Rezept

Gaeng Kari Gai: Yellow curry with chicken and potatoes

Yellow curry is the most Indian of the Thai curry pastes, characterized by turmeric and curry powder. Combined with chicken and potatoes, it makes the classic Gaeng Kari Gai.

3 Min. Lesezeit

Gaeng Kari Gai: Gelbes Curry mit Poulet und Kartoffeln

Yellow curry, known in Thai as พริกแกงกะหรี่, is the most Indian of all Thai curry pastes. Turmeric, cumin, and curry powder arrived in the country via trade routes long before anyone spoke of fusion cuisine. You can still sense these origins today, even though it has long been considered a distinct Thai dish.

Consequently, it tastes different from red or green: rounder, warmer, and less dependent on the freshness of lemongrass and chili. Classically, it is cooked with chicken and potatoes, a combination known in Thailand as Gaeng Kari Gai, which is as everyday there as a stew is for us.

Turmeric, ginger, galangal, and curry powder are already in the paste, along with lemongrass and coriander seeds for the background spice. For the curry below, you only need what couldn't be preserved as a spice: chicken, potatoes, and coconut milk.

  • 4Servings
  • 35 min.Preparation
  • 3/5on the THAANI scale

Shopping list

What you will need

  • 1 jar THAANI Yellow Curry Paste (3 tbsp for this recipe)
  • 500 g chicken thighs or breast, in pieces
  • 400 g potatoes, peeled, in pieces
  • 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 small onion, in wedges
  • 200 ml water or chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp palm sugar
  • fresh coriander for garnish
  • 300 g jasmine rice

Preparation

  1. Prepare the rice. Cook the jasmine rice according to the package instructions while the curry is on the stove.
  2. Sauté the paste. Sauté the curry paste with 1 tbsp of oil in a pot over medium heat for two minutes until it smells warm and fragrant. Turmeric and curry powder need this heat to release their aroma.
  3. Add the chicken. Add the chicken and sear it on all sides until the surface is no longer raw.
  4. Fill and cook. Add the coconut milk, water, and potatoes, bring to a boil, add the onion, and simmer for 20 minutes over low heat until the potatoes are tender.
  5. Season. Stir in the fish sauce and palm sugar, let sit briefly, and taste.
  6. Serve. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with rice.
Yellow curry needs time for the potatoes, not the paste. Two minutes of sautéing is enough; the rest is just simmering.

Variations and tips

  • Vegetarian version with firm tofu instead of chicken, added once the potatoes are almost tender, and light soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
  • With carrots or cauliflower instead of or in addition to the potatoes—reduce the cooking time slightly in this case.
  • If you prefer it thinner, replace part of the coconut milk with extra broth.
  • Sprinkle a little extra curry powder on top at the end for a more robust aroma.

After opening, the paste will keep in the refrigerator at +2 to +6 °C, ideally covered with a thin layer of oil. This curry is excellent to cook in advance; the potatoes soak up even more aroma when reheated, and they won't fall apart as long as you don't cut them too small. One jar makes about 10 servings of curry, which is good for two and a half times this recipe.