The Runaway Cook

A diary of culinary adventures

Thai Green Curry (with chicken)

Posted by Elizabeth Monday, August 30, 2010 comments (0)

Green Curry Chicken

This is a must in the family of Thai food. I love teaching how to make this in my classes and I hope that you will make this at home!


Curry Paste Ingredients

4-6 Long Green Chilies

2-3 Thai chilies

2 tbsp. Chopped shallots

2 tsp. Chopped galangal

1 tsp. Kaffir lime rind (other varieties will suffice)

2 cloves. Chopped garlic

4 stems Thai sweet basil

2 tbsp. Chopped ginger

2 tbsp. Chopped lemongrass

2 each cilantro roots

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds toasted and ground

1/2 tsp. coriander seeds toasted and ground

1/2 tsp salt


Curry Ingredients

5-6 small Thai eggplants quartered (other small/mild eggplants will work as well)

3/4 cup sliced onion

3 each chicken legs and thighs

2 tsp palm sugar --to taste

2 tbsp. fish sauce --to taste

6 kaffir lime leaves

4 Stems of Thai sweet basil

2 Cups of coconut milk

1.5-2 Cups of water


Method of Preparation

  1. Place paste ingredients into a powerful blender to create a paste- adding a neutral vegetable oil as needed
  2. Fry paste in hot neutral oil until stinging aromas subside
  3. Add water and bring to simmer, let steep for about 15 minutes
  4. Remove from heat and strain mixture to remove woody plant fibers
  5. In a med-large pot sear chicken pieces in vegetable oil or better yet, coconut oil.
  6. Remove chicken from pan drain excess oil and add onions to sauté
  7. Once onions are a hair translucent add chicken, 3 lime leaves and strained curry mixture and let gently simmer covered until chicken is tender
  8. Add in eggplant- let cook a bit
  9. Add in coconut milk, fish sauce, and palm sugar
  10. Garnish with ribbons of lime leaf and Thai basil leaves
  11. Serve with jasmine rice
**Ingredients like lime leaves and lemon grass can be found in asian grocers, I buy mine near minneapolis. Other asian ingredients used in this recipe can be found in the asian food isle of larger grocers such as large a Hy-vee or Whole foods. Happy cooking!

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WHAT! ^%#@()!!!

Posted by Elizabeth Friday, May 7, 2010 comments (0)

It’s late. My neck has a kink in it, my ankle is swollen and sore, and shrapnel of notebooks, papers, and writing utensils surround me, while my poor computer sits on my lap getting hotter and hotter. Today has been full of nonstop planning. Partly because it’s 21 days to lift off, and partly because THAILAND IS CANCELLED! @#%>!$@#*^@!!!


Yes you read that correctly, I am sorry to report that, due to “political unrest,” aka chaos and danger, the US government has prohibited us from going. Ok, maybe I’m being a bit dramatic, but this is a dramatic turn of events! No Ancient ruins, no monks in orange, no elephants, no cheap but awesome markets . . . I have reason to freak!


On the bright side, we are still going to Singapore, thank goodness. However, now we are spending the last week in Malaysia. This is actually ok with me because I know three malaysians from school, and two of which immediately told me that Malaysia is no Thailand, but it would still be good.


So now, I guess, is where that good ole flexibility comes in. I just have to pretend I’m cooking and an ingredient is missing. Although I don’t have pine nuts for my basil pesto, I have cashews. Well, I like cashews . . . and in pesto they are actually delicious. Despite the fact that, I have to change the flight. Oh! And on the day I need to leave, and the surround days, Rome is completely booked and my travel agent doesn’t know if he can change the ticket to Milan, I am going to make it.


Things happen for a reason. Just like my swollen ankle, it keeps hurting me so that I’ll stop going a million miles an hour, and relax. This special change to a seemingly perfect schedule, may bring something better than elephants. We’ll just have to wing it and see what that is.

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