← Nouns Cooking · Thai

Ingredients

• 400 ml full-fat coconut milk, unshaken
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp Thai yellow curry paste
• 500 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 400 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks
• 1 Carrot, sliced into thick coins (optional)
• 1 Onion, cut into wedges
• 250 ml chicken stock or water
• 1½ tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• ½ tsp ground turmeric, for a deeper colour (optional)
• 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots, to serve (optional)
• 300 g jasmine rice, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Spoon the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk into a heavy pot with the oil. Simmer it over medium heat for 3–5 min, stirring, until it bubbles thickly and little pools of oil appear.
2. Stir in the curry paste (and turmeric, if using) and fry for 2 min, until it smells warm and spicy and darkens slightly.
3. Add the chicken and turn it in the paste for 2 min, until the outside turns opaque.
4. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and the stock, add the potatoes and carrot, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 15–20 min, until a knife slides easily into the potatoes and the chicken is cooked through (75°C / 165°F).
5. Add the onion wedges for the last 5 min so they soften but keep a little bite.
6. Season with the fish sauce and sugar, tasting as you go: it should be rich, gently salty and a touch sweet. Serve over jasmine rice, scattered with fried shallots.

Tips

• A crunchy cucumber relish (ajad) is the classic partner: cucumber, shallot and chilli in a sweet vinegar dressing.
• Yellow curry paste usually contains shrimp paste; check the label if you are cooking for someone with a shellfish allergy.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Rachel Cooks Thai Thai Caliente 196 flavors