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Thai Green Curry Shrimp – Lightened Up

Closeup overhead view of Thai green curry shrimp with vegetables in a blue bowl.
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Juicy shrimp, veggies, fragrant aromatics and herbs and spicy green curry paste are simmered in a lightened-up coconut milk curry in this Thai Green Curry Shrimp! Ready in 35 minutes and so delicious!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 14 grams / 4 Garlic cloves – minced
  • 19 grams / 6 fresh Red Chilies (Thai Bird’s Eye or any other hot red chilies), to taste – finely chopped
  • 5 grams / 5-6 Thai Green Prik Kee Nu Chilies (optional – or any other small hot green chilies – note 1), to taste – finely chopped
  • 40 grams / 3 Asian Red Shallots (or use red onion or regular shallots) – peeled, finely sliced
  • 15 grams / ¾ cup Thai Sweet Basil Leaves (loosely packed – note 2) – picked off stems, washed, pat-dried
  • 50 grams / 3 pieces Baby Corn – hairy parts removed, sliced in half lengthwise, then again widthwise
  • 75 grams / 15 pieces Snow Peas – ends trimmed, hairy parts removed
  • 50 grams / ¼ cup sliced Bamboo Shoots (canned or fresh – note 3)
  • 10 grams / 2 TSP Coconut Sugar (or palm sugar – note 4) – finely shaved with a knife
  • 4 Makrut Lime Leaves (note 5) – destemmed, finely minced into a powder
  • 100 grams / about ¾ cup frozen Green Peas
  • 2 TSP Corn Starch + 1 TBLS Water – mixed together to make a slurry (optional – note 6)
  • 300 grams / 10.6 ounces peeled and deveined Jumbo Shrimp (size 16/20 preferred) – washed thoroughly, pat-dried
  • 7.5ml / ½ TBLS Canola Oil (or any other neutral flavored cooking oil)
  • 40 grams / 2 TBLS + 2 TSP Thai Green Curry Paste (I use Mae Ploy brand – note 7)
  • 400ml / 14 ounce can Lite Coconut Milk
  • ¾ TBLS Fish Sauce, to taste
  • ½ TSP Thai Chili Powder (optional – or use crushed red pepper), to taste
  • To Serve (optional): Chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), sliced red chili (optional), warm steamed brown or white rice

Instructions

Prep:

  1. Prepare the ingredients: Prepare the garlic, red and green chilies, shallots, Thai sweet basil leaves, baby corn, snow peas, bamboo shoots, coconut sugar, makrut lime leaves and shrimp as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. Make the corn starch slurry by mixing together the corn starch and water in a small bowl until thoroughly combined

For the Thai Green Curry Shrimp:

  1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat ½ tablespoon of canola oil in a large nonstick wok (or pot) over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic, red and green chilies and sauté for a minute until fragrant.
  2. Add the veggies and curry paste: Add the snow peas, baby corn and Thai green curry paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes until the veggies start to soften and the curry paste starts to break down and is fragrant.
  3. Build the curry: Turn the heat down to low and pour in the lite coconut milk. Stir to combine until the curry paste has fully integrated. Stir in the coconut sugar, finely minced makrut lime leaves, fish sauce, Thai chili powder (if using) and the corn starch slurry.
  4. Add the remaining veggies: Add the green peas and bamboo shoots. Stir to combine.
  5. Cook the shrimp: Turn the heat back up to medium-high and add the shrimp. Cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the shrimp are no longer opaque and are cooked through.
  6. Stir in the basil: Stir in the Thai sweet basil leaves until just wilted – about 10-15 seconds. Switch off the heat.
  7. To Serve: Transfer to a serving bowl or divide servings evenly into bowls. Garnish with chopped coriander and sliced chili if desired. Serve immediately with warm steamed brown or white rice.

Equipment

Notes

  1. Thai Prik Kee Nu Green Chilies. Thai Prik kee nu green chilies are tiny, but incredibly hot. They might be difficult to track down outside of Asia so you can leave them out if unavailable. Adjust the quantity of both red and green chilies to taste based on your heat level preference (and how hot your chilies are).
  2. Thai Sweet Basil Leaves. Known as ‘horapa’ in Thai, this basil has a unique sweet smell and adds anise-y and herbal flavors to Thai curries. Find it in an Asian supermarket or a Thai grocery store. Substitute with regular Italian basil leaves if unavailable.
  3. Bamboo Shoots. This is the tender part of the bamboo plant and it’s a vegetable that is commonly used in Thai and Chinese cuisine. I’ve used the canned version here which I sliced into thin strips after draining. You can also use the fresh or pre-sliced canned pickled version if they’re easily available to you. Look for it in an Asian supermarket, at a Thai grocery shop, or buy it online (canned). If unavailable, substitute with other crunchy veggies of choice like julienned celery or sliced bell pepper.
  4. Coconut Sugar. I’ve used a Malaysian coconut sugar which is known as ‘gula kelapa’. Just like Thai palm sugar, it comes in the form of form of hardened discs. You’ll need to shave it finely using a knife so that it dissolves more easily. Feel free to swap it for granulated light brown or white sugar or a zero-calorie sweetener made with erythritol, monkfruit, or stevia.
  5. Makrut Lime Leaves. Also known as kaffir lime leaves, these have an intoxicatingly fragrant citrusy aroma. Find them in a Thai grocery store or substitute with the ground dried version which is available in most mainstream well-stocked supermarkets.
  6. Corn Starch Slurry. Although it won’t thicken the curry and give it the same consistency as full fat coconut milk, it does help a give you a slightly thickened green curry sauce. You can leave it out if you prefer as the curry will taste great without it too. Alternatively, use a coconut flour (best option without sacrificing any coconut flavor) or all-purpose flour slurry to thicken the curry.
  7. Thai Green Curry Paste. I use Mae Ploy Thai green curry paste in my home because I find their curry pastes to be more authentic in flavor and hotter than most other brands. Maesri is another great brand if you’re looking for authentic flavor and the heat factor. For a milder curry, try De Siam or Thai Kitchen brand. Thai green curry paste can be found in large supermarkets that are well-stocked with international ingredients, Asian supermarkets and Thai grocery stores, and online.
  8. Double the recipe. This recipe as written will yield 2 generous servings if eaten as a main without other side dishes besides rice. You can double the recipe by clicking the ‘2x’ button at the top of the recipe card to make 4 servings if desired.
  9. Storing and reheating leftovers. Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1.5-2 minutes on high or in a pot on the stovetop over medium-high heat until hot throughout.
  10. Nutrition information. The nutritional information provided is only for the curry without extra garnishes or a side of rice.
  11. See ‘Variations’ section in the post above to customize this Thai green curry.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thatspicychick.com/thai-green-curry-shrimp-lightened-up/