Green Curry, Gang Kiew-wan, with Chicken or Catfish

Green Curry Paste, Nam-prik Gang Kiew Wan

This serving size is enough for about 1 pound of meat.
Ingredients:
10 Bird-eye chillies, green ones only, seeded
12 medium Prik Chi-fah, or Serrano, seeded
3 medium stalks of lemongrass
50 g shallots, sliced
100 g garlic, sliced
1 scant tsp kaffir lime zest
30 g galangal, peeled, chopped
1 tsp shrimp paste
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cilantro roots, finely chopped
pinch of mace
pinch of nutmeg

If the paste is to be used for fish or seafood, also add 30 g wild ginger (the bottom part only).

Pound or ground all the ingredients together to a fine puree.

The paste will need to be used right away if there's any water added during the processing. Otherwise it will keep in the fridge a few days. It does not, however, freeze well.

Variation:
Green Curry with Chicken, Gang Kiew Wan Gai

Ingredients:
1 p. chicken breast
500 g coconut milk
200 g. apple eggplants
you could use the same amount grape eggplants, or japanese eggplants (sliced crosswise to 1 inch pieces, the into halves
Fish sauce
1 tsp palm sugar

* add some bell pepper if you'd like. It's not traditionally in Gang Kiew-wan, but most restaurants in the US add some. I happened to like bell peppers so I won't object.

Now you cook:
Heat up half a large wok or sauteed pan with 2 tbsp oil, add the green curry paste and cook for a few minutes, stirring vigorously.
Skim only the cream part from the coconute milk, add to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste is completely dissolved into the coconut cream.
Let the mixture bubble for a few minutes until a layer of oil begins to separate from the mixture.
Add the rest of the coconut milk and let it bubbles away for another few minutes until the oil begins to separate again.
Add the chicken, and about 1 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp of palm sugar (white sugar will do as well)
Let the chicken simmer until tender. Do not let it boil too vigorously.
Add the grape eggplants (and/or bell peppers) a few minutes before the chicken is done.
Check the seasonings before turning of the heat, garnish with a handful of lemon basil or thai basil just before serving.

Green Curry with Catfish, Gang Kiew Wan Pla-dook

Ingredients:
1 pound (500 g) of catfish fillet
500 g coconut milk
200 g wild ginger, julienned
100 g fresh green pepper (if you could find them)
200 g grape eggplants
palm sugar, fish sauce to taste
and handful of lemon basil, or julienned lime leaves and thai basil

Follow pretty much the same process as for Green Curry with Chicken.
Add the wild ginger, green pepper, grape eggplants a few minutes before the fish is done.
Garnish with a handful of lemon basil or some julienned lime leaves and thai basil.

P.S. Feel free to leave a comment should you have any question about this recipe or the ingredients. I'll be happy to help if I can.

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