Red curry paste, coconut milk and generous chunks of sweet potato make a hearty Thai curry with fresh lime and fragrant basil. Make it with chicken thigh fillets or firm tofu, and serve with jasmine rice.
Gaeng phet is the Thai name for red curry. Its flavor comes mainly from red curry paste, a blend that varies by brand and recipe in its heat, saltiness and aroma. In this home-style version, the paste goes into one pan with coconut milk and sweet potato. Sweet potato is more than a simple garnish here: the chunks soak up the spicy sauce and add a soft, slightly sweet contrast. Chicken thigh fillets make the curry heartier; firm tofu is a plant-based alternative.
The curry paste determines how spicy the dish will be. Start with two tablespoons and taste later; you can always add more paste, but it’s hard to fix a sauce that’s too hot. Heating the paste briefly in oil releases its aromas before you add the coconut milk. Then let the curry simmer gently rather than boil vigorously. This gives the sweet potato time to cook through without the outside falling apart straight away. Cut the chunks to roughly the same size and check them with a fork: tender, but still firm.
Choose creamy coconut milk for a sauce that clings to the ingredients. Thinner coconut milk works too; just let the curry reduce a little longer, uncovered. Thai fish sauce adds saltiness and umami. If you’re using tofu, check that the curry paste is vegetarian and replace the fish sauce with light soy sauce. Thai red curry paste does not always contain only plant-based ingredients. Taste at the end, and only then add extra salt or acidity.
Sweet potatoes are usually available year-round in the Netherlands; firm ones without soft spots are easiest to cut. Thai basil has a herby, slightly anise-like aroma. If you can’t find it, regular basil works as a substitute, though the flavor will be milder. Lime adds a sharp, fresh finish that balances the rich coconut milk. Add the basil and lime juice at the end so their aromas aren’t cooked for too long.
Serve the curry with jasmine rice, which soaks up the sauce nicely. Spoon the rice and curry side by side into bowls, and put extra lime wedges on the table. Cool leftovers quickly, store them covered in the refrigerator, and reheat them thoroughly within two days. Stir a splash of water into the sauce while reheating if it has thickened.
Cook the jasmine rice according to the package instructions. Set aside, covered, while you make the curry.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook the curry paste, stirring, for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Pour in the coconut milk and water and stir until smooth. Add the sweet potato, fish sauce (or soy sauce) and sugar. Bring gently to a boil and simmer gently for 8 minutes.
Add the chicken and simmer gently for another 10–12 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the sweet potato is tender but still holds its shape. If using tofu, add it when the sweet potato is almost tender and heat through for 5 minutes.
Squeeze the lime. Stir the juice and basil leaves into the curry. Taste and add a little more lime or curry paste if you like.
Serve the curry with the jasmine rice.
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