This fresh and vibrant Thai Yellow Curry is bursting with flavour and has lots of added vegetables - a much healthier alternative to ordering Thai food, and cheaper too. Chunks of chicken and crunchy vegetables all mixed in to a creamy yellow Thai sauce make for a healthy and comforting curry.
Most of us have heard of Thai red and green curries, but their cousin, the Thai yellow curry, does not get much love and I, for one, am trying to change that. In my opinion it is the BEST Thai curry.
It's a little more filling as it usually has potatoes in it and the addition of turmeric just takes it to another level.
Jump to:
Why should you try it?
- Ready in just 30 minutes
- A different Thai recipe to try
- Easy to adapt with different ingredients
Ingredients
- For the paste:
- 1 small red chilli
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- A thumb sized piece of ginger
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- A large shallot
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 kafir lime leaves
- 1 lemongrass stalk
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 0.5tsp each of coriander seeds, cumin seeds and salt
- For the curry:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, cut in to small pieces
- 8 (350g) new potatoes (quartered)
- 12 baby corn (140g)
- 2 handfuls (100g) green beans
- 10 button mushrooms (100g)
- 0.5 small onion, diced
- 325ml coconut milk
- 150ml vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Step by step
One: Add the coriander seeds and cumin seeds to a wok or heavy frying pan over a low heat and dry fry for 60 seconds. Add to a pestle and mortar and smash until it is a fine powder.
Two: For all the other paste ingredients, make sure it is all chopped up very small and then add it to the pestle and mortar.
Three: Pound for around 10 minutes until it is a paste.
Four: Put the potatoes to a pan of boiling water and simmer for 6 minutes.
Five: Add the oil to a large wok over a low heat and add the shallot and cook for 60 seconds.
Six: Put the curry paste in the pan.
Seven: Add 3 tablespoon of the coconut milk and stir.
Eight: Put the small chicken chunks in the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Nine: Add the vegetables and stir.
Ten: Put the rest of the ingredients in the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.
Yellow curry paste
I know you can buy curry pastes, but it will never compare to the taste of a curry paste made from scratch. Sure, it is a little bit of effort and you will feel like your arms are going to fall off after about 5 minutes of pounding the pestle and mortar.
But it is so worth it. Plus, you can see it as your arm workout for the day.
This Thai Yellow Curry Paste is made with fresh and vibrant ingredients like ginger, lemongrass, chilli and turmeric and it gives the curry so much more flavour. You also just make as much as you need, so you don't have a jar of curry paste in the fridge to forget about.
What to serve with this?
Putting potato in to curries is a new one for me, but it makes the curry much more filling. Because of the potatoes, I wouldn't serve this with any rice, but some naan bread to soak up all the juices would good.
Alternatively, serve it up with our Carrot and Coriander Salad for an extra veggie boost.
FAQs
Thai curry can be a really healthy and nutritious meal, especially when you make everything from scratch and pack it full of vegetables. Also, with the inclusion of garlic, turmeric and galangal, there are lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties too.
Of course it's important to watch your portion sizes, but avoid using too much cream and adding any sugar and you can definitely have yourself a healthy and grease free curry.
This curry is so easy to make that it is best made fresh, but you can make the paste ahead of time. Crush up all the paste ingredients and then put in the air tight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
It can! Let the curry cool to room temperature, then portion out into a suitable freezer container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If frozen, allow the curry to defrost fully. To reheat, simply microwave on full power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. You can also reheat in a saucepan on the hob (stove top) over a low heat. Add a splash of water and heat until reheated thoroughly.
Extra tips
- If you are not a fan of chicken, you could use king prawns or tofu instead. Or flake in some cooked salmon chunks before serving.
- Keep this curry vegetarian by swapping the meat for extra vegetables.
- Love your curry super spicy? Use another red chilli when making the paste.
- You can make the paste ahead of time and keep it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Thai recipes
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Recipe
Thai Yellow Curry
Ingredients
Curry paste:
- 3 small red chillies
- 1 large shallot
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon galangal
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 lemon grass stalk
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 0.5 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 0.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
Other ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 200 g chicken breast - cut in to very small chunks
- 8 charlotte potatoes - quartered then boiled until cooked
- 12 baby corn - halved
- 2 handful green beans - halved
- 16 button mushrooms - halved
- 0.5 onion - diced
- 325 ml light coconut milk
- 250 ml water
- 1 stock cube
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
Instructions
- Make the paste by adding the coriander seeds and cumin seeds to a wok over a low heat and dry fry for 60 seconds. Add to a pestle and mortar and smash until it is a fine powder.
- For all the other paste ingredients, make sure it is all chopped up very, very, VERY small and then add it to the pestle and mortar and pound for around 10 minutes until it is a paste.
- Add the oil to a large wok over a low heat and add the curry paste and cook for 60 seconds.
- Add 3 tablespoon of the coconut milk and stir.
- Add the small chicken chunks and cook for 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and add the potato and onion.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
Notes
- If you are not a fan of chicken, you could use king prawns or tofu instead. Or flake in some cooked salmon chunks before serving.
- Keep this curry vegetarian by swapping the meat for extra vegetables.
- Love your curry super spicy? Use another red chilli when making the paste.
- You can make the paste ahead of time and keep it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nathan Wyper
This looks so delicious I love Thai spices they always pack great flavours, Definitely my next curry to try!
Danielle Wolter
i am so in love with thai curry. i actually used to hate yellow curry until i had it made from scratch. its' delicious. so many great flavors. can't wait to try this!
Annie @ Annie's Noms
I love Thai curries, but have never had a yellow curry before! I'm going to have to make this soon as it looks wonderful and so delicious!
Veena Azmanov
Love the Thai curry paste to this healthy dish. Full of nutrition and health. Love the flavor of coconut Milk too. Looks delicious and a total meal option too.
Adrianne
You had me at 'turmeric'. Yum!! What a great yellow curry. I love the veggies and I am a big fan of yellow curry as I think red and green get all the love. Cheers!
kushi
I love Thai food and this recipe looks so perfect, delicious !