Green curry, with its mellow, creamy green color and rich coconut base, has both fresh and mature flavors. Like new growth on plants, it brings brightness, youthfulness, spring and rebirth to the meltdown of flavors created in the curry paste.
The green curry paste uses mainly the same standard ingredients as a gaaeng phet (แกงเผ็ด) curry paste: lemongrass, galangal, coriander roots, kaffir lime zest, garlic, shallots, white peppercorns (S1), coriander seeds (S2), cumin seeds (S3), salt and fermented shrimp paste (kapi).
There is one exception – the dry red chili peppers are replaced with fresh green chilies. These bring to the curry a fresh green taste with shades of bitterness, but also the same rich, mature notes bestowed by the dried red pods. If a more vivid, definite green color is desired, the green chlorophyll – the color of growth – from fresh chili pepper leaves or coriander leaves can be added.
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This is the standard green curry paste for common odorless meats such as chicken and pork; if gamey or fishy meat is used, additional aromatics and herbs are employed to counter the stronger smell. For beef, additional dry spices like mace, nutmeg and Thai cardamom are often added. Fingerroot (grachai, กระชาย) and a small amount of fresh sand ginger (หัวเปราะ) are added to the green curry paste when using fish; and if duck is used, fresh sand ginger (หัวเปราะ), along with fresh peppercorns, are often added.
In Thai, the word aawn waan (อ่อนหวาน) is used to describe the mild, pleasant, mellow, pastel green shade of the green curry. The expression means “soft-sweet”, which is perhaps why green curry is often seasoned to the sweet spectrum. This exaggerated sweetness is pleasing to the Western palate, making green curry a favorite Thai dish among foreigners. The truth is that the authentic flavor profile of green curry should not be so different from spicy-red curry, i.e. spicy-salty, with a sweetness found in the base of the coconut cream.
Today we will demonstrate a green curry recipe from the 1927 cookbook, “khuu meuu maae kruaa” (คู่มือแม่ครัว), written by an author who goes by the pen name Lor. Phaehtraarat (ล. เภตรารัตน์). This is the earliest mention of green curry that we could find in print.
Ancient Thai curries evolved from water-based dishes (bplaa raa ปลาร้า, gaaeng liiang แกงเลียง, gaaeng dtohm sohm แกงต้มส้ม) that used only fermented fish (pla ra) or fermented shrimp paste (kapi), along with shallots and garlic. Until chili peppers were introduced in the 16th century by the Europeans, other pungent agents such as white peppercorns, fingerroot (grachai), ginger and galangal were utilized to achieve spiciness. Coconuts had been abundant in Siam for millennia, and were used for dessert making rather than cooking; encounters with Persian, Indian and Malay cuisines introduced the coconut into curry making. Only then – when chilies were available, and the technique of cooking coconut-based curries was adapted and gradually modified, and applied to suit the Siamese palate – do we find the typical red Thai curries.
Those dishes are dressed in a passionate and determined red. The green curry is probably the youngest addition to the curry color spectrum, as it is not mentioned in Siamese oral or written literature, nor does it appear in the oldest set of Thai cookbooks. Examining old cookbooks, we can safely determine that green curry was invented during the reign of King Rama 6 or Rama 7, between the years 1908-1926.
Historical references
Green curry is not found in the 1890 (2433 BE, 109RE) cookbook “Tam Raa Gap Khao”, by Maawm Sohm Jeen (“ตำรากับเข้า” หม่อมซ่มจีน ราชานุประพันธุ์”). Nor is it mentioned in Lady Plean Passakornrawong’s cookbook “Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa” (“แม่ครัวหัวป่าก์”), which was first published in 1908 after a short period of publishing recipes in the city magazine “Bpradtithin Bat Laae Joht Maai Haeht” (“ประติทินบัตร แล จดหมายเหตุ”). Lady Plean recounts that she was required to edit most of that monumental work – spread over five volumes – herself, as the editor had decamped due to a romantic affair.
Green curry is also absent from the major revisions of Lady Plean’s work carried out by her daughters and granddaughters. This includes the revised third edition in 1952, which was supervised by Lady Plean’s daughter Lady Damrong Ratchapolkhan (Puang Bunnag) (คุณหญิงดำรงราชพลขันธ์, พวง บุนนาค); in this edition, the entire measuring and weight system was updated – rewritten from traditional Thai to modern units – and the collection was bound into one book that spans more than 635 pages.
Green curry only appears in the 1971 fifth edition of “Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa”, printed as a memorial book for Lady Plean Passakornrawong’s daughter Jao Jaawm Phit, and overseen by Mrs. Samaknantapol (Jeep Bunnag) (นางสมรรคนันทพล, จีบ บุนนาค).
Thus, the earliest mention of green curry that we could find (and we welcome readers’ comments of any earlier mentions) remain confined to the two cookbooks of Lor. Phaehtraarat (ล. เภตรารัตน์), published in 1926 (2469 BE) and in 1934 (2477 BE), “Khuu Meuu Maae Kruaa and Dtam Raa Khaao Waan” (คู่มือแม่ครัว และ ตำราคาวหวาน); both describe a method of cooking duck curry.
Cooking tips
- When cooking green curry, one should use only green or whitish vegetables, and restrict garnishes to green chilies, hair-thin julienned kaffir lime leaves or Thai sweet basil (horapa).
- Potential vegetables are Thai apple eggplants, pea eggplants or young coconut tops.
- We chose to use a restaurant-made Thai-style whole roasted duck. If you cannot find one, or wish to make your own, you are welcome to follow your favorite recipe for whole duck or duck breasts.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups grilled duck (เป็ดย่าง)
- 4 cups coconut cream (หัวกะทิ)
- 3 cups coconut milk (หางกะทิ)
- 2 cups young green long chili (phrik noom) (พริกหนุ่ม)
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (malet phak chee) (เมล็ดผักชี) (S2)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (malet yeeraa) (เมล็ดยี่หร่า) (S3)
- 2 tablespoons kaffir lime leaves (ใบมะกรูด)
- 2 cups Thai basil (ใบโหระพา)
Season with
- 1 part fish sauce (น้ำปลา)
- 1/2 part palm sugar (น้ำตาลมะพร้าว)
Green curry paste
- 1/4 cup fresh bird’s eye chili (kee noo suan) (พริกขี้หนูสวนสด)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt (เกลือทะเล)
- 1/3 cup lemongrass (ตะไคร้) thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons galangal (ข่า) thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons coriander roots (รากผักชี)
- 1/2 tablespoon kaffir lime zest (ผิวมะกรูด)
- 1 tablespoon chili plant leaves (ใบต้นพริก)
- 3 tablespoons Thai garlic (กระเทียมไทย) thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons shallots (หอมแดง) finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fermented shrimp paste (kapi)(กะปิย่างไฟ) kapi
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (malet phak chee) (เมล็ดผักชี) (S2)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (malet yeeraa) (เมล็ดยี่หร่า) (S3)
- 4 pieces Siam Cardamom pods (luuk grawaan) (ลูกกระวาน) (S4)
Instructions
- Green young chilies.
- Restaurant-made roasted duck
- An overview image of the curry paste ingredients.
- Pound all the ingredients into a smooth paste. Set them aside.
- In a cooking pot, heat the coconut cream until it breaks (cracked), and oil appears.
- Fry the curry paste in the cracked coconut, gradually adding more coconut cream.
- Add hand-torn kaffir lime leaves, ground roasted cumin seeds, and ground roasted coriander seeds.
- Add coconut milk.
- Add palm sugar.
- Add fish sauce.
- Add coconut cream.
- Add ground roasted cumin seeds and ground roasted coriander seeds.
- Add the roasted duck.
- Add the green young chilies
- Add kaffir lime leaves.
- Add Thai basil.
- Add coconut cream.
- Serve
Roasted Stuffed Duck Breast with Chestnuts and Mackerel (เป็ดยัดไส้เกาลัดรมควัน; bpet yat sai gaolat rohm khwan), circa 1935
Smoked duck stuffed with a mackerel and chestnut filling is a dish that defies cultural boundaries. An exemplar of blended culinary influences, featuring inviting colors and an elegant presentation that serve as a prelude to the complex flavors and textures that await, the dish is an eloquent testament to the cooking style of Mrs. Samaknantapol (Jeep Bunnag, who went by the pen name “the granddaughter of Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa”). In the 1930s. Mrs. Jeep Bunnag published her first cookbook. Following in the footsteps of her revered grandmother-in-law, Lady Plean Passakornrawong, she continued to document the art of Siamese cuisine through the treasured books she published and was known for her ability to merge culinary traditions into beautiful and innovative dishes that represent an era.
The rich, dark color of the smoked duck’s skin is visually striking and appetizing, evoking a sense of indulgence and luxury. The smoky flavors that permeate the meat reflect our deep connection to primal cooking techniques, a fascinating juxtaposition to the refined presentation of the dish. When the smoked duck is sliced, its succulent pink meat is revealed, surrounding the golden filling of chestnuts and mackerel.
Duck laap, like other laap dishes, uses the whole duck, head to tail – including its meat, skin, internal organs, and bones. The recipe I provide below is modified for home-style cooking and uses duck parts; in the village environment, the duck is butchered and the bird is allowed to bleed completely, the blood is collected, and the bird is then cleaned and plucked.
Duck Curry with Prunes and Apples (แกงเป็ดกับพรูนและแอปเปิ้ล อย่าง ม.ล. เติบ ชุมสาย; gaaeng bpet gap phruun lae aaep bpeern)
When it comes to pairing fruits with meats in savory dishes, it’s hard to match the bold tangy-luscious combination of apples and prunes in this old-fashioned coconut-based spicy curry with braised duck. The dish is seasoned to a spicy, salty, and sour-sweet flavor profile, which is further intensified by the prunes’ subtle nectareous, savory-sweetness and the apples’ fruity, sweet-tartness. This curry is a perfect example of how fruits can complement the already complex and profound aromatic relationships between meaty-savory flavors, the curry paste’s aromatic identity, and the dish’s herbal character of Thai basil and fresh peppercorns – creating a most memorable flavor impression.
c1941 Roasted Duck Curry with Grapes (Gaaeng Ho) (แกงเป็ดเหาะใส่องุ่น อย่างคุณถนอม ปาลบุตร พ.ศ. 2484; gaaeng bpet haw sai angoon)
Grapes have long been associated with prosperity, fertility and abundance across various cultures and historical periods due to the fruit’s large clusters and bountiful growth. In ancient China, grapes were considered a symbol of wealth and nobility, and often deployed as a status symbol among the elite. In Greek mythology, Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility, was often depicted holding a bunch of grapes, further emphasizing the connection between grapes and abundance. This association is also likely rooted in the fact that grapes were a valuable crop in antiquity – used to produce wine and other fermented products, and an important source of food and nutrition. In Indian Ayurvedic texts, grapes are referred to as vineaksha and utilized in treating a variety of ailments, including fever and indigestion.
From the Siamese perspective, the incorporation of fruits in culinary preparations was viewed as a luxurious indulgence, as many fruits commonly available today were once difficult to obtain. Thus the pairing of an extravagant ingredient – such as fruit – with an equally opulent and exclusive delicacy like roasted duck resulted in a dish fit for royalty.
Pan Roasted Duck Breast and Hairy-Fruited Eggplant Curry (แกงเป็ดคั่วมะอึก; gaaeng bpet khuaa maeuk)
The hairy-fruited eggplant, known as ‘maeuk’ in Thai, is similar to the tomato in its unique confluence of sweetness, fruitiness, and savoriness. This ingredient is used in a wide range of Siamese dishes, including curries, salads, relishes, and seasoned rice dishes. This recipe, from the central region of Thailand, is a traditional duck khuaa sohm curry (แกงคั่วส้มเป็ด) that commonly uses garden ingredients to achieve sourness, including the madan (garcinia schomburgkiana) (มะดัน), the sour bilimbi fruit (averrhoa bilimbi) (ตะลิงปลิง), and the hairy-fruited eggplant.
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