Egg Tart Recipe With Chinese Puff Pastry

Prep time:  4 hours Cook time:  25 mins Total time:  4 hours 25 mins Serves: 16 tartlets
 Ingredients
Oil dough 1. 250g of plain flour 2. 375g of butter
Water dough 1. 250g of plain flour 2. 2 egg yolks 3. ½ teaspoon of salt 4. 100g of ice water
Filling: 1. 5 medium sized eggs 2. 80ml of milk 3. 165ml of water 4. 80g of sugar
Instructions
Oil dough
1. Cut the chilled butter into small pieces.
2. Put the butter and flour in an electric food processor. Use the pulse function to mix them until it forms
bridges and strands.
3. Remove it from the electric food processor, Knead the dough to form a ball.
4. Wrap it in cling film, place it in the chiller for 20 minutes or until it becomes firm.
Water dough
1. Put the plain flour, egg yolk and ice water in the electric food processor.
2. Mix them until they combine and form a ball.
3. Wrap it in cling film, place it in the chiller for 20 minutes or until it becomes firm.
Prepare the pastry
1. Spread a large piece of cling film on the table top, sprinkle with some plain four.
2. Flatten the water dough and place another piece of cling on top.
3. Roll the water dough to a large square.
4. Remove the cling film on top of the water dough, place the oil dough in the center and fold the sides of the
water dough over the top of the oil dough. Make sure the oil dough is fully covered by the water dough.
5. Lightly press the dough to flatten it, wrap it in cling film and leave it in the chiller for twenty minutes or
until it hardens.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 three more times.
7. Flatten the dough to about 3mm thickness. Use a cookies cutter or bowl to cut out pieces of round pastry
which are slightly larger than the area of the mould.
8. Put the cut pastry into a mould. Lightly press the pastry onto the surface of the muold.
9. Trim the sides with the side of a fork or a round knife.
Filling
1. Melt the sugar with water to make a simple syrup. Let it cool.
2. Beat the eggs for a minute.
3. Add the milk and syrup to the egg. Mixed well.
4. Filter the milk liquid twice to remove impurities.
5. Fill each empty pastry shell up to 70%.
Baking
1. Bake it at 200 degrees C/ 390 degrees F for 15 minutes, then reduce to 180 degrees C / 356 degrees F for
another 10 minutes. Leave the oven door ajar for five minutes then remove the egg tarts.
Tips and techniques to make Hong Kong Egg Tarts
 When you mould the pastry pieces into the tart casing, press the pastry towards the sides and bottom of the
mould. Pierce a few holes  in the bottom with a fork to prevent the bottom of the pastry from rising. Do not
squeeze the top part of the pastry as it will make the layer unnoticeable after baking.
 Use a larger cookie cutter to cut the pastry so that you have ample pastry to fit into the mould. Use a round
knife or the side of a fork to trim off extra pastry. The upper side of the pastry will be evenly trimmed and
the perforated layer will be clearly visible after baking.
Keep the tart base in the fridge before filling in the egg liquid. It helps to keep the butter from melting and
the rapid rise in temperature in the oven creates distinct layers of the pastry.

Cut the dough Fill up to 70% full

When you prepare the egg filling, cool the syrup then pour it into the egg. The egg will be partially cooked by the
hot syrup and forms small lumps which are unsightly. Filter the egg mixture twice through a fine mesh strainer to
obtain a clean smooth egg liquid before pouring into the tart base. Filtering the egg mixture will also remove all
bubbles from whisking of the eggs. It is important to ensure that no bubbles are visible on the surface to achieve a
smooth custard surface.

Strain the egg mixture to remove bubbles Ready for baking

 Once the tart bases are filled with egg filling, bake immediately in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C/390
degrees F for 15 minutes, followed by 180 degrees C / 356 degrees F for another 10 minutes. The initial
high temperature will cause the pastry to rise up rapidly, and form a multi layer structure, whilst the lower
heat will finish the cooking subsequently. Leave the oven door ajar for five minutes then remove the egg
tarts to let them cool down slowly.
 Fill the tart shell up to 70%. Do not overfill as the custard will expand and spill over when baking.
 Once the egg tarts cool down, the sugar syrup will form a shiny layer on the surface of the custard. Do not
reduce the sugar quantity in the ingredients of the filling if you want to get the shiny surface.
Special note on making Chinese puff pastry
Many people turn away from making puff pastry because they have the impression that it is difficult and messy. In
my opinion, it is not so difficult once you master it and a few tips and tricks below can make the process super easy.
Chinese puff pastry is very similar to the western puff pastry except the oil (butter, lard or shortening)  is mixed
with flour before wrapped with the water dough. Therefore, the texture and taste are different from the western puff
pastry.
Here are my tips:
 Keep the butter cold at all times. The most frustrating thing when making puff pastry is when the butter
starts to melt and leak through the layers of the dough. The layers of the pastry will be poorly defined and
the butter will stick to the rolling pins and the table. The common solution is to quickly cover the broken
area of the pastry with plenty of flour, hoping that the flour will absorb the butter and prevent further
leakage.  This does not always work because the longer you delay, the more butter will melt and it becomes
messier. The best way is to place the pastry quickly in the freezer to let the butter harden before resuming
the folding and rolling process.
 Use electric food processor to blend the dough. It saves you time.

Water dough (before mixing) Water dough (after mixing)

Oil dough (before mixing) Oil dough (after mixing)

 Use cling film. The best companion for making puff pastry is cling film. I find that it is far better than only
sprinkling flour to prevent the pastry from sticking to any surface. I normally place a large piece of cling
film on the surface of my chiller top. Then I sprinkle a little flour on the water dough. Then I put the dough
on the cling film and spread another cling film on top of the dough. The second piece of the cling film
prevents the dough from sticking to my rolling pin. In short, cling film makes the entire process clean and
tidy.
 One of the most difficult parts of rolling the dough is not to break the layers while rolling.  The best time to
roll the dough is when you feel the dough is soft and pliable like plasticine, much like the feeling of
touching your earlobe.  If the dough is softer than this point, the layer of the dough can break easily while
rolling.  If it is harder than this point, the hardened butter can break while you fold the dough, and this will
curse the dough to crack.
 Shape the oil dough with cling film Wrap the oil dough with the water dough
 Roll gently. Always roll the pastry gently with short strokes. Long strokes can break the layers of the pastry.
 Be patient. You must resist the temptation to roll out the pastry if it is not hard enough. The pastry must be
returned to the chiller (freezer for fast effect) until the butter is hard enough for the next fold. It may take at
least twenty minutes for a small dough but much longer for a bigger one. The time required really depends
on the temperature of the chiller or freezer.  You can also leave the dough in the chiller overnight to
continue the next day.

Fold the dough like closing a book Fold the dough like closing a book
 Rest the pastry before moulding. I normally do not stretch the pastry further during moulding. I usually cut
a  piece of pastry big enough to cover the entire inner surface of the mould with some extra for trimming.
Since puff pastry will shrink after rolling, it is best to rest it for a few minutes then trim the excess. This will
ensure a perfect shape of the tarts.
 The optimum thickness of the pastry is 3 mm. The layers can break if you roll it too thin. On the contrary,
too little egg liquid can be poured in if the pastry is too thick.
 Use butter, not margarine or shortening. Traditional Hong Kong egg tarts are made with lard, but the trend
has shifted towards butter. I use butter in this recipe because this is the flavor I like. Shortening and
margarine are easier  to handle than butter at room temperature, but do not taste as good as butter.
 If you are using unsalted butter for the pastry, add one percent of salt to the recipe.  For example, if the
recipe calls for 100 g of butter, then 1g of salt should be added.
 Make a large batch. You can keep Chinese puff pastry in the freezer for a few months. If you have cut the
pastry, separate pieces of pastry with a piece of plastic sheet to prevent them from sticking together.
Char Siu Bao Recipe
Author: KP Kwan
Recipe type: Breakfast
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep time:  2 hours
Cook time:  8 mins
Total time:  2 hours 8 mins
Serves: 12
 
Ingredients
Dough starter
 200g of pao flour
 10g of dry yeast
 145g of icing sugar
 285ml of lukewarm water

Other ingredients of the dough:

 10g of baking powder
 400g of pao flour
 ¼ teaspoon of vinegar
 ¼ teaspoon of ammonium bicarbonate
 50g of shortening
 2g of salt

Filling:
 400g of diced chicken breast meat
 70g (4½ tablespoons) of sugar
 12g (2½ teaspoons) of cornstarch
 200ml of water
 70g (4½ tablespoons) of oyster sauce
 25g (5 teaspoons) of light soy sauce
 35g (7 teaspoons) of dark soy sauce
 50g of onion
 1 teaspoon of 5 spices powder
 45ml (3 tablespoons) of oil

Instructions
Fillings:
1. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan or wok, sauté the onion for 1 to 2 minutes until soft and transparent. Add
the diced chicken breast meat and sauté until the chicken is cooked.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir and cook until the gravy thickens.
3. Transfer to a plate and let it cool.

Dough:
1. Dissolve the dry yeast in water.
2. Add 200g of pao flour and icing sugar. Mix well and cover for an hour.
3. Add the remaining items into the starter mixture and knead for 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Cover the dough with a piece of damp cloth and let it proves for 30 minutes, or until the size has doubled.
5. Divide the dough into 50g portions. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
6. Flatten the dough with a rolling pin to form a circle of 8-10 cm in diameter. Place 30g of filling in the
middle, wrap and pleat the dough to seal. Place it on a 1.5 inches (4cm) square baking paper, sealed side up.
7. Place the Char Siu Pao in a steamer, leave about 2-3 cm gap in between each Char Siu Pao. Steam in a
preheated steamer on high heat for 8 minutes.
 8. Remove the Char Siu Pao immediately from the steamer and cool them on a rack to prevent the bottom of
the Char Siu Pao from becoming soggy.

Tips to make the Char Siu Bao just like Dim Sum restaurant
How to cook the filling

You can use more water than stated to cook the chicken. It is important to cook it until the gravy is thick enough. If
it is too thick, the filling will not be juicy. if it is too diluted, it is difficult to seal the ingredients in the dough.

The correct type of flour for making pao

Use the right type of flour to make Char Siu Bao. I have seen different types of flour suggested by chefs, and I
would like to elaborate a little on this subject.

The suitable types of flour for making Char Siu Bao is Pao flour or Hong Kong flour. The low percentage of protein
of these types of flour will produce the optimum amount of gluten required for bouncy and soft buns. Both are
bleached and can produce white buns normally seen in dim sum stores.

The difference between Pao flour and Hong Kong flour is that yeast is added to Pao flour, and it is not added to
Hong Kong flour. You can add more dry yeast even if you use Pao flour just in case the yeast is inactive. If you
have difficulty to get Pao flour, you can use cake flour as it contains a similar percentage of gluten, but the color of
the Pao will be slightly yellowish.
Freshly milled flour is bleached and the natural color is yellowish. Bleaching will not only whiten the flour
to make it more appealing, but it also breaks down the gluten level further and makes the flour softer.
Wheat flour contains protein and when it comes to contact with water, it develops gluten, which gives
elasticity and strength to baked goods. Different baking items need different percentages of protein for
optimum gluten development. Here is the summary:

 Cake flour - 6-8% protein

 Pastry flour, Pao flour, Hong Kong flour ( also known as Waterlily flour = 香港水仙面粉) 8-10%
protein
 Self raising flour - 8-9% protein
 All purpose and plain flour - 10-12% protein
 Bread flour - 12-14% protein

What other meat is suitable besides pork for making Char Siu Pao?

Traditionally, barbecue pork ( char siu 叉烧) is used. You can use chicken breast meat as it is suitable for all races
and religion. The flavor is very close to that of pork.

When you prepare the filling, there are a few points that you need to note:
1. Sauté the onion until it turns fragrant before adding the chicken meat.
2. Combine the cornflour with water to form a slurry before mixing it with the meat, or you can just mix
EVERYTHING together. It really does not matter.
Cut the meat into small cube, or just buy ready-make Char Siu and fast forward to the wrapping step.

The Char Siu Bao filling ready to use

The correct types of leavening agent

There are three leavening agents used in the recipe.

Both baking powder (sodium bicarbonate) and yeast are used to achieve the bouncy and soft texture. Both are quite
common in baking, but you may be unfamiliar with ammonium bicarbonate.

Ammonium bicarbonate ( commonly known as 臭粉 In Chinese ) is a leavening agent nowadays seldom used. It is

also hardly used in any western baking products. It is used in the recipe to serve a special purpose- to produce the
signature bursting surface of the Pao.. The professional finishing of Char Siu Bao should be burst ( 开花 ) into three
or four parts on the surface, much like the crevices on top of a hot cross bun. It is created by using ammonium
bicarbonate instead of cutting lines on the surface as for bread.

You can omit ammonium bicarbonate as it does not contribute to the flavor of the Char Siu Bao. The only
difference is that the surface may not burst into parts, the ‘professional’ finishing of Char Siu Bao.

Kneading the dough

Dough making is quite similar to making bread. Some chefs prefer to prepare a starter just like for making bread, as
in this recipe. In this case, part of the flour will be used to prepare the starter. The flour will ferment longer which
results in a better flavor.

Some less common ingredients in dough making explained

After kneading the dough

After double in size

Lye water

Lye water ( 碱水 )- some recipes suggest adding lye water into the dough. Our recipe has no lye water. There is a
problem if you add too much lye water as it will leave a bitter taste to the Pao.

Wheat starch

Wheat starch ( 澄面粉) can be added into the recipe in a smaller amount. Wheat starch can produce a very soft and
bouncy texture since wheat starch has no protein. The Pao made by following this recipe is quite soft and there is no
need to add wheat starch.

Vinegar

Vinegar is added for a purpose. Since wheat starch has no protein, and Pao or Hong Kong flour has a low protein
content, the development of gluten that contributes to the strength, and texture will be limited. The ideal pH for
gluten development is 5-6. This will encourage gluten development and produce a more extensible (easier to
stretch) dough. Vinegar helps to maintain the pH of the dough so that it is not too alkaline due to the use of baking
powder and ammonium bicarbonate. This will produce Pao with good texture and yet is bouncy and soft.

How to produce a white bun

A number of recipes suggest that vinegar can whiten the dough. However, we have tried to make Pao with and
without vinegar, and the color of the Pao is identical.
The answer to the snowy white Char Siu Bao lies in the color of the flour and oil that you use. Hong Kong flour and
Pao flour are bleached and will produce white Pao. If you use the standard cake or all purpose flour, the color of the
Char Siu Bao will be slightly yellowish.

The type of oil you use will affect the color of the Pao. If you use vegetable or animal oil, the Pao will be slightly
yellowish. We use shortening of soy origin to produce a snowy white Pao. If you want to use a healthier alternative,
use unbleached flour and vegetable oil instead of bleached flour and shortening, The flavor will not be affected.
But the Pao will not be as white as those from a professional dim sum shop.

How to wrap the filling

1. Roll out the dough to a round shape, but leave the center slightly thicker as this is the bottom part of the Pao.
2. Wrap and pleat the dough to seal the filling.
3. It is not necessary to seal the Pao dough tightly, Just folding and slightly aquerzing with your fingers is
sufficient. This is different from shaping the pie crust, where the line formed by you will stay even after baking.
Most of the folding lines will disappear after steaming due to the strong leavening action by baking powder and
yeast. It is (traditionally) acceptable if the dough is ‘erupted’ due to the rapid expansion of volume during steaming
and review part of the filling.

How to steam Char Siu Bao

1. Place each Pao seal side up on a small piece of oiled baking paper.
2. Place the Pao in a steamer tray. Make sure the water is boiled rapidly.
3. Steam the Pao on high heat for eight minutes with plenty of water and covered at all times during the entire
steaming process.

Chicken Curry Recipe

Today I am going to write about one of the best selling dishes in my cafe- Malaysian chicken curry.

What makes me write about chicken curry is that many customers ask me for the recipe, and I’m glad to show you
how you can replicate it at home.

“This recipe has been used in my cafe for many years, approved by thousands of diners. Use it as
the blueprint and make changes to suit your taste.’

I have spoken to many restaurateurs and we all agree that we can get easily bored with our own recipes.  This is true
because we cook and eat the same thing over and over, but this Malaysian chicken curry is one of the few
exceptions. I have not changed the recipe for years.  I normally serve it with plain rice, but it is also great with
bread.

It is not difficult to cook Malaysian chicken curry. The challenge lies in finding the ingredients for the curry
powder. What makes it so delicious is the ingredients and the quantity of each of them. The good news is that there
is a wide margin of error to make this dish, so I can guarantee that your chicken curry will always taste deliciously
and everyone will praise and admire it.

To begin with, I blend red chilies, onions, and lemongrass in an electric blender. These are the wet ingredients of
the curry paste. The paste is sauteed in vegetable oil until it turns aromatic, then the other dry ingredients are added.
The dry ingredients are a combination of several spices such as turmeric, coriander, cumin, fennel and fenugreek.
You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe. It is not always practical to buy all these spices in a small
amount just to make a small batch of curry powder. You can buy the ready made curry powder if you wish.  If you
do this, please refer to the section below the recipe.
 

This is the best chicken curry I’ve eve had. It is an amalgamation Indian, Malay, and Chinese cooking techniques.
For example, deep-frying the chicken and potatoes and then adding them to the curry mixture is a classic Chinese
cooking technique to enhance the flavor of the food. The abundant use of spices is a signature culinary practice for
the Indians and Malay. The Chinese normally prefer simple seasoning so that spices will not overshadow the flavor
of the meat.

One of the key ingredients you should definitely include in this recipe is the curry leaves. You probably already
guessed that this is indispensable as the name says it all. Curry leaves are abundantly available in Asian countries.
Get the leaves from an Asian grocery shop if you can’t find them fresh at the market.

This is a curry with thick gravy, much like a beef stew or goulash.  The key ingredient of the gravy is coconut milk.
It is acceptable to use canned or packaged coconut milk, but freshly pressed is preferred if you are fortunate to get
it. The taste of coconut milk is totally differently from soy or cow’s milk, so they are not interchangeable if you
want to get the authentic flavor.

Malaysian Chicken Curry Recipe:

Save Print
Chicken Curry Recipe
Author: KP Kwan
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Malaysian
Prep time:  20 mins
Cook time:  40 mins
Total time:  1 hour
Serves: 5
 
Ingredients
Marinate the chicken
 1kg of chicken thigh cut to two
 60g (4 tablespoons) of flour
 60ml (4 tablespoons) of light soy sauce
 30g (2 tablespoons) of sugar

Ingredients to blend
 160g of onion
 350g of red chilies with seeds removed
 25 g of ginger
 100g of lemongrass

Dry ingredients for curry

 30g of chili powder
 60g of curry powder
 25g (5 teaspoons) of salt

Others
 ½kg potatoes
 200g of fresh coconut milk
 water to simmer the curry

Instructions
1. Cut the chicken thighs into large chunks, on the bone.
2. Marinate the chicken in flour, light soy sauce, and sugar for an hour.
3. Heat up some oil in the deep fryer and deep-fry the chicken for about one minute. Removed from the oil.
4. Cut the potatoes to large cubes and deep-fry them for one minute. Remove from the oil.
5. Blend the onion, red chilies, ginger and lemongrass in an electric blender.
6. Saute the blended curry ingredients with vegetable oil for 2 to 3 minutes or until it turns fragrant.
7. Add the dry curry ingredients into the wok. Add enough water to form a thick gravy.
8. Add the curry leaves, coconut milk and chicken into the curry gravy.
9. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
10. Add the deep-fried potatoes to the curry. Simmer until the potatoes become soft and the internal temperature
of the chicken reaches 70 degree Celsius.
11. Adjust the thickness of the curry gravy with water if necessary.
 

Tips And Tricks For Cooking Malaysian Chicken Curry

The instructions in the recipe are clear and simple enough. The tips and tricks below can help you produce an
excellent Malaysian chicken curry even if you are new to cooking curry.

 Cook the chicken on the bone . The flavor from the bone and the marrow add body to the curry. If you use
only breast meat to cook curry,  the taste of the curry will be flat.   The flavor from the bone also contributes
to Vietnamese pho in my previous post, in which the bone marrow from the shin and leg are the important
ingredients for achieving wholesome flavor of the stock.  Authentic chicken curry is cooked in the same
way. The locals do not use stock to prepare the curry.

Deep-fried potatoes
Wet (left) and dry (right) curry ingredients.

 Marinate the chicken. This is not the most authentic way of preparing the chicken curry, but rather my
improvisation by injecting a Chinese cooking element into it. I marinate the chicken to let the flavor
penetrate deep into the chicken pieces. This will result in every bite of the chicken being flavorful, not just
tasty on the surface. This is a common Chinese cooking  technique of preparing most stir-fried dishes.
 Deep-fry the chicken and potatoes. My trick to add more flavor to the chicken curry is to deep-fried the
chicken and potatoes before simmering them in the curry spices. Deep-frying creates additional aroma due
to the Millard effect, much like stir-frying and baking. Numerous organic elements are created during deep-
frying and producing flavor impossible to achieve by cooking on lower heat. I normally only deep-fried the
chicken and potatoes for a minute, or until the surface turns light brown. The inner part of the chicken
pieces will be cooked during the long period of simmering that follows.

Marinate the chicken

Deep-fried the chicken

  Blend the lemongrass, chili, onions, and ginger. Lemongrass is tough.  Cutting the lemongrass into small
pieces before blending will result in a finer blend. Make sure you blend it to very fine texture as we do not
want any hard pieces of lemongrass in the curry. You can learn more about lemongrass in this video.
 Use fresh curry powder. The flavor of curry powder deteriorates over time, just like any other herbs and
spices. There are a few alternatives if you have difficulties getting the ingredients for curry powder.
o Buy the ready-made curry powder. This is the easy way out as it saves time making your own curry
powder. Buy a smaller package that is just enough for your consumption. Check the expiry date and
make sure it is fresh. For this recipe look for Malaysian curry powder or Indian curry powder.
o Use half of the ready-made curry powder and half of your own blend. This way you will get the
chicken curry with your own flavor and the ready-made one will supplement whatever spices you
were unable to obtain.

Overall I like to use the second method as it yields the best result.

Save Print
Malaysian Curry Powder Recipe
Author: KP Kwan
Recipe type: Herbs and spices
Cuisine: Malaysian
Prep time:  10 mins
Cook time:  5 mins
Total time:  15 mins
Serves: 100g
 
This is my favorite blend of Malaysian meat curry powder.
Ingredients
 45g of coriander
 15g of cumin
 10g of turmeric
 5g of mustard powder
 10g of fenugreek
 5g of black pepper
 3 g of cinnamon
 1g of clove
 2 pots of cardamom

Instructions
1. Put all the ingredients in a electric blender and blend them to a fine powder.

 Curry leaves. Curry leaves are the important ingredients in this recipe. (How can it be called curry if there
are no curry leaves in the curry?) I normally put quite a lot of curry leaves in the curry about 10g of leaves
for 1kg of chicken. Put the leaves in the curry and let the curry simmer for at least ten minutes to release the
flavor.  You can keep the curry leaves in the chiller in an airtight container for one to two weeks. Keep them
in the freezer if you want to preserve them for longer.
Coconut milk and curry leaves

Add the leaves to the curry.

 Adjust the hotness of the curry. You can adjust the amount of red chilli and chilli powder to the desired
hotness. Do not reduce the amounts of other herbs and spices as it would affect the overall flavor of the
curry.

Chicken curry is best to serve with white rice. You can also serve it with bread such as chapati, tosai or roti canai.
The Malaysian love to eat nasi lemak (rice simmered in coconut milk) with chicken curry and fried anchovies,
roasted groundnuts, hard boiled eggs, and cucumber. Try this combination and you will love it.  If you wish to try
more variations of curry, check out my  Green Curry and Massaman curry recipe.
Thai Green Curry
Thai green curry is the most famous Thai dish outside Thailand. It has a distinct green color that set it apart from
Indian, Malaysian and Japanese curries which are mostly red or yellow. The green color is from the green chilies
instead of red chilies used in other types of curry.

Why is it so? It is closely related to the types of ingredients used in green curry.You might guess correctly that the
main ingredient is green chili, not red chili as most people might think.

You need a myriad of spices and some exotic ingredients to prepare an authentic green curry. This sounds
complicated, but this post will give you some hints on what to do if you are unable to find certain ingredients. You
will certainly get the authentic flavor if you use all the original ingredients, but it does not mean that using
alternative ingredients will produce second-grade curry.  Some ingredients can be omitted or substituted for
cooking Thai green curry.
I divide the recipe into parts. The first part is about how to prepare the green curry paste, which is considered the
heart and soul of the Thai green curry. It takes some time to prepare, but you can change the amount and type of
spices for the curry paste, which means you have more control of the taste profile. The second part is about the
actual cooking of the Thai green curry with the green curry paste you just made in the first part.  I use chicken in
this recipe but you can change it to any other meat, or use only vegetables.

I will point out the key ingredients that must be included in the recipe, and what can be replaced and omitted. The
Thai green curry cooked in different households and regions in Thailand is different. This is similar to adobo in the
Philippines, where different people vouch their recipes are the most authentic. The Thai green curry is considered
authentic as long as it does not omit any essential ingredients and is cooked by following the standard method.
Save Print
Thai Green Curry (Chicken)
Author: KP Kwan
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Thai
Prep time:  30 mins
Cook time:  15 mins
Total time:  45 mins
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients

For the Thai green curry paste

 15g (about 1 tbsp) of chopped galangal
 20g (about 1 stalk) of thinly sliced lemongrass
 50g (about 6 tablespoons) of garlic
  50g (about 5 tablespoons) of sliced shallots
 3 pieces of green bird's eye chilies
 10 pieces of seeded long green chilies
 10 pieces of Thai basil leaves
 1 teaspoon of kaffir lime zest
 1 teaspoon of salt
 1 teaspoon of Thai paste
 ½ teaspoon of white pepper
 5g (about 1 tablespoon) of coriander seed
 1 teaspoon of cumin seed
 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

For cooking the chicken curry

 120g of Thai green curry paste
 400g of chicken breast meat cut into 1 cm thick pieces
 320ml of coconut milk
 8 pieces of bird's eye chilli
 70g of eggplants
 70g of kabocha squash
 70g of king oyster or shiitake mushroom, torn or cut into small pieces
 6 sprigs of Thai basil leaf, discard the stems
 4 pieces of kaffir lime leaf
 15g of palm sugar
 2 teaspoon of fish sauce
 ½ teaspoon of salt
 Chicken stock or water for cooking the curry

Instructions
For the Thai green curry paste
1. Chop the galangal into small pieces and cut the lemongrass into thin slices,
2. Cut the chilies and shallots into small pieces
3. Put all the dry ingredients into an electric blender. Blend for ½ minute.
4. Add the fish sauce and vegetable oil and blitz again until it becomes a very smooth curry paste.

For cooking the chicken curry

1. Cut the chicken breast meat into ½cm thick small pieces.
2. Cut the eggplant into 3 cm long strips
3. Stir fry the Thai green curry paste with some vegetable oil until it turns fragrant.
4. Add the coconut milk to the curry paste and heat it up on medium heat until the oil starts to separate and
form a layer of green oil on top.
5. Reduce the heat. Continue cooking in the wok or transfer it to a pot. Keep stirring to prevent the curry from
being scorched. Lower the heat if it splatters too much.
6. Add the chicken meat and bird's eye chilies into the curry mixture. Add some water or chicken stock until
the chicken is fully submerged.
7. Once the meat is partially cooked, add the eggplant, kabocha squash and mushrooms. Simmer for about ten
minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Add some water if the curry is too thick.
8. Add the Thai basil leave after turning off the heat in order to keep it green.
Blend the Thai green curry paste (before)

Blend the Thai green curry paste (after)

Do everything right to prepare Thai green curry

The challenge of preparing Thai green curry is not about mastering the technique.  It is about getting the long list of
ingredients of which some are uncommon in some countries.

Many people head to the grocery shop to buy the ready-made Thai green curry paste. This is the easy way out, as
there are some very good commercially made Thai green curry pastes available for sale. But if you want to enjoy
the fresh flavor of green curry and control the spiciness of each ingredient, you must make the effort to prepare the
fresh curry paste. The following explanation is helpful to let you understand the key ingredients that you must
include, which are the alternate ingredients and the important aspects you should pay attention to when you prepare
the Thai green curry paste.
 1.
Galangal
Galangal is the main ingredients of Thai green curry, You cannot substitute it with other ingredients. It is also
called ‘blue ginger’ in some Chinese-speaking countries in Asia, but the flavor is very different from the normal
‘yellow’ ginger that you are familiar with.

2. Lemongrass
The useful part of lemongrass is the white section, the bulb of the lemongrass. Remove the upper section which is
green and the outer layer of the lemongrass, much like removing the outer layer of an onion. The lemongrass should
be thinly sliced before putting it into the blender as it takes some time to blend. This is also an essential ingredient
for making Thai green curry.

3. Bird’s eye chili

This is a type of small chilies which is very hot. The Thai’s and many Asians can take very hot food. If you prefer a
milder curry, reduce the amount of bird’s eye chilies in the recipe. This is not an essential ingredient, thus you can
substitute it with other types of locally available chilli. (Note: The short green chilies in the image below are bird’s
eye chilies).
 4. Thai
basil leaf
You can substitute it with other types of basil if this type is not available.

5. Kaffir lime
The flavor of kaffir lime is different from the normal lime and lemon. Try to get this ingredient for your curry. The
kaffir lime zest can be substituted with several pieces of kaffir lime leaves widely available in many countries.

6. Coriander and cumin seeds

Both seeds can be substituted with the ground powder. The flavor is not significantly different as long as the ground
spices are fresh.

7. The vegetable and meat

Eggplants, kabocha squash and green beans are the common vegetables used in Thai green curry. The meat can be
any type of meat or seafood. The Thai green curry recipe is very flexible.

8. Palm sugar
Palm sugar has a distinct smoky aroma and a complex flavor. (The block of brown substance at the center of the
image below is palm sugar) Substitute palm sugar with brown sugar if it is unavailable.
 9. How
much chilli paste is required?
The amount of chili paste in this recipe should produce a thick and spicy curry. You can reduce the amount of chili
paste if you like a milder curry. However, the other ingredients in the paste will be reduced proportionately, which
results in a curry of inferior flavor.

The best way to solve this dilemma is to cut down the amount of green chilli while preparing the chilli paste. You
can add enough chilli paste to the curry without worrying about it becoming too spicy, and yet with getting the full
flavor of galangal, lemongrass, shallots and others.

Cook until the gravy is slighly thickened

The oil (green) is separated from the spices

10. Stir fry the chilli paste

Stir-frying the chili paste helps release the aroma of the spices.

11. Cook until the coconut oil separates from the liquid.

This step needs a little more explanation. The aromatics such as onion and garlic are normally sauteed until fragrant
in western cooking. In making curry the paste will go through a long sauteeing process of ten or more minutes until
the oil separates from the spices. The oil will form a thin layer on top of the curry. The separation indicates that the
flavor of the spices is fully developed.
http://www.realthairecipes.com/recipes/hot-and-sour-soup-with-shrimp/ GOOD SITE

Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp

Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp (tom yum goong, ต ้มยำกุ ้ง) is probably the most famous Thai dish, both inside
and outside of Thailand. It’s eaten very often here, usually in a type of hot pot with fire underneath. There are
hundreds of variations of tom yum, and this recipe includes the two most common versions of Tom Yum Goong.

Ingredients
 2 lemongrass stalks, cut into 1″ pieces and smashed a bit (about 1/3 cup)
 6 lime leaves (1 tablespoon), torn with center vein removed
 2 tablespoons galangal sliced thin
 1 tablespoon coriander roots, about 2 roots
 2 tablesoons shallots, whole with skin removed (1-2 shallots)
 1 cup tomato (about 1 medium tomato), sliced into 6-8 pieces lengthwise
 2 cups broth (pork, chicken)
 1/2 cup straw mushrooms, ends removed and halved
 2 tablespoons (about 7) red medium-sized thai chilies, smashed
 4 or 5 medium-sized saltwater shrimp, whole and uncleaned, the fresher the better
 pinch salt
 1 1/4 teaspoon fish sauce
 1 1/2 teaspoons :roasted chili paste:
 1 tablespoon lime juice (or more to taste)
 3 tablespoons milk (from a cow not a coconut). *optional
 3 small dried chilies, roasted *optional – add if adding milk
 1 tablespoon coriander chopped

Directions
1. Prepare all the ingredients. Remove the outer layer of the lemongrass stalks and cut off the end. Cut into 1-
2″ pieces and smash with the side of a heavy knife to release flavor. Tear the center vein off the lime leaves.
Slice your galangal into thin slices. Cut the tomato into 6 pieces lengthwise. Peel the skin off the shallots
and smash lightly. Clean your coriander roots well. Smash the fresh chilies with the back of a heavy knife,
or in a mortar and pestle. If using fresh Thai straw mushrooms, slice the bottoms off and cut in 1/2
lengthwise. If making the version with milk: roast the dried chilies until fragrant and browned in a dry wok
on medium heat (see note).
2. Clean the shrimp by peeling off the backs and snapping off the top part of the heads, but leave the fat on at
the base of the head (the reddish brown goop). This is very important, as that fat imparts a signature flavor
 into Tom Yum Goong. Don’t discard it. Then, peel out the legs + intestine underneath, but leave the tails on.
Set aside.
3. Boil the broth on high until it comes to a rapid boil. (see note about broth below). Add the lime leaves,
lemongrass, coriander root, galangal, shallot(s) and tomato. Boil for 4-5 minutes until the broth tastes
herbal. if you’re using fresh ingredients, 4-5 minutes should be enough. In a separate pan, boil the
mushrooms in plain water.
4. After you’ve boiled 4-5 minutes, add a pinch of salt and the shrimp. Strain the cooked mushrooms and add
them to the soup as well. Cook until shrimp turn pink, about a minute.
5. Add the fish sauce and remove from heat. You will now season the soup.
6. Add lime juice, chili paste, smashed fresh chilies. Taste the soup. Is it sour? Is it salty? If no, add a bit more,
1/4 teaspoon at a time.
7. If making the version with milk: Add the milk and dried chilies. If doing this step you’ll need to add a bit
more lime juice and fish sauce as the milk tames it down a bit. Add about a teaspoon more of each.
8. Add cilantro and serve. This soup is best served really hot!

Note:

This recipe is for the two most common Tom Yum Goong recipes. Both have chili paste (nam prik pao). The only
difference is the addition of milk. Milk gives it a somewhat rounded flavor. It's not enough milk to make the soup
creamy, just enough to make it less harsh. If you do add the milk, add the dried roasted chilies and a bit more fish
sauce and lime juice as well.

A vegetarian Tom Yum recipe can be found here: Tom Yum Het, a clear version of tom yum made with
mushrooms.

You can use freshwater prawns for this soup if you'd prefer.

This recipe makes a small soup, enough for 2 to eat with a meal. If cooking for a larger group you may want to
double or triple this recipe.

Thais do not fish out the parts of this soup you don't eat before serving - they know to avoid munching on the
lemongrass stalks, galangal, cilantro root and lime leaves. If serving this to guests who are unfamiliar with Thai
food, you may want to let them know what to eat and what not to eat, or fish out the herbs before serving.

Pork or Chicken broth can be made by simply boiling pieces of pork or chicken in water. Leaving the meat on the
bone is best. If you do cheat and use a flavor cube or pre-made broth, make sure it's simply meat broth and not
flavored with vegetables as well.

Tear

Tear the vein off the lime leaves

Slice

Slice the galangal into thin pieces

Perpare

Prepare the herbs as shown

Prepare

Set up everything before cooking

Roast
Dry roast the chilies (if adding milk)

Clean

Clean the shrimp but leave the fat on

Boil

Boil the herbs and tomato on high

Add

After 4 minutes, add the shrimp

Season

When done, season the soup

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