Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Base
- 30 ml peanut oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g galangal, peeled and finely grated
- 2 bird's eye chili, thinly sliced
- 15 g yellow curry powder
Liquids
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 15 ml nam pla (fish sauce)
- 10 g light brown sugar
Protein & Finishing
- 450 g large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 15 g cilantro, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 393 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 828 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 21 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 142 mg
- Potassium
- 498 mg
- Calcium
- 120 mg
- Iron
- 4.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 91 mg
- Phosphorus
- 404 mg
- Zinc
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 74 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 211 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 16 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.04 mg
- Niacin
- 2.9 mg
- Folate
- 48 mcg
- Water
- 210 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the peanut oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic, grated galangal, and sliced bird's eye chili. Cook for 1 minute until highly fragrant, stirring continuously to prevent burning.
Add the yellow curry powder to the aromatics. Stir well and toast the spices for 30 to 60 seconds until deeply aromatic and lightly darkened.
Pour in the coconut milk, nam pla (fish sauce), and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the curry base to simmer and slightly thicken for 5 minutes.
Add the prepared shrimp to the simmering sauce. Poach gently for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until the shrimp curl into a loose C shape, turn opaque pink, and reach a safe internal temperature of 63 C / 145 F.
Remove the wok from heat. Stir in the fresh lime juice and roughly chopped cilantro. Taste the sauce and add extra nam pla if more salt is needed. Serve immediately over jasmine rice.
Chef's Notes
- Topping the finished dish with a few drops of chili oil can add beautiful visual contrast and an extra layer of heat.
- If your coconut milk has separated in the can, scoop the thick cream out first and fry your curry powder directly in the coconut cream instead of peanut oil for a more traditional flavor base.
- Galangal has a sharp, pine-like, and citrusy flavor distinct from ginger. While ginger is a functional substitute, sourcing fresh or frozen galangal will significantly elevate the authenticity of the aroma.
- Shrimp cook incredibly fast. An easy rule of thumb: when they look like a C they are cooked perfectly, when they look like an O they are overcooked.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The sauce will thicken when chilled.
Freezer: 1 month — Freezing is possible but may slightly alter the texture of the shrimp and cause the coconut milk to separate upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat until just steaming to prevent the shrimp from becoming tough and rubbery.
Troubleshooting
Shrimp is tough and rubbery
Cause: The shrimp was overcooked or boiled at too high a temperature
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Maintain a gentle simmer and pull the pan off the heat exactly when the shrimp turns opaque
Curry lacks depth or tastes powdery
Cause: The yellow curry powder was not sufficiently toasted in the oil
Fix: Simmer the sauce slightly longer to help hydrate the spices and mellow the raw flavor
Prevention: Ensure the curry powder is fried in the aromatics and oil for at least 30 seconds before adding liquids
Coconut milk separated into a grainy sauce
Cause: The coconut milk was boiled too vigorously
Fix: Remove from heat immediately and whisk vigorously, or add a splash of water to bring the emulsion back together
Prevention: Keep the heat at medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil
Cultural Context
Yellow curry, or Kaeng Kari, is generally milder than its red and green counterparts, drawing heavy influence from Indian and British spice blends that traveled through trade routes. The use of dried spices like turmeric and coriander seed mixed with local fresh aromatics perfectly illustrates the harmonious fusion characteristic of classic Thai cooking. By utilizing pre-mixed yellow curry powder and nam pla, this recipe distills a complex, labor-intensive paste into an accessible weeknight format without sacrificing the foundational Southeast Asian flavor profile.
