Thai Green shrimp Curry

Ingredients

• 15 mlneutral oil
• 3 clovesgarlic, grated
• 15 ml (1 tbsp)ginger, grated
• 60 ml (4 tbsp)green curry paste
• 400 g (14 oz) cancoconut milk
• 5 ml (1 tsp)fish sauce
• 15 ml (3 tsp)sugar
• 4kaffir lime leaves
• 2red and/or green peppers, sliced
• 1courgette
• 312 g (11 oz)prawns
• 2limes (juice of both and zest of 1)
• 1 handfulcoriander, finely chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil

   Warm the oil in a large pan or wok over a medium heat.

2. 2

   Fry aromatics

   Add the grated garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant.

3. 3

   Cook curry paste

   Stir in the green curry paste and stir-fry for another minute to release its flavours.

4. 4

   Simmer the sauce

   Pour in the coconut milk, fish sauce and sugar. Stir to combine, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

5. 5

   Soften vegetables

   Add the lime leaves, sliced peppers and courgette. Cook for a few minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

6. 6

   Cook the prawns

   Add the prawns and cook for a few minutes, until pink and opaque.

7. 7

   Add the lime

   Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lime zest and juice.

8. 8

   Serve the curry

   Serve with rice or noodles and top with fresh coriander.

What is Thai green curry?

Thai green curry is a coconut-based curry flavoured with green curry paste, which typically brings chilli and aromatic herbs to the sauce. This version pairs that fragrant, spicy base with prawns and quick-cooking green vegetables.

The recipe keeps the cooking straightforward: build flavour in the pan, simmer the sauce with the vegetables, then add the prawns near the end. Lime stirred in off the heat gives the creamy curry a bright finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 341 calories, 14g protein, 17g carbs, 26g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the sugar and vegetables, while coconut milk and oil provide much of the fat; the prawns contribute protein. Serve with a moderate portion of rice or noodles and add extra vegetables if you want a more balanced plate.

Build flavour in stages

Garlic and ginger: give them a brief sauté until fragrant, rather than letting them brown. Stir-frying the curry paste for a minute afterwards helps it blend into the sauce.

Curry paste: brands differ in heat and saltiness, so the finished curry may vary. If you are unfamiliar with yours, taste the sauce as it simmers before serving.

Keep the vegetables tender

Peppers and courgette: add them to the simmering coconut sauce and cook only until they start to soften. This leaves some texture and keeps them from becoming overly soft.

Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they cook at a similar pace. The method does not specify a precise size, so use pieces that are easy to eat with a spoon or fork.

Watch the prawns closely

Prawns: add them after the vegetables have had a few minutes in the sauce. They are ready when they have turned pink and opaque.

They cook quickly, so check them as they simmer and take the pan off the heat once they are done. Prolonged cooking can make prawns firm and rubbery.

Finish with fresh lime

Lime: the recipe uses the juice of both limes and the zest of one. Stir these in after removing the pan from the heat to preserve their fresh, tangy character.

Kaffir lime leaves: add them with the vegetables so they can infuse the sauce as it simmers. Remove them before eating if you prefer not to have them in the bowl.

Choose a side to serve

Rice: makes a mild, absorbent base for the creamy curry sauce. Serve it alongside or spoon the curry over it.

Noodles: are the other suggested option and work well for catching the sauce. Finish either serving with chopped coriander for a fresh herbal note.

Recipe notes & tips

• Grate the garlic and ginger before heating the pan so they are ready to add together.
• Stir the curry paste as it fries so it does not catch on the base of the pan.
• Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than a rapid boil.
• Check the prawns as they cook and stop once they are pink and opaque.
• Add the lime juice and zest after taking the pan off the heat.
• Serve promptly with rice or noodles while the prawns are tender.

Variations

• Adjust the heat: use less green curry paste for a milder curry.
• Change the vegetables: swap in other quick-cooking vegetables for the peppers or courgette.
• Make it more citrusy: add extra lime juice to taste at the end.
• Use chicken: cook bite-sized chicken pieces thoroughly in the sauce before serving.
• Add fresh herbs: scatter extra coriander over each bowl just before serving.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Browning the aromatics: they can taste bitter; sauté them for about a minute until fragrant.
• Scorching the paste: keep stirring it over medium heat during its brief fry.
• Boiling the sauce hard: a gentle simmer is enough to cook the vegetables and prawns.
• Overcooking the vegetables: stop once they begin to soften so they retain some texture.
• Overcooking the prawns: remove the pan from the heat once they are pink and opaque.
• Adding lime too early: stir in the zest and juice after removing the pan from the heat.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot, taking care not to cook the prawns for longer than necessary.

Frequently asked questions