Kaeng khiao wan gai

What to get ready

• Chicken thighs 1.3 kg
• Green finger chillies 32
• Lemongrass 140 g
• Galangal 100 g
• Coconut milk 1.4 l
• Thai lime leaves 32 leaves
• Small white aubergine 400 g
• Italian basil 120 g
• Shrimp paste (mam ruoc) 80 g
• Fish sauce 80 ml
• Steamed rice 800 g

Method

1. 1 Grind green chilies with lemongrass, galangal, lime peel, and shrimp paste in a mortar for 20 minutes to make a green sauce.
2. 2 Grinding by hand, not using a blender, results in a clearer green color and a much stronger herbal aroma.
3. 3 Simmer the coconut milk for 6 minutes until the coconut oil separates, then sauté the green sauce for 5 minutes.
4. 4 Add the chopped chicken pieces and stir-fry for 5 minutes, then pour in the diluted coconut milk.
5. 5 Cook for 20 minutes, then add the pickled eggplant and Thai lime leaves and cook for another 6 minutes.
6. 6 Add fish sauce, then mix in the basil leaves and turn off the heat. The sauce should be light green, not yellow.

With an appliance

• Microwave 48 min

  Replace step 5: transfer the sautéed chicken with diluted coconut milk to a deep bowl, microwave at 700W for 11 minutes, add the pickled eggplant and lime leaves, then microwave for another 3 minutes; reduce to approximately 12 minutes. This medium power setting ensures the meat is tender, the coconut milk doesn't separate much oil, and only one stirring is needed. The steps for pounding the sauce and separating the coconut oil in steps 1–3 remain unchanged.