Green curry
{{short description|Variety of curry}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Green curry
| image = Thai green chicken curry and roti.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Green curry with chicken, served with roti
| alternate_name = Kaeng khiao wan (native name)
Thai cream curry
| country = Thailand
| region =
| creator =
| course =
| type = Thai curry
| served = Hot
| main_ingredient = {{hlist|Coconut milk|green curry paste|palm sugar|fish sauce|kaffir lime leaves|Thai basil}}
| variations =
| calories =
| other =
}}
Green curry ({{langx|th|แกงเขียวหวาน}}, {{RTGS|kaeng khiao wan}}, {{IPA|th|kɛ̄ːŋ kʰǐaw wǎːn|pron|label=pron.}}, lit. 'sweet-green curry') is a variety of curry originating from central Thailand.
Etymology
The name green curry derives from the color of the dish, which comes from green chilies.{{cite web |url=http://shesimmers.com/2010/06/easy-thai-green-curry-recipe-interview.html |title=Easy Thai Green Curry, an Interview with Kasma Loha-unchit |website=SheSimmers |access-date=2014-05-18 |archive-date=2017-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171127175830/http://shesimmers.com/2010/06/easy-thai-green-curry-recipe-interview.html |url-status=dead}} The "sweet" in the Thai name ({{lang|th|หวาน}}, {{lang|th-Latn|wan}} means 'sweet') refers to the particular color green itself and not to the taste of the curry.{{cite web|url=http://highheelgourmet.com/2013/04/03/authentic-green-curry-paste/ |title=Authentic Thai Green Curry Paste, Krueang Kaeng Khiao Wan – Thai Curry Episode II |website=The High Heel Gourmet }} As this is a Thai curry based on coconut milk and fresh green chilies, the color comes out creamy mild green or, as this color is called in Thai, 'sweet green' ({{wikt-lang|th|เขียวหวาน}}, {{lang|th-Latn|khiao-wan}}).
Its ingredients are not exactly fixed. The curry is not necessarily sweeter than other Thai curries, but although the spiciness varies, it tends to be more pungent than the milder red curries.David Thompson, Thai Food (edition 2010), Pavilion Books, pages 218-220, {{ISBN|978-1-86205-514-8}} Green curry evolved during the reign of King Rama VI or Rama VII, between the years 1908–1926.{{Cite web |url=http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_curry_recipes/6440 |script-title=th:แกงเขียวหวานเป็ดย่าง |trans-title=Thai Green Curry with Roasted Duck and Young Chilies |date=2016-10-04 |language=en-US |access-date=2016-10-04 }}
Ingredients
Apart from the main protein (traditionally fish, fish balls, or meat), the other ingredients for the dish consist of coconut milk, green curry paste, palm sugar, and fish sauce. Thai eggplant (aubergine), pea aubergine, basil leaves (or other green or whitish vegetables), and even fruit are often included.{{cite web|url=http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipes/greencurp.html|title=Easy Green Curry with Pork Recipe|work=thaifoodandtravel.com}}Andy Ricker, Pok Pok, Ten Speed Press Berkeley, 2013, pages 161-162, {{ISBN|978-1-60774-288-3}}
The consistency of its sauce varies with the amount of coconut milk used. Green curry paste is traditionally made by pounding in a mortar green bird's eye chillies, shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime peel, cilantro roots (coriander), cumin seeds, white peppercorns, shrimp paste and salt.{{cite web|url=http://chezpim.com/cook/green_curry_wit|title=Green curry with fish dumplings, Gang Kiew-wan Pla Grai|work=chezpim.com|access-date=2014-05-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518120400/http://chezpim.com/cook/green_curry_wit|archive-date=2014-05-18|url-status=dead}}
Cooking method
The paste is fried in split coconut milk until the oil is expressed to release the aromas in the paste. Once the curry paste is cooked, more coconut milk and the remaining ingredients are added, along with a pinch of palm sugar and fish sauce. Finally, as garnishes, Thai basil, fresh kaffir lime leaves, sliced {{lang|th-Latn|phrik chi faa}} (the common name means 'sky-pointing chilies', which refers to large mild chilies such as Cayenne pepper) are often used. For a more robust green curry, such as with seafood, julienned {{lang|th-Latn|krachai}} (fingerroot or Chinese keys), white turmeric, and holy basil can be used as garnishes.
Serving
Green curry is typically eaten with rice as part of a wider range of dishes in a meal or with round rice noodles known as khanom jeen as a single dish.{{cite web |last=Bush |first=Austin |author-link=Austin Bush |title=Khanom Jeen! - Austin Bush Photography |url=http://www.austinbushphotography.com/blog/khanom-jeen.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722065856/http://www.austinbushphotography.com/blog/khanom-jeen.html |archive-date=2016-07-22 |access-date=2014-05-18 |website=Austin Bush Photography}}
Gallery
File:Green curry ingredients.jpg|Ingredients for green curry paste
File:Thai green curry paste.jpg|Freshly made green curry paste in a mortar
File:Khanom chin kaeng kiao wan kai.jpg|Green chicken feet curry served with khanom jeen
File:Khao phat kaeng khiao wan.jpg|Rice fried with green curry
File:Green curry (42296614864).jpg|Green curry with meat
See also
References
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