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Thai curry explained: green, red, yellow, massaman and panang

Vijf kommen Thaise curry, groen, rood, geel, massaman en panang, elk met een schaaltje currypasta ervoor en kokosmelk en rijst.

A pan of Thai curry gently simmering fills the entire kitchen with the aroma of lemongrass, coconut, and pepper, and once you've smelled it, you'll want more. In Thailand, curry is rarely served on its own: you eat it with a mountain of jasmine rice and scoop it up along with other dishes. At home, you almost always start with a curry paste, as the pepper, galangal, and lemongrass have already been finely pounded. In our shop in Amsterdam, green, red, yellow, massaman, and panang sit side by side, in the same packaging you'd find on the shelf in a Thai supermarket, and here you can read which one to choose. If you want to see the big picture first, start with Thai cuisine 101.

Which Thai curry should you choose?

Choose Mae Ploy Green Curry Paste or another green paste if you want a fresh, vibrant curry, because green is usually the spiciest of the bunch. Red curry is warmer and deeper, yellow is mild and aromatic, massaman is sweet and rounded with warm spices, and panang is the thick, creamy curry with less sauce. The dashes on the cards are our own estimate of the heat in a pan with coconut milk, so always taste carefully.

What is Thai green curry?

X.O. Green Curry Paste clearly lists what green curry is made of on the label: green chili, garlic, shallots, galangal (from Laos), lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and coriander roots, with shrimp for a savoury depth. In Thai, it is called kaeng khiao wan, literally sweet green curry, although it tastes mainly fresh and vibrant. It goes well with chicken, fish, shrimp or tofu; in our recipe, we add chicken thigh fillet, Thai eggplant and bell pepper, and Thai basil just before serving.

View all Thai curry pastes →

What is Thai red curry?

Lobo Red Curry Paste is a good start for red curry, kaeng phet, which literally means spicy curry, and it is the same pack you'd find in a Thai supermarket. The base is dried red pepper with galangal, shallots, garlic and lemongrass, and therefore red tastes warmer and deeper than green, while often being just a little less vibrant. You can also use red paste in Thai fish cakes or a stir-fry. In our recipe for red curry, we add chicken thigh fillet, bamboo shoots and kaffir lime leaves to the sauce, with Thai basil added just before serving.

What is Thai yellow curry?

Bekijk alle kokosmelk en kokosroom →

Welk merk Thaise currypasta koop je?

Mae Ploy and Cock Brand sell their curry paste in 400-gram packages, handy if you make curry often. Lobo, Nittaya and Asian Home Gourmet have small 50-gram packages, enough for one pan, and X.O. sits in between with 227 grams. One brand is saltier, another hotter or spicier, so feel free to try a few side by side. After opening, store a large package as indicated on the label, and always scoop out with a clean spoon.

How to make Thai curry with curry paste?

Aroy-D Coconut Cream, or the thick layer on top of a package of coconut milk, is what you start with, because you don't fry Thai curry paste in oil but in coconut fat. Read all about the different varieties in Coconut Milk 101.

Splitting coconut cream

Heat a few generous spoonfuls of coconut cream in a wok or pan over medium heat and let it come to a gentle simmer, stirring, until it thickens after a few minutes and you see small oil droplets forming on the surface, which means the cream is splitting. Then add the curry paste and fry it for two to three minutes, until your whole kitchen smells of pepper and lemongrass and the fat takes on a beautiful red or green colour. Not all coconut milk splits that easily, and if it doesn't, adding a splash of oil works perfectly, as Aroy-D also suggests in the recipe on the packaging.

How much curry paste per person?

Allow about 50 grams of curry paste per 400 ml of coconut milk for two to four people, as Aroy-D, Mae Ploy and Asian Home Gourmet state on their packaging, which works out to about one generous tablespoon per person. Mae Ploy herself recommends using half if you want it milder, and that is also the best way to start, because you can always add more, but you can't take it out.

Seasoning

Tiparos Fish Sauce and palm sugar complete your curry, because a Thai curry is only ready when salt, sweetness and heat are in balance. Taste at the end and adjust with a small splash of fish sauce or a little extra palm sugar, and for massaman, a little tamarinde. You can read which bottle is for what in Thai Sauces and in Fish Sauce 101. Kaffir lime leaves (djeroek poeroet or makrut) and Thai basil are added only at the very end, so they retain their aroma; you can find out more in Thai Herbs. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Alles voor je Thaise curry in huis

Is Thai curry paste vegan?

Cock Brand Green Curry Paste is the only curry paste we stock that is described as vegan: all Cock Brand curry pastes are free from fish products. Most other brands use shrimp or shrimp paste, and this is not always stated on the front, so check the label. For a vegan curry, replace the fish sauce with something like Nature's Charm Vegan Fish Sauce, and use tofu, mushrooms or extra vegetables instead of meat.

Not sure which paste to buy first? Start with a small pack of green or red curry paste, a few packs of coconut milk and a bottle of fish sauce, and then try massaman or panang at your leisure.

What other Thai curries are there?

Lobo Sour Vegetable Curry Paste is for kaeng som, a fresh, sour curry made with tamarinde, vegetables, fish or shrimp. Nam ya is a fish curry poured over thin rice noodles; we have paste from Lobo and a vegan version from Cock Brand. Short on time? Then there are Lobo cooking kits and Aroy-D ready-made curry. You can find pastes for tom yum and tom kha soups in Thai Herbs.

Meer Thaise curry's en snelle opties

Recipes with Thai curry

With these recipes you can serve the four best-known Thai curries, each with chicken thigh fillet and coconut milk.

All Thai curry pastes in one place

Green, red, yellow, massaman and panang from Mae Ploy, Lobo, X.O., Nittaya and more.

Shop Thai curry

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between red and green curry?

Green curry is made with fresh green pepper and tastes fresher and usually spicier. Red curry is based on dried red pepper and is warmer and deeper in flavour.

Which Thai curry is the least spicy?

Massaman is usually the mildest, followed by yellow curry and panang. If you want it even milder, use less paste and some extra coconut milk.

How much curry paste do you use per person?

Allow one generous tablespoon per person, or about 50 grams per 400 ml of coconut milk for two to four people. It is best to start with less and taste as you go.

What does it mean to let coconut cream split?

You heat thick coconut cream until the fat separates and oil droplets form on top. You fry the curry paste in that coconut fat, so the spices release their aroma.

Is Thai curry paste vegan?

Usually not, because many brands use shrimp or shrimp paste. Our Cock Brand is described as vegan; check the label for other brands.

What is the difference between massaman and panang?

Massaman is sweet and mild with warm spices, potato and peanut. Panang is thicker and creamier, with less sauce and finely sliced kaffir lime leaf.

How do you store curry paste after opening?

Follow the label for storage and shelf life after opening. Always scoop out with a clean, dry spoon and close the packaging tightly.

What rice do you eat with Thai curry?

Thai curry goes with steamed jasmine rice, which is lightly fragrant and absorbs the sauce well.

With a jar of curry paste, a couple of cartons of coconut milk and a bottle of fish sauce in the cupboard you are never far from a pan of Thai curry, and that is exactly what makes this cuisine so great for a weekday evening and just as good for a table full of friends. Start with the color that appeals to you the most, taste along the way and adjust with salt, sweet and sour until it is right for you, because even in Thailand everyone makes their curry just a little bit differently. If you are in the toko in Amsterdam in front of the long row of jars and you are not sure, feel free to ask us, and if you want to read on about sauces, spices and the rest of the cuisine, then start with Thai cuisine 101.