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Gaeng kari gai (Thai yellow chicken curry)
Gaeng kari gai (แกงกะหรี่ไก่): mild turmeric coconut curry with chicken and potato, with cucumber ajad
Thai yellow curry came to Bangkok through Muslim and Indian traders, and you still find it at curry-over-rice shops near the old mosques of Bang Rak, ladled out with a sharp cucumber relish called ajad. It is the gentlest of the Thai curries: turmeric and curry powder in coconut milk, with chicken, waxy potatoes and onion that soak up the sauce, and children usually like it. For a vegetarian version, use 400 g fried tofu and extra potato, a shrimp-free paste and light soy sauce instead of fish sauce. Chef's tip: fry the paste in the thick coconut cream until the oil separates before adding anything else; skipping this is why many home yellow curries taste raw and powdery.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the curry
- ¾ cup coconut cream
- 3 tbsp yellow curry paste
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken thighsskinless, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- 10 ½ oz waxy potatoespeeled, cut into 3 cm chunks
- 1 onioncut into wedges
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp palm sugargrated
For the ajad (cucumber relish)
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cucumberquartered lengthways and thinly sliced
- 2 shallotsthinly sliced
- 1 red chillithinly sliced
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Make the ajad first: warm ¼ cup rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar and ½ tsp salt in a small pan just until the sugar dissolves, then cool. Pour over 1 cucumber, 2 shallots and 1 red chilli and leave to pickle while you cook.
5 minStep 2: Boil ¾ cup coconut cream in a heavy pan over a medium heat, stirring, until it thickens and the oil starts to split out, about 4 minutes.
4 minStep 3: Stir in 3 tbsp yellow curry paste and 1 tsp mild curry powder and fry, scraping the base, until the paste darkens slightly and smells toasty, 2–3 minutes.
3 minStep 4: Add 1 ⅓ lb boneless chicken thighs and stir until every piece is coated and the outside turns opaque, about 3 minutes.
3 minStep 5: Pour in 1 ¾ cups coconut milk and ¾ cup chicken stock, add 10 ½ oz waxy potatoes and bring to a gentle simmer. Don't boil hard or the coconut milk will turn grainy.
3 minStep 6: Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, then add 1 onion and simmer for 8–10 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender to a knife and the chicken reaches 165°F in the centre, with no pink juices.
18 minStep 7: Season with 2 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tbsp palm sugar. The curry should be mild, rich and gently salty-sweet. Serve with jasmine rice and the drained ajad.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gaeng kari gai (Thai yellow chicken curry) take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
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