Red curry is a staple of Thai cuisine. Known as gaeng phed in Thai, it is popular all over the country, though it originates from the central part of Thailand. Often served with jasmine rice, it is a dish you can prepare at home.
Once you understand the basics of perfect Thai red curry, consider making your own Thai red curry paste to give your curries an individual flavour combination.
How to make perfect Thai curry
Unlike many curry recipes, red curry isn't particularly hot. Served warm, you don't have to ramp up the chilli flavours unless you want to, meaning that this dish is suitable for most diners. Here's what you need to know to produce the perfect Thai red curry at home.
Basic Thai red chicken curry recipe
A good recipe to follow if you are new to red curry is this red Thai chicken curry, which covers all the basics. Thai red chicken curry can be adapted to include pork, prawns, duck, or beef without much effort. To do so, simply replace the chicken with your preferred ingredient. With that said, here's what you need to do for a perfect Thai curry:
- Use a wok or large frying pan and heat it until the oil is hot, adding prepared Thai red curry paste for a couple of minutes until its pungent aroma fills the kitchen.
- Pour in a whole can of coconut milk, stirring gently, until the paste and oil fully combine with it.
- Dice about half a kilo of chicken breast meat and add it to the milk.
- Add vegetables to the dish. You can choose which ones you want, but carrots in batons, bamboo shoots, red bell peppers, pak choi, and courgettes are all good choices.
- To add depth of flavour, mix in one or two tablespoons of fish sauce or use shrimp paste and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Squeeze in lime juice, balanced with a pinch or two of sugar, and taste the dish, adjusting with salt or chilli flakes as needed.
- Serve over jasmine rice, and add Thai basil leaves for a flavoursome garnish.
For a unique variation, consider trying a pumpkin & veggie Thai red curry that emphasises the versatility of this dish.
Use homemade Thai red curry paste to elevate the dish
For a perfect Thai curry at home, start by preparing Thai red curry paste rather than relying on store-bought versions. To make it:
- Soak two dried red chillies in water, then deseed and chop them finely.
- Peel four garlic cloves, two shallots and a small piece of galangal, a ginger-like ingredient found in much Thai food.
- Zest and squeeze the juice from a kaffir lime.
- Add two lemongrass stalks, a teaspoon of coriander seeds, and half a teaspoon of cumin seeds to a food processor. Tip in the other ingredients.
- Blitz the mixture until it reaches a paste consistency.
- Add salt to flavour the paste to your taste. For an authentically Thai touch, finish it off with a well-blended teaspoon or two of shrimp paste or fish sauce.
Homemade curry paste makes all the difference in enhancing the flavours in Thai recipes, giving you control over the spice level and depth of flavour.
Guidance for vegetarian red Thai curry
You don't need to be too creative to adapt red Thai curry to become a vegetarian dish. Pescatarians can simply substitute the meat in traditional red curry with shrimp, prawns, or tofu. Vegetarians, however, will need to skip shrimp paste and fish sauce. Fortunately, vegan fish sauce is commercially available in Australia, often made from seaweed, mushrooms, and soy sauce.
If vegan fish sauce is unavailable, you can use soy sauce or a small amount of miso paste instead. For an easy adaptation, you could follow this prawn Thai red curry recipe and replace the prawns with tofu or vegetables.
Spicy red curry vs. mild red curry
Since red curry uses red Thai chillies, not green ones, it is generally quite mild compared to other curries. However, some people prefer a punchier flavour. If you don't want a mild red curry, you can add more chillies when making your paste or leave the seeds in. Spicy red curry can also be made by simply adding chilli flakes at the end, appealing to fans of spicy chilli recipes.
Perfect Thai red curry FAQs
How do you add depth to Thai red curry?
To bring out more depth of flavour, use a little more fish sauce, shrimp paste or soy sauce. A pinch of sugar sweetens the curry while balancing the chilli heat and saltiness, delivering more satisfying results.
Which is hotter, red or green Thai curry?
Technically, this depends on how much chilli heat you choose to add. That said, even a spicy red curry in Thailand tends to be milder than a typical green Thai curry.
What is the secret to Thai curry?
Fresh ingredients make a huge difference. Crush seeds, rather than using powdered spices, and slow simmering will bring out strong flavour combinations.
How do you make Thai red curry paste?
Blend deseeded red chillies with garlic, shallots, lemongrass and galangal. Add some kaffir lime zest, lime juice, coriander and cumin seeds to the mix. Then, add a dash of salt and shrimp paste or fish sauce, giving it a traditional touch.