Thai Green Curry Recipe

Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs nearly clear to remove excess starch.

Combine rinsed rice, 2 1/4 cups water, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp vegetable oil in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Shake the coconut milk can and pour into a measuring cup; separate 1/3 cup of the thicker cream if the top is very thick (reserve for finishing) and use the rest for cooking.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wide skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the sliced shallot, minced garlic and grated ginger; sauté 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.

Add 3 tablespoons green curry paste to the aromatics and cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes until the paste becomes fragrant and slightly darker (this tempers raw spice flavors).

Pour in the bulk of the coconut milk and 1/2 cup vegetable stock, stirring to combine and dissolve the curry paste. Add bruised lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves if using.

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then add 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon palm or brown sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a little more fish sauce for saltiness or sugar for balance.

Simmer the sauce gently for 4–5 minutes to meld flavors, uncovered.

While the sauce simmers, prepare the vegetables: trim and halve pak choi lengthwise, cut broccoli into bite-sized florets, slice bell peppers thinly, and trim and halve green beans.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a separate large skillet or use the same pan pushed to one side over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and green beans first and stir-fry 2–3 minutes to start cooking (they take longer).

Add bell pepper and continue to stir-fry for another 1–2 minutes — vegetables should be bright and just-tender-crisp.

Stir the vegetable mixture into the simmering curry sauce. Nestle pak choi into the sauce with cut side down so it wilts evenly; simmer everything together 3–4 minutes until pak choi is tender and other vegetables are cooked through but still have bite.

If you reserved thicker coconut cream, stir it in now for a richer finish. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice, stir, and taste; adjust with an extra 1/2 tablespoon lime or 1/2 teaspoon sugar or fish sauce as needed.

Turn off the heat and remove lemongrass stalk pieces and kaffir lime leaves if used.

Ladle the green curry and vegetables over warm jasmine rice. Sprinkle Thai basil leaves and cilantro over the curry and top with thinly sliced red chili if desired.

Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for extra brightness.