Takeout at Home-
I have been eating Thai food for many years now, thanks to the fact that there always seemed to be a Thai restaurant close enough to where I was working that I ordered it all the time. The curries have always been a favorite of mine. I really wanted to start making it myself, and this Thai Green Curry with Chickpeas is pretty close to takeout!
I seem to be the only one in my household who enjoys Thai cuisine, so this is something I will usually make for lunch just for myself. Even milder versions are usually too spicy for the kids, but I hope at some point they will enjoy eating things like this so I’m not the only one in the house who eats it!
Make Your Own Thai Green Curry Paste
This recipe uses homemade green curry paste, but you can of course use store bought if you prefer. I love the bright flavors of ginger and lemongrass with the spicy chilies. This curry paste is very fragrant and so fresh! It’s important to note that this is a vegetarian green curry paste.
Traditionally, Thai green curry paste contains fermented shrimp paste known as Gapi, or dried shrimp paste known as Belachan. I have not included either ingredient because it was my intention with this recipe to do a vegetarian version. Also, my local market does not sell shrimp paste, though I may order some online and try making this the more traditional way.
Normally, this would also contain Thai basil, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. My local market does not have any of the three, so I had to leave the lime leaves out and make substitutions for the other ingredients. I substituted galangal for ginger and Thai basil for Italian basil. I found that the curry still tastes great with these substitutions. While the flavor profile of galangal and Thai basil are a little different than ginger and Italian basil, this still makes a wonderful curry.
If you would like more information on Thai green curry paste that uses shrimp paste, Recipe Tin Eats and Hot Thai Kitchen both have easy recipes you can do at home. My version has many of the same ingredients as a traditional one, just without the shrimp paste.
Variations and Serving Suggestions
If you can’t find Thai chilies at your local market, you can try Serranos as a substitute. You don’t need many of the Thai chilies if you do use them. A little goes a long way! If you want this spicier, simply add another chili and add one at a time and taste test until you have the heat level you want.
There are many variations with the vegetables, you aren’t limited to what’s in the recipe. Potatoes, baby corn, broccoli, zucchini, and many others would be great in this dish.
If you prefer a different protein option, you can substitute tofu or even chicken.
This is great on it’s own, or served with some steamed rice.
You can certainly use lemongrass paste from a tube if you can’t find it fresh.
This makes great leftovers the next day, or even the day after! It’s a great meal prep lunch to bring to work too!
Absolutely!
I used canned full fat coconut milk for this recipe. I find it is less watery and has more flavor.
Quick and Easy
This is so easy to make, and it is a terrific quick dinner for those busier days. You can actually make this faster than you could order takeout! The paste recipe makes enough for two batches of curry. If you are not going to be using the rest of the paste within a couple of days, it can be frozen for up to a month. There is something really satisfying about making food for yourself that you could order from a restaurant. I hope you give this a try, and happy cooking!
Thai Green Curry with Chickpeas
Ingredients
For the Green Curry Paste
- 15 Fresh Basil Leaves
- 1 Lime (juice and zest)
- 1 Stalk of Fresh Lemongrass, cut into one inch pieces
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 3 Thai Chilies, stems and seeds removed
- 3 Whole Scallions, root end removed
- 1/2 Medium Shallot
- 1/2 tsp ground Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Water for blending
For the Vegetables
- I Tbsp Avocado Oil
- 1 Small Onion, diced large
- 2 Medium Carrots, peeled and cut on the bias
- 1 Large Red Bell Pepper, diced large
- Half a recipe of Homemade Green Curry Paste (around 6 Tbsp or a little more than 1/3 of a cup)
- 1 13.5 oz can Full Fat Coconut Milk
- 6 oz Fresh Green Beans, ends trimmed
- 1 1/2 Cups Cauliflower florets
- 1 Can Chickpeas, drained
Instructions
For the Green Curry Paste
- Juice and zest the lime and chop the lemongrass into one inch pieces.
- Peel the garlic, grate the ginger, and peel and roughly chop the shallot, reserving the other half of the shallot for another use.
- Place all ingredients for the paste in the blender and blend until smooth. Taste for heat, salt, and sugar. Add more salt, sugar, or chilies if needed.
For the Vegetables
- On medium high heat, heat the oil in a dutch oven or stock pot.
- While the pot is preheating dice the onion and bell pepper, peel and slice the carrot, and trim the green beans.
- Add the onion, carrot, and bell pepper to the pot and saute until onion is translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Next, add half the curry paste and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the can of coconut milk and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to allow the liquid to thicken a little.
- Add the chickpeas, green beans, and cauliflower and simmer another 5 minutes. Serve on its own or over steamed rice.
Notes
Adding the cauliflower and green beans at the end prevents them from overcooking and becoming soggy.
When making the paste, you may need more than 2 Tbsp of water to get the paste smooth. Simply add more water 1 Tbsp at a time if needed.
If you are using lemongrass paste in a tube instead of fresh, use 2 tsp of the paste.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 234Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 894mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 9gSugar: 12gProtein: 8g
All information presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietitian and any nutritional information should only be used as a general guideline. Statements within this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is provided for recipes contained on this site. This information comes from online calculators. Although The Copper Table attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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I like Thai food and green curries loaded with veggies. Its a meal I can prep in advance and have for a few days. Never thought of making my own green curry paste thanks for this!
You are welcome! The curry paste is so easy and only takes a few extra minutes!
I’ve never made my own curry paste but I can’t wait to try it, I had no idea how easy it was! This recipe sounds amazing!!
Thank you Emily! It really is so easy to make your own paste. This recipe takes very little time but it tastes like it cooked all day. I hope you love it!
I am anywhere where there is curry. And chickpeas are my favorite. This looks amazing. Yummy.
So am I, give me all the curry! I hope you love this recipe!
Delicious! I love finding good recipes to make my favourite take out meals at home!
I love takeout at home too Carrie! It’s sometimes easier than ordering out!