Thai Green Curry with Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
• 2 (13.5 oz) cans full-fat coconut milk, not shaken
• 1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 small Japanese or Chinese eggplant, sliced into half-moons (or 1 cup zucchini)
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup canned bamboo shoots, drained
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn (or zest of 1 lime)
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, loosely packed
• 1 red chile, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
• 3 cups cooked jasmine rice, for serving

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Method

1. Open the cans of coconut milk without shaking them and scoop off just the thick cream that has risen to the top into a bowl; you should get about 1/2 cup of thick cream total. Reserve the remaining thinner coconut milk separately.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven (at least 4-quart capacity) over medium heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
3. Add the reserved coconut cream and the green curry paste to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes; the mixture will bubble and separate slightly, releasing oil around the edges and turning noticeably darker and more fragrant. This step, called 'cracking' the curry, is what unlocks the paste's full aroma, so do not skip or rush it.
4. Add the sliced chicken to the pot and stir to coat every piece in the fragrant curry-coconut mixture. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the outside of the chicken turns opaque (it does not need to be fully cooked yet).
5. Pour in the remaining thin coconut milk and the chicken broth, stirring to combine into a smooth, evenly colored sauce. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.
6. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar. Bring the curry to a gentle simmer (small bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil), then reduce the heat to medium-low.
7. Add the eggplant and bamboo shoots. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant turns translucent and soft when pierced with a fork.
8. Add the sliced bell pepper and torn kaffir lime leaves. Continue simmering for 5 more minutes until the pepper is just tender-crisp and the chicken pieces are cooked through (cut one open to confirm there is no pink, or check with a thermometer for 165 degrees F).
9. Taste the curry sauce carefully (it will be hot) and adjust: add more fish sauce for saltiness, more sugar if it tastes too sharp or spicy, or a squeeze of lime juice if it needs brightness.
10. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the fresh Thai basil leaves; the residual heat will wilt them gently without turning them dark or bitter.
11. Let the curry sit off the heat for 2 minutes before serving so the flavors settle and the sauce thickens slightly.
12. Ladle the curry over bowls of jasmine rice and top with sliced red chile if you want extra heat.

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