| When people hear the words "Thai Curry", the | | | | ingredients. Most Kaeng Khua will not have added |
| first thing that comes to their mind is some spicy | | | | spices because of its strong aroma. The typical |
| coconut milk with curry paste. This is not totally | | | | flavors of this curry are sweet, sour and salty. |
| true. Thais say "Kaeng" which means "Curry". | | | | The most common meat is fish, shrimp or clam. |
| However, Kaeng in Thailand does not only mean | | | | Main added ingredients typically used in this curry |
| curry, but it means the cooking process of mixing | | | | can be pineapple, mushrooms or winter melon. |
| various kinds of vegetables with liquid like water | | | | Other ingredients are galangal, kaffir lime zest, |
| or coconut milk. It can be spicy or non-spicy or a | | | | dried chilies, lemon grass and shrimp paste. |
| vegetarian or non-vegetarian dish like soup, stew, | | | | Some people might confuse Kaeng Khua and |
| curry or even dessert. I will use the word "Kaeng" | | | | Kaeng Pa because they look similar and both are |
| throughout this article. In Thailand, there are 2 | | | | coconut-based curry. However, both use different |
| types of Kaeng: Kaeng Jued and Kaeng Ped. Ped | | | | curry paste and Kaeng Pa mostly has only a salty |
| literally means spicy and Jued means tasteless. | | | | taste. |
| Kaeng Jued usually refers to non-spicy soupdishes. | | | | 3) Kaeng Liang |
| Kaeng Jued | | | | Many say Kaeng Liang is Thai vegetarian curry. |
| Kaeng Jued dishes are usually comprise of broth, | | | | The main ingredients of this curry are vegetables, |
| vegetables and meat. Homemade broth is | | | | usually there is no meat. Some recipes may add |
| preferred over bouillon cubes. Broth is made from | | | | chicken or shrimp. However, if we look at Kaeng |
| boiling pork ribs or chicken bones in water for a | | | | Liang curry paste, this dish is not vegetarian. Part |
| long period of time. You will often hear Thais say | | | | of Kaeng Liang curry paste is dried shrimp paste |
| "nam soup" which means broth. To make broth, | | | | (ka pi), dried shrimp and deep-fried fish or grilled |
| the bones should have a little bit of meat and fat | | | | fish. This curry is a water-based curry that is |
| left on them. On low heat, boil meat in water. | | | | quite thick. The most common vegetables are |
| Once the boil begins, reduce heat to its lowest | | | | sponge gourd (buab liam), gourd leaves (bai tam |
| point so that the broth just barely simmers. The | | | | leung), "hairy" basil (bai Maeng Luk) and baby corn. |
| longer the simmering, the more flavor you will get. | | | | 4) Kaeng Som |
| One and a half to two hours usually is enough to | | | | Kaeng Som is a water-based curry that in flavor |
| extract flavors from meats. Before using broth, | | | | combines sour, saltiness and a little sweetness. |
| straining is a must. In Thai cooking, some recipes | | | | The common meat used in this curry is fish or |
| would add Chinese cellery or white radish during | | | | shrimp. Some recipes use clams. Common |
| the simmering to add more sweetness to the | | | | vegetables are morning glory (phak bueng), bottle |
| broth. | | | | gourd (phak nam tao), water mimosa (phak kra |
| The clear broth then will be used in a different | | | | ched), Vegetable Humming Bird (dok kae), |
| kind of Kaeng Jued. A common way to make | | | | cabbage (kra lum plee) and juice-based tamarind. |
| Kaeng Jued is to 1) bring broth to boil 2) add | | | | Other ingredients are shrimp paste, dried shrimp |
| meat, 3) add vegetables and 4) add flavor. | | | | and shallots. The famous Kaeng Som is Kaeng |
| Example Kaeng Jued dishes are: | | | | Som Pla Chon Phak Kra Ched which has striped |
| - Kaeng Jued Fak: chicken/pork broth with winter | | | | snakehead (pla chon) and water mimosa (phak |
| melon | | | | kra ched) as main ingredients. |
| - Kaeng Jued Mara: chicken/pork broth with bitter | | | | 5) Tom Yum |
| melon | | | | Tom Yum is a hot and sour soup. Tom Yum soup |
| - Kaeng Jued Mara Yat Sai: chicken/pork broth | | | | dishes have lots of herbs and meat as the main |
| with stuffed bitter melon | | | | ingredients. Few vegetables are used in Tom Yum |
| - Kaeng Jued Pla Muek Yat Sai: chicken/pork broth | | | | soup, although usually included are oyster |
| with stuffed squid | | | | mushrooms or straw mushrooms. Common herbs |
| - Kaeng Jued Taeng Gwa: chicken/pork broth with | | | | used in Tom Yum soup are kaffir lime leaves, |
| cucumber | | | | lemon grass, chilies and coriander roots. The |
| - Kaeng Jued Taeng Gwa Yat Sai: chicken/pork | | | | common meats used in Tom Yum soup are |
| broth with stuffed cucumber | | | | chicken, shrimp and fish. The ingredients used in |
| - Kaeng Jued Tao Hu: chicken/pork broth with | | | | flavoring Tom Yum are lemon juice, tamarind |
| bean curd | | | | juice, sugar and fish sauce. |
| - Kaeng Jued Wun Sen: chicken/pork broth with | | | | Tom Yum soup can also be categorized into 2 |
| clear noodles | | | | different types: coconut-based Tom Yum soup |
| Kaeng Ped | | | | and water/broth-based Tom Yum soup. Examples |
| Most Kaeng Ped dishes differ in degree of | | | | of Tom Yum soup dishes are: |
| spiciness. Some are very spicy and some are mild. | | | | - Tom Kha Gai: coconut-based hot and sour soup |
| Some have coconut milk and some do not. Kaeng | | | | with chicken |
| Ped can be categorized into 6 different types: | | | | - Tom Kha Pla Duk: coconut-based hot and sour |
| Kaeng Ped, Kaeng Khua, Kaeng Liang, Kaeng | | | | soup with catfish |
| Som, Tom Yum and Pad Ped. | | | | - Tom Kha Ta Le: coconut-based hot and sour |
| 1) Kaeng Ped | | | | soup with seafood |
| It can be confusing that Kaeng Ped is a | | | | - Tom Yum Gai: water/broth-based hot and sour |
| subcategory of Kaeng Ped. There are 2 distinct | | | | soup with chicken |
| types of Kaeng Ped: Kaeng Ped with coconut milk | | | | - Tom Yum Goong: water/broth-based hot and |
| and Keang Ped without coconut milk. The key to | | | | sour soup with prawn |
| a delicious Kaeng Ped is curry paste. Either | | | | - Tom Yum Hua Pla: water/broth-based hot and |
| homemade or commercial curry paste must be | | | | sour soup with fish head |
| finely ground. Fish sauce and sugar are the two | | | | - Tom Yam Moo Pa: water/broth-based hot and |
| main ingredients to flavor Kaeng Ped dishes. | | | | sour soup with boar |
| Examples of water-based curry dishes are: | | | | 6) Pad Ped |
| - Kaeng Hang Le: Northern style curry with meat, | | | | Pad Ped is similar to Kaeng Ped; however, Pad |
| curry powder, lemongrass, ginger, shallots, shrimp | | | | Ped dishes use less coconut milk or water than |
| paste, chilies and peanuts | | | | Kaeng Ped. Thus Pad Ped is more like a stir-fried |
| - Kaeng Pa: jungle curry, Northen curry. This curry | | | | dried curry paste dish with meat and vegetables. |
| is hot and full of flavor from fingerroot, kaffir lime | | | | Example vegetables are Thai eggplants, yard long |
| zest, lemon grass, garlic, shallots, shrimp paste | | | | beans, bamboo shoots and pea eggplants. Two |
| and chilies | | | | main ingredients used in flavoring Pad Ped dishes |
| - Kaeng Leung: hot yellow curry, most common | | | | are fish sauce and sugar. Example dishes are: |
| meat used is fish. Other ingredients are winter | | | | - Pad Ped Moo Tao Fak Yao: stir-fried red curry |
| melon, chilies, garlic, turmeric, lemon grass, shallots | | | | paste with pork and yard long beans |
| and shrimp paste. | | | | - Pad Ped Pla Duk: stir-fried catfish with chili paste |
| Examples of coconut-based curry dishes are: | | | | - Phanaeng Gai: stir-fried phanaeng curry paste |
| - Kaeng Daeng: red curry with meat, bamboo | | | | with chicken and kaffir lime leaves |
| shoots, Thai sweet basil, kaffir lime leaves and | | | | - Phanaeng Moo: stir-fried phanaeng curry paste |
| coconut milk | | | | with pork and kaffir lime leaves |
| - Kaeng Kari: Indian style curry with meat, | | | | - Phanaeng Nuea: stir-fried phanaeng curry paste |
| potatoes and coconut milk | | | | with beef and kaffir lime leaves |
| - Kaeng Kiaw Waan: a slightly sweet green curry | | | | The example dishes listed above are famous |
| with meat, Thai eggplants, pea eggplants, winter | | | | dishes in Thailand. Of course, there are more |
| melon, Thai sweet basil (Bai Horapa), kaffir lime | | | | dishes than I can name here. "Kaeng" has more |
| leaves and coconut milk | | | | than just the one meaning of spicy curry like |
| - Kaeng Matsaman: curry with meat, potatoes, | | | | many believe about Thai curry. Thais even use |
| peanuts and coconut milk (a mild curry from the | | | | the word "Kaeng" in desserts like Kaeng Buat. |
| Muslim Southern part of Thailand) | | | | Kaeng Buat is a dessert that has pumpkin, taro |
| - Kaeng Phed: spicy curry with meat and chilies | | | | and/or potatoes in coconut milk. Most Thai |
| 2) Kaeng Khua | | | | restaurants in the U.S offer coconut-based Kaeng |
| Kaeng Khua curry paste makes this curry dish | | | | Ped, Pad Ped and Tom Yum soup. If you have a |
| distinct and different from Kaeng Ped dishes. | | | | chance to visit Thailand, I hope you will have a |
| Kaeng Khua curry paste has either deep-fried fish, | | | | chance to enjoy all different kinds of Kaeng. |
| grilled fish or dried small shrimp as part of its | | | | |