The curry paste itself, made here with fresh cilantro stems, lemongrass, shallot, chiles, and ginger, is a treat to inhale. Made into an easy rich curry dish with chicken, coconut milk, fresh herbs, and lime, you’ll have a stunning dish to admire, smell, and taste.

How To Make Green Curry Paste

Fresh curry paste requires home cooks to source a few obscure ingredients, but the prep is quite simple. The reward for this work lies in the flavor – fresh green curry has a vibrant flavor that a store-bought paste just can’t match. Makrut lime leaves will likely be the trickiest ingredient to find. They lend a ton of citrusy pop to the curry paste. They are available in many specialty stores mixed in with the fresh spices that are sold in clamshells. There’s really no substitution for this ingredient, so just leave them out if you have trouble finding them. For ease, this recipe uses skinless, boneless chicken thighs. Even though they are without skin, I like to sear the chicken thighs at the start of cooking to render some of the fat and give the chicken some color and flavor. Refrigerator: Store tightly sealed for up to 3 days. Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator.

5 Thai-Inspired Recipes To Try Next

Pad Thai Tom Yum Soup (Spicy Thai Soup with Shrimp) Thai Noodle Salad With Peanut Sauce Vegetarian Pad Thai With Tofu Quick Green Curry Chicken With Zucchini Noodles

You can also substitute regular sweet basil if Thai basil is hard to find.

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted

2 teaspoons coriander seeds, lightly toasted

2 medium mild green chiles, seeded and chopped

1 medium shallot, chopped

(3-inch) piece ginger, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic

Zest of 1 lime

4 fresh makrut lime leaves, torn

1 (5-inch) piece lemongrass, pale yellow portion only, chopped

1 bunch cilantro stems (reserve the leaves for the curry)

1 teaspoon fish sauce

For the chicken curry:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 (13.5-ounce) can whole coconut milk, shaken

1 medium bell pepper, cut into strips (or use a mix of colors as I did here)

1/2 pound green beans, ends trimmed

1/4 cup chopped Thai basil leaves, plus whole leaves for garnish

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

4 large lime wedges, to serve

Cooked white or brown rice, to serve, optional

Set aside to cool, and then grind with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder. This paste is best used right away, but will keep in the fridge for 3 days; it makes enough for 2 recipes and can also be frozen. Sear until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes total. (It’s fine if the chicken is not totally cooked through at this point.) Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add 1/4 cup of the coconut milk, stirring well to scrape up any brown bits. Then add remaining coconut milk and bring mixture to a gentle boil. At the end of cook time, stir in cilantro and basil.