How to make next level Thai green curry (2024)

FAQs

How to level up Thai green curry? ›

You can skim the fat off the coconut milk, then 'split' it to fry the paste in; this enhances the flavour and gives the curry an authentic glossy finish. Caramelising the sugar element of the sauce will also deepen the sweetness.

The secret to making amazing Thai curries is to use plenty of aromatics, like onion, ginger and garlic. Choose full-fat coconut milk for its richness (you won't regret it!). Stirring in just a little bit of rice vinegar and sugar adds tons of complexity.

If you want to bring a bit of heat to the curry, try adding some chili powder or cayenne pepper. If you want to add a bit of smokiness, try adding some smoked paprika or cumin. You can also add fresh herbs such as cilantro or mint to bring freshness and flavor.

The easiest way to fix a bland and tasteless curry is by adding spices like red chili powder, cumin, coriander, garam masala, curry leaves and turmeric. Just make a quick tempering and pour over the curry to give it a nice punch of spices and herbs.

To further the complexity of flavors, we also add Thai sweet chili sauce, and the classic cast of Thai food characters: soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, dried basil and a bay leaf. Its a somewhat long list of ingredients, but most of them you are just dumping into the sauce.

As well as heat, you need something salty – shrimp paste, or fish sauce – and some aromatics, like lemongrass and galangal, as well as the shallots and garlic which give the curry pungency and depth.

Make a slurry of cornflour and water, say a teaspoon of flour to a tablespoon of cold water, mix it well and drizzle it into the curry sauce, drizzle half in and stir to thicken and if not thick enough add more and so on.

Often, Thai curries are made using coconut milk as the main liquid, which results in a creamy consistency. You can use as much or as little coconut milk as you wish based on your preference for texture, spice, and flavor.

Does green curry taste better the next day? ›

By eating a curry the next day and using leftovers, you're going to get the most flavour and value from your dish. So if you want to improve the taste of your homemade curry, adopt the 'leftover' wisdom of Jordaan, Achuta and Liaw. Let your cooked curry marinate in the fridge overnight and re-purpose the leftovers.

Add more spices: Store-bought curry sauces often lack the depth of flavour that homemade sauces have. To remedy this, you can add more spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala. Use fresh ginger and garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic add a lot of flavour to curries.

You can give a curry depth by adding umami goodness. Umami is one of the basic five tastes and is often described as a meaty, savoury deliciousness that deepens a dish's flavour. Natural foods that peak umami taste receptors include tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and roasted spice.

I sometimes add a tin of tomatoes to this sort of thing. Plus boil some chopped spuds and add them for bulk too. Lentils work in curry thngs especially well; also tinned tomatoes (you might ant to add a bit of curry powder to re-spivce), courgettes chopped, whatever really.

Using coconut milk or cream can also reduce the spiciness. Adding citrus or vinegar provides a tangy flavor that balances the heat. Yogurt or sour cream can cool down the curry. Adding a pinch of sugar or ketchup can counteract the spiciness.

Use wheat flour, rice flour, or coconut flour plus a fat (like ghee, olive oil, or coconut oil) in equal amounts. Cook both ingredients for a few minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, then add your curry ingredients. Once the whole curry dish comes to a boil, the sauce will thicken.

The Secret to Good Thai Green Curry: Balancing the 4 S's

Add 1 teaspoon of sugar at a time for a sweeter curry. Add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice if the dish is too salty. Add an additional 1/4 cup of coconut milk if the curry is too spicy for your taste.

You can also boost the flavor of a store-bought paste that you consider a bit “weak” by adding more of the spices and herbs it already contains. For example, I find store-bought massaman curry paste to be a bit light on the spices, so I add some extra.