Green curry
Green curry is a Thai curry made with green curry paste and commonly simmered with coconut milk, meat or vegetables, and aromatic herbs.
Green curry paste: A Thai seasoning paste made chiefly from green chilies, herbs, aromatics, and spices. It supplies the curry’s green color and concentrated chili-herb flavor.
Curry paste frying: A cooking step that heats curry paste in oil or coconut cream to release its aromas. Frying green curry paste develops its fragrance before liquid ingredients are added.
Thai cuisine: The culinary traditions of Thailand, shaped by regional ingredients and influences from neighboring cultures. Green curry belongs to a cuisine known for balancing spicy, salty, sweet, and sour flavors.
Red curry: A Thai curry typically made with red chilies, curry paste, and coconut milk. Its red-chili paste contrasts with green curry’s fresh green chilies and herbs.
Coconut milk: A creamy liquid extracted from grated coconut flesh and water. It gives many versions their rich broth and softens the paste’s heat.
Coconut cream: The thick, rich portion of coconut milk that rises or is separated during processing. Some recipes fry paste in it before loosening the mixture with coconut milk.
Thai eggplant: Small, often round eggplants used in Thai cooking, including in curries. They are a traditional vegetable addition that absorbs the curry broth.
Yellow curry: A Thai curry characterized by yellow spices, often including turmeric, and a relatively mild flavor. Its warm spice profile and color differ from green curry’s herbal chili character.
Thai basil: An aromatic basil variety with anise-like notes, used in Southeast Asian cooking. Its distinctive aroma often finishes the curry and contrasts with the chili paste.
Maillard reaction: A set of reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars that creates browned flavors during cooking. When paste ingredients are fried, browning can add savory notes beyond their raw aromas.