness as well. Galangal and lemon grass too are added for some extra punch of flavours.
Eggplants in chicken curry
The Thai green chicken curry is prepared by adding three different types of eggplants in it. The long green eggplant, aubergine and the baby eggplants, that are commonly available here, are used in this dish. The eggplants get tender and soft when cooked in the green curry paste and absorbs the flavours as well.
Check out this special recipe of Thai green curry:
Ingredients
1 tbsp lemon grass
1 tbsp galangal
1 tbsp coriander stem (finely chopped)
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
4 shallots
4 cloves garlic
5 kaffir lime leaves
2 tsp palm sugar
1 cup coconut milk
10 green chillies
1 red Thai chilli
1 long green eggplant
1 aubergine
15 baby eggplants
Sweet basil as required
1 tsp fish sauce
200 gms boneless chicken
Preparation
Grind the green chillies, lemon grass, galangal, coriander stem, coriander, cumin, shallots, garlic and kaffir lime leaves into a fine paste.
Heat a thick bottomed vessel and add four table spoons of coconut milk.
Add the green curry paste and mix well. When the oil separates add some more coconut milk and allow it to boil.
Into it add the palm sugar and the fish sauce.
Now add the long green eggplant and the aubergine, cut into large chunks.
Add the boneless chicken pieces when the eggplants are half cooked.
Tear the kaffir lime leaves into small bits and add it into the boiling gravy. Make sure to remove the vein in the centre of the lime leaf before popping it in.
After the chicken pieces have cooked well, add the baby eggplants, Thai red chilli and sweet basil.
When the gravy begins to boil rapidly, add the rest of the coconut milk as well.
Take the curry off the flame after it has given a small boil.
