Eggplant Green Curry Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I use instead of eggplant in green curry? ›

If you can't find Thai eggplant for this recipe, you can substitute other veggies, like zucchini, broccoli, red peppers or green beans. For the chicken, you could also substitute turkey, duck or pork. As long as you have the coconut milk and green curry paste, you're good to go.

Light coconut milk or coconut water will be too watery and throw off the consistency of the curry. Too low of a cooking temperature: A curry must simmer to cook off any excess liquid and reach the desired thickness. If you cook the sauce on very low heat, the liquid will never have the chance to evaporate.

Make a slurry of cornflour and water, say a teaspoon of flour to a tablespoon of cold water, mix it well and drizzle it into the curry sauce, drizzle half in and stir to thicken and if not thick enough add more and so on. Using cornflour will thicken without adding flavour, check the ratio of flour to water on t...

These Eggplants are ready to harvest once they reach 1.5-2 inches in diameter. The skin should still be glossy, as dull skin indicates overripe fruit.

Eggplants are known to absorb a lot of fat while cooking. A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour. This helps to draw out moisture. Next, rinse and drain any liquid from the sliced eggplant, then pat dry before cooking.

Often, Thai curries are made using coconut milk as the main liquid, which results in a creamy consistency. You can use as much or as little coconut milk as you wish based on your preference for texture, spice, and flavor.

Sauté the curry paste in oil for a few minutes, to bring out the flavour and fragrance. Choose full-fat coconut milk for richness and maximum creaminess. A good Thai curry should deliver punchy flavours of spice (hot), salty, sour and sweet flavours.

For a rich and creamy curry, coconut milk or cream can be a fantastic thickening agent. They not only add creaminess but also a delightful tropical flavour. Simply pour in some coconut milk or cream and let it simmer until your sauce reaches the desired consistency.

Coconut cream is the same thing as coconut milk—coconut meat blended with water—but it contains less water. While coconut milk is thin like cow's milk, coconut cream is thick like whipped cream. You can find this fat-rich cream floating on the top of any canned coconut milk, or you can buy it in a dedicated can.

Coconut Milk/ Cream

Coconut is a great ingredient used for thickening curries. It can be used in any form – milk, cream or grated. This method is most suited for Thai, South Indian and other Asian curries. It not only makes your curry flavorful, but also makes the curry creamier.

When to add cream to curry? ›

You make the curry in your skillet and once the curry is ready, you add the chicken and cook it in the curry. Then you add the heavy cream to make it rich and creamy.

When it's cooked, “it should turn fully tender, all the flesh should be somewhat custardy. If you have to, hammer it a bit, knock it around, let it start to collapse.” When you're roasting eggplant, like in YuChen's recipe, “make sure you give them enough space so they can cook evenly,” she says.

Flesh should be white with a slight green tint (orange eggplants ripen orange/green inside). If you are unsure of your eggplant's ripeness, cut one crosswise and check the seeds. They should be clearly visible. If you don't see seeds, the eggplant isn't yet ripe.

The Health Benefits of Thai Eggplant

It is low in calories and contains essential nutrients such as vitamins A, B1, B6, and C, potassium, and dietary fiber. The vegetable is also packed with antioxidants, which help protect the body against oxidative stress and chronic diseases.

Thai Eggplant

For curries and stir-fries, you can substitute with long aubergine or purple eggplant.

Zucchini, portobello mushrooms, bell peppers, tofu, and tempeh are all excellent substitutes that offer their own distinct flavors and textures. By using these substitutes, you can still enjoy your favorite recipes and explore new culinary creations without using eggplant.

Zucchini is typically dark green in color whereas eggplant is dark purple. Zucchini and eggplant grow on bushy, upright plants with thick leaves. Like the rest of its squash family, zucchini has a vining nature and large yellow flowers. Its glossy leaves are large, jagged, and very deeply indented.

Green eggplants widely vary in appearance in Southeast Asia and Eastern Asia and are also known as Green Aubergine. There are several cultivars with specific branded names, including Thai Long Green, Green Elephant Tusk, Hari, Green Knight, Choryoku, Bangladeshi Long, and Little Green Eggplant.