Instant Pot Thai Green Curry Chicken (Gang Kiew Wan Gai)

Ingredients

• 4 (~3.5lb) chicken quarters (, separated into thighs and drumsticks)
• 1 tablespoon (14g) coconut oil
• 2.5 - 3 tablespoons (37.5g – 45g) Thai green curry paste
• 4 cloves (10g) garlic (, crushed)
• 1 (28g) shallot (, roughly chopped)
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) fish sauce
• 2/3 cup (167ml) coconut milk
• ¼ cup (63ml) unsalted chicken stock ((optional))
• 1 - 2 tablespoons (15g) palm sugar
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 8 - 12 fresh Thai basil leaves ((garnish))
• 6 (200g) Thai eggplants (, halved (see notes))
• 1 – 2 stalks bamboo shoot (, sliced)
• 70 grams spinach
• ¼ red bell pepper

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare Pressure Cooker: Heat up your pressure cooker over medium heat (Instant Pot: press Sauté button). Make sure your pot is as hot as it can be (Instant Pot: wait until indicator says HOT).

2. 2

   Sauté Thai Green Curry Paste: Add 1 tbsp (14g) of coconut oil and 2.5 - 3 tbsp Thai green curry paste into the pressure cooker. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped shallots and crushed garlic into the pressure cooker and sauté for another 1 ½ minute.

3. 3

   Deglaze Pot: Pour ⅔ cup (167ml) coconut milk into the pressure cooker and fully deglaze the pot with a wooden spoon. Add in 2 tbsp (30ml) fish sauce, 1 tbsp (15g) palm sugar, and 3 kaffir lime leaves. You may want to add in ¼ cup (63ml) unsalted chicken stock to help it get up to pressure. It was fine for us to leave it out. Mix well.

4. 4

   Pressure Cook Green Curry Chicken: Add the chicken into the pressure cooker. If you like your eggplants really soft, you can layer the Thai eggplants on top now. Close the lid and pressure cook at High Pressure for 8 minutes + 10 minutes Natural Release. Open the lid carefully.

5. 5

   Add Remaining Ingredients: Set the chicken pieces aside in a large serving bowl. If you think the green curry is too oily, use an oil separator to remove 90% of the oil. Heat up your pressure cooker over medium heat (Instant Pot: press Cancel and Sauté). Add Thai eggplants and cook until desired firmness (for a few minutes). Stir in sliced bamboo shoots, 70g spinach, ¼ red bell pepper and let them cook for another minute.

6. 6

   Taste & Adjust Seasoning: Taste the green curry and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce or palm sugar if necessary. Stir in 8 – 12 fresh Thai basil leaves.

7. 7

   Serve: Place the vegetables and green curry in a large serving bowl with the chicken. Serve immediately over Jasmine rice.