Gaeng Pa (Thai Jungle Curry)
A fiery, brothy Thai curry made without coconut milk, packed with chicken, crunchy vegetables, green peppercorns and holy basil. Hot, herbal and ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Pantry bits
- 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 500g chicken thigh fillets, thinly sliced
- 1 litre chicken stock or water
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut into 4cm lengths
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
- 3cm piece galangal or ginger, sliced (krachai/fingerroot if you can find it)
- 1 cup pea eggplants or 2 Thai round eggplants, quartered
- 6 snake beans, cut into 4cm lengths
- 6 baby corn, halved
- 1/2 cup tinned bamboo shoots, drained
- 2 sprigs fresh green peppercorns (optional)
- 2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp palm sugar
- 2 red bird's eye chillies, bruised
- 1 cup holy basil or Thai basil leaves
- Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan or wok over medium heat. Fry the curry paste for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until it smells fragrant and starts to stick.
- Add the chicken and stir for 2 minutes to coat it in the paste.
- Pour in the stock and add the lemongrass, lime leaves and galangal. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the eggplant, snake beans, baby corn, bamboo shoots and green peppercorns. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the vegetables are just tender but still have some crunch.
- Season with the fish sauce and palm sugar, and add the chillies. Taste: it should be hot, salty and herbal, with only a hint of sweetness.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the basil leaves.
- Serve in bowls with jasmine rice on the side.
About this dish
Gaeng pa (แกงป่า), or jungle curry, comes from the forested north and north-east of Thailand, where coconuts don't grow. Without coconut milk it is a thin, brothy curry, and much hotter and more herbal than a green curry or massaman. Think of it as a spicy curry soup to pour over rice.
It starts with a red curry paste fried in a little oil, then loads of crunchy vegetables, fresh green peppercorns and holy basil. It is seasoned with fish sauce and very little sugar. For more on how it fits with other Thai curries, see our Thai curry guide.
Tips for the best result
- Fry the paste until it is fragrant before adding the liquid. This is where the flavour comes from.
- Don't overcook the vegetables. They should still have some bite.
- Add the basil right at the end with the heat off, so it stays bright and fragrant.
Substitutions
- Protein: pork, beef, prawns or fish all work. Add seafood with the vegetables so it doesn't overcook.
- Vegetables: use zucchini, green beans, mushrooms or broccoli if you can't find Thai eggplants.
- Green peppercorns: brined green peppercorns from a jar are a good swap.
- Milder: use 2 tbsp curry paste and leave out the bird's eye chillies.
Storage
Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. The vegetables soften on reheating, so it is best eaten fresh.
Gaeng pa FAQs
Why is it called jungle curry?
It comes from forest areas of Thailand where coconut palms don't grow, so it is made without coconut milk.
Is jungle curry hotter than red curry?
Usually, yes. With no coconut milk to soften the chilli, it is one of the hottest Thai curries.
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