Prik Khing Dinner Recipe

Prepare dried chilies

Remove stems and seeds from dried red chilies. Place chilies in a bowl and cover with hot (not boiling) water. Soak 15–20 minutes until softened. Drain, reserving a little soaking liquid if needed to adjust paste consistency.

Toast whole spices

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast coriander seeds and peppercorns until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes. Immediately transfer to a mortar or spice grinder and pound or grind to a coarse powder.

Prepare aromatics

Peel shallots and garlic. Slice the white part of lemongrass and roughly chop galangal. If using cilantro roots, rinse and chop them finely.

Make the paste

Using a mortar and pestle (traditional) or a small-food-processor/blender, combine softened chilies, toasted spice powder, shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, cilantro roots, kaffir lime zest/leaves, and shrimp paste (if using). Pound or blend until a smooth-ish, thick paste forms. Add up to 1 teaspoon neutral oil or a tablespoon of the reserved soaking liquid to help the mixture come together if needed. Taste and adjust — paste should be aromatic, salty-umami from shrimp paste, and moderately spicy.

Transfer the paste to a small bowl. This recipe uses about 3 tablespoons of paste for the main dish; you can store remaining paste in the fridge for up to one week or freeze in portions.

Prep ingredients

Slice chicken into thin bite-sized pieces. Trim and cut green beans into 2-inch pieces. Tear kaffir lime leaves into strips (discard central stem). Measure coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, and basil.

Bloom the curry paste

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons Prik Khing curry paste and fry, stirring frequently, for 1–2 minutes until the paste becomes very fragrant and slightly darkens. This blooms the aromatics and spices.

Cook the protein

Add the sliced chicken to the pan and stir to coat with the paste. Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the chicken begins to brown and is mostly cooked through.

Add coconut milk and simmer

Pour in 1 cup coconut milk and stir to combine, scraping any paste bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to medium, and cook 3–4 minutes so flavors meld and the sauce thickens slightly.

Add vegetables and season

Stir in the trimmed green beans and torn kaffir lime leaves (or zest). Add 1 teaspoon palm sugar, 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon light soy sauce (if using). Simmer 3–5 minutes more, until green beans are tender-crisp and chicken is cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more fish sauce for saltiness, sugar for sweetness, or a squeeze of lime for brightness.

Finish with basil

Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves until wilted. This preserves the herb’s fragrance.

Spoon the Prik Khing over cooked jasmine rice, garnish with extra basil and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

Divide 3 cups cooked jasmine rice among 3–4 plates (about 3/4 to 1 cup per person). Place a generous portion of Prik Khing beside the rice. Offer cucumber slices and lime wedges on the side to refresh the palate.