Ingredients:

  • 50g fresh green bird's eye chilies, stems removed
  • 30g lemongrass, thinly sliced (white part only)
  • 15g galangal, finely minced
  • 15g coriander root or cilantro stems, chopped
  • 9g garlic
  • 30g shallot, peeled and chopped
  • 5g shrimp paste (Gapi)
  • 5g toasted cumin seeds
  • 5g toasted coriander seeds
  • 5g white peppercorns
  • 3g salt
  • 450g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 400ml full-fat coconut milk
  • 150g Thai eggplant or pea eggplant, quartered
  • 60g bamboo shoots, sliced
  • 30ml fish sauce
  • 15g palm sugar, shaved
  • 5 kaffir lime leaves, torn
  • 15g fresh Thai basil leaves

Instructions:

  1. Pound the dry toasted cumin seeds, coriander seeds, white peppercorns, and salt into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.
  2. Add the green bird's eye chilies to the spices and pound until a coarse paste forms.
  3. Incorporate the lemongrass, galangal, coriander root, garlic, and shallots one by one, pounding until the mixture is a smooth, mahogany-green paste.
  4. Fold in the shrimp paste and mix until fully integrated.
  5. Heat the thick coconut cream in a wok over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until it 'cracks' and the coconut oil separates from the solids.
  6. Add the prepared green curry paste to the cracked coconut cream and fry for 2-3 minutes until aromatic and the oil is infused with the paste.
  7. Add chicken thigh pieces and stir-fry until the exterior is seared and coated in the paste.
  8. Stir in the Thai eggplant and bamboo shoots, then add the remaining coconut milk.
  9. Season with fish sauce and palm sugar, simmering gently until the chicken is cooked through and eggplant is tender.
  10. Tear in the kaffir lime leaves and stir in the fresh Thai basil leaves just before removing from heat.