Green curry with fish dumplings, Gang Kiew-wan Pla Grai

The other day I had a craving my favorite curries, Gang Kiew-wan Pla Grai, green curry with fish dumplings. So I had some made for me. Pla Grai is a type of fresh water fish known for its sweet flesh which has a particularly toothsome quality when made into dumplings. It is traditionally used in green curry with Krachai or wild ginger. I had a lot fun watching Pa Sai, our wonderful cook, made this dish so I took a lot of photos. Here is a little photo essay of the making of Gang Kiew-wan Pla Grai.

First there is the mise en place, preparing all the ingredients for the curry.

This is the Pla Grai dumplings, made by mixing about a kilo of ground Pla Grai fish meat with an egg and knead until it develops a sticky texture. The ground fish meat then is dropped by the little spoonfuls into a pot of boiling water to make dumplings.

We use two kinds of eggplants for this curry, apple eggplant (Makuea Proe) and grape eggplant (Makuea Puang), and julienne Krachai or wild ginger.

Horapa (Thai basil) and Prik Chi Fa (a type of large and mild chilli pepper) for garnish.

Hang Gati (coconut milk), separated from coconut cream (Hua Gati) bubbling in a pot waiting for the curry.

The first part of making this curry is cooking the curry paste with a little coconut cream. More coconut cream is added, a little bit at a time.

Then the Pla Grai dumplings are added and cooked well. The key here is to watch the curry paste and coconut cream breaking into a layer of oil.

The mixture is then added to the big pot with the coconut milk bubbling away.

After a few minutes then the eggplants and wild ginger go into the big pot and simmer for a bit, until the eggplants are soft but not mushy.

Then in goes the Prik Chi Fa.

The last to go in is the Horapa, Thai basil.

Now the finished curry, ready to be served.

Just in case you wanted to know what else we had for dinner, here's the day's menu written on the board for the kitchen.

Comments

[alyssa]

every photo except for the very last one says "image not available"... is this happening to anyone else? or just me?

[OnigiriFB]

Sawadee kha Khun Pim.

I have the same problem. Too bad since the dinner menu looks pretty tasty.

Translation from what I can see:

nam prik long rua
gang kiew wan pla grai
can't read that part
non-spicy soup something or other

Am I right? It's been awhile since I've tried to read Thai.

[beastmomma]

I was having the same trouble with the pictures.

[Pim]

Oops, sorry. I'm not quite sure what happened, but it looks like I got it fixed now. I can see all the photos, I hope you could too.

cheers
Pim

[Diane]

This is my all-time favorite curry as well! I always get raves from my friends when I serve it. Yum yum yum...thanks for the beautiful pictures of the assembly.

[slurp!]

Hi Pim,
while not my fav thai curries (prefer thai jungle curries which is red), i'm curious if green curries should look green?

great step-by-step photo essay, makes cooking looks like reading A-B-C ;)

btw, I have been hunting for Khao Chae for many years now without much success. I did asked some of my thai friends but they are by large unclear about this royal dish. if you know where I could have this in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, do let me know. Many Thanks!!!

[nonth]

Great post, Khun Pim. The pictures make my mouth water. I'm really missing our family cook, Cham Pa.

I believe Khao Chae is served all year round at Than Ying restaurant on Pramuan Road. Bangkok Christian College on Sathorn Road is a good landmark to find Pramuan Road. You can also call them ahead of time to avoid disappointment.

Than Ying
10 Pramuan Rd.
Tel. 0-2236-4361

[anthony]

What! You get a fantastic cook for your blog!? The injustice. All I've got is a million bloody monkeys

[oi! easy on those typewriters you lot, "bettur is testy?", that's the best you can come up with? 1000 years? Look I don't want bloody hamlet. "Luvvly Jubbly, Pukka Tukka?" Well that's a bit better]

Sorry 'bout that.

[Lydia]

Your post inspired my dinner last night. I made my own version of Thai green curry. It wasn't authentic by any stretch of the imagination but it sure tasted good.

[beastmomma]

Yeah the pictures came through-- they are very vibrant and certainly add to the story.

[dr jones]

Pim; did you have the Nam Prik? What is Long Rua? I am dying to know.

[dr jones]

Pim; did you have the Nam Prik? What is Long Rua? I am dying to know.

Oh also, come tell me what you think of my kabocha curry ('christmas curry') recipe on my blog.

[melissa_cookingdiva]

It looks delicious! Hugs,
M

[slurp!]

nonth,
Thanks for pointing me to Thanying. Khao Chae wasn't in the menu list on their website. I wrote to them and they mention that Khao Chae will only be available from Mid March onwards until there is no demand for it. :)

[Pim]

Onigiri: Thanks for translating the menu. I thought you might do it. ;-)

Dr.Jones: Yep I did, but didn't take a photo. I've got plenty of Nam Prik Long Ruea photos on the blog, a recipe even.

Hey Anthony: send me a monkey. :-)

Melissa: hugs back.

Noth: Thanks

Slurp!:Lai Ros across the street from Smitivej Hospital in Sukhumvit has Khao Chae year-round, and it's pretty good.

There is also a small shop selling Khao Chae in Ta Prachan market. Sorry I couldn't be any more precise. It's tough explaining all the tiny shops around there. I might make it there this trip, I'll try to take some photos.

cheers,
Pim

[Ivonne]

Pim,

Thanks for the post! I should be in bed but now I'm thinking of this dish and feeling hunbry!

[slurp!]

Thanks Pim! more shops to try, that's getting exciting.
I'm hoping to make it to Bangkok for upcoming Songkran in 13 April 2006. But I'm certainly hoping not to get wet as I'll be tagging my camera along when I roam the streets ;)

[Barbara Fisher]

I adore green curry. I generally only make it in the summer when my Thai basil and chile plants are thriving and happy, and when I can get locally grown Thai eggplants, but damn.

I want some right now. Guess I will have to shove off to the Thai market in Columbus, get some herbs and get cooking....

[anthony]

Pim
Always happy to oblige.

[Ajarn]

Hi, I just stopped in on a search for a khao chae recipe... Had a few requests for it lately. Sorry I missed it here, too, but still enjoyed this site. :)
Larry

[Real Thai Recipes]

Onigiri:

Here's some help with the 3rd & 4th:

#3: Khao Pad (fried rice)
#4: Gaeng Jeud Tao(hu) Kai Saa Rai (bland soup w/egg tofu & seaweed)

And the bubble up top says something about breakfast, spaghetti and chinese noodles.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, Pim. :)

[Ken]

Pim --

Love your blog. Do you know if this dish (Green Curry with Fish Dumplings) can be found in any Bay Area Restaurants?

Thanks!