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–+ servings
Bowl of red curry garnished with fresh basil leaves and a wedge of lime on the side

Gaeng Phed แกงเผ็ด Thai Red Curry

Susie Thompson
Thai red curry the way it was made in Korat, paste fried in coconut cream until the oil cracks, chicken added fast, finished with Thai basil off the heat. The steps move quickly. Have everything ready before you turn on the flame.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Curry, Main Course, Soup, Soup and Stews, Street food,
Cuisine Thai, Thai/Central
Servings 4 servings
Calories 480 kcal

Equipment

  • Wok or large heavy pot
  • Wooden spoon or spatula,
  • Ladle
  • Serving bowls

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 pounds boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces (or beef, pork, shrimp, or tofu)
  • 3 tablespoons red curry paste store-bought or homemade
  • 1.5 cups full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 cup coconut cream the thick layer from the top of a can
  • 1 cup Thai eggplant quartered (or 1 zucchini, sliced)
  • 1 cup cup bamboo shoots drained and rinsed
  • 6 kaffir lime leaves torn
  • 2 stalks lemongrass bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
  • 1 handful fresh Thai basil leaves
  • 4 fresh red chilies sliced diagonally, to garnish
  • 2 cups steamed jasmine rice to serve
  • Steps

Instructions
 

  • Bloom the curry paste in coconut cream: 
    Heat the coconut cream alone in your wok or pot over medium heat. Let it come to a gentle bubble and cook for about 2 minutes until it begins to look slightly oily around the edges. This is the fat beginning to separate and it is exactly what you want. Add the red curry paste to the hot coconut cream all at once. Fry the paste in the coconut fat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes until it darkens slightly in color, smells deeply fragrant and caramelized, and the oil clearly separates around the edges of the paste. Your kitchen will smell extraordinary. This is the most important step in the whole recipe.
  • Add and coat the chicken: 
    Add the chicken pieces to the bloomed paste and toss to coat thoroughly. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken is sealed on the outside and well coated in the fragrant paste.
  • Add the coconut milk and aromatics: 
    Pour in the coconut milk gradually, stirring as you go. Add lemongrass and torn kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Do not boil vigorously, a gentle simmer keeps the coconut milk from separating and gives the curry a silky, beautiful texture.
  • Add the vegetables and simmer: 
    Add the Thai eggplant and bamboo shoots. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through and tender and the eggplant has softened but still holds its shape.
  • Season and taste: 
    Season with fish sauce and palm sugar. Taste carefully. The curry should be rich, fragrant, and boldly seasoned, with a heat that builds gradually. Add more fish sauce for saltiness, more sugar to round out the spice, or a little more curry paste if you want more heat. Keep adjusting until it tastes exactly right to you.
  • Finish with basil and serve: 
    Remove from heat. Stir in fresh Thai basil leaves and let the residual heat wilt them gently. Ladle into serving bowls over steamed jasmine rice. Garnish with sliced fresh red chilies and a few extra basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • The cracking step is not optional. If you skip frying the paste in the coconut cream and just add everything at once, the curry will taste flat and raw at the edges. The paste needs heat and fat to bloom. Give it two full minutes in the pan before anything else goes in. You'll know it's ready when the oil pools around the paste and the kitchen smells like it means it.
     
  • Fish sauce and palm sugar work as a pair. The fish sauce brings salt and depth. The palm sugar rounds the chili heat and keeps the curry from tasting sharp. Taste after adding both before you decide you need more of either. The balance is more delicate than it looks.
     
  • Coconut milk brands vary more than you'd expect. Some are thin and watery. Some are rich and thick. If yours is on the thin side, let the curry simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce. The sauce should coat a spoon not pour off it.
     
  • Leftovers improve overnight. The paste continues to work into the coconut milk as it sits. If the sauce has thickened too much by morning, add a splash of coconut milk when you reheat it and stir over low heat. Taste again before serving you may want a small splash more fish sauce to bring it back.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 36gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 879mgPotassium: 680mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5g
Keyword Red Curry
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