Thai Curry tips?

Zascar

Would anyone share their tips for making a Thai gree/red curry with us please? It's my favourite meal, and although I do think I make a good one, I've mad many better ones in resteraunts etc.

I hear the type of curry paste is important. I have the blue dragon one but I'm told the Mae Ploy one is better?

So, I use garlic, onions, chillies, ginger, oilve oil, salt & pepper... Cook the chicken, add coconut milk, then the veg: red pepper, baby corns, green beans... Then I add the curry paste, some fish oil, juice of a lime, and some sugar - tasting to balance out those 4 makes the difference. Finish off with some corriander, and voila!

So, would anyone like to share their tips?

nompere

I realise that not all pastes are the same, but any I've used get fried with the meat before adding the coconut milk. (I've just checked two jars in the fridge and that's what they say.) Pretty much any cooking with spices that I do has the spices being added to hot oil early on in the cooking. That's what it says in all the books.

The green paste I'm looking at has onion, garlic and green chilli included, so unless (like me!) you want to overload on those it's not necessary to use them with a paste.

Zascar

Thanks. Oh, one more question. The person I'm cooking for does not like onions. I thought these were kinda essential in a curry. Can I avoid or use something else instead?

The Hill Billy

Onions aren't essential. I love onions but never use them in Thai curries. I'd usually have scallions instead. Finely chopped whites added 5 mins before serving, then chopped scallion greens as a garnish with some fresh coriander.

FLCP

Get down to an Asian shop and get the gear to make your paste - things like kaffir lime leaves, fresh lemongrass and galangal are the way to take your cuzzer up a notch.
Good luck

nompere

Zascar wrote: »

Thanks. Oh, one more question. The person I'm cooking for does not like onions. I thought these were kinda essential in a curry. Can I avoid or use something else instead?

If you're using the paste it already has onions in it (and I agree they are just about essential) so you don't need to add more. As there won't be any evidence of chopped onions in your dish your fussy friend won't notice. I speak from experience on this - I have a daughter who loves spicy food of any sort but hates obvious bits of onion in it.

Blenders and food processors are so useful!

Frogeye

Hi all,
anyone have any alternative to coconut milk? Like curry but not mad about coconut milk.

WindSock

I use the Mae Ploy brand of paste, it's quite good. I also like to add in sticks of courgettes, and sometimes peas. It doesn't really matter what veg you add in as long as you like it.
What I found essential for the authentic taste though is some Thai Basil and fresh Lemongrass. I picked up some today at the Asian supermarket on Drury st. There's heaps of Mae Ploy pastes there too as well as Pataks for Indians.
I'd use more than a little fish sauce too, as manky as it smells it adds some flavour to the curry. I also cook the chicken in the curry as it comes out more tender that way. Some people prefer to use chicken thighs or turkey as they are not as bland.

Zascar

Can you get Thai Basil or Lemongras in normal shops? I don't have time to go to an ASian market..

starbelgrade

Frogeye wrote: »

Hi all,
anyone have any alternative to coconut milk? Like curry but not mad about coconut milk.

You can use cream, but it's no substitute for coconut milk in terms of depth of texture, plus it adds a nice sweetness to the curry

A lot of people don't like coconut milk, but that's because a lot of curries tend to be overloaded with the stuff... you shouldn't actually be able to taste the coconut. Just add a little to give it texture.

Swampy

When I was at a cookery school in Thailand, for the curry we would fry the paste in oil or coconut cream to cook the spices, then add in the coconut cream from the top of the tin (2 tablespoons or so) to make a thicker paste, then the rest of the milk. The chicken/meat would be sliced very thinly and would cook in the simmering liquid along with the veg. You can add palm sugar to sweeten and fish sauce and lime juice for salty and sour.

The addition of Thai Holy Basil at the end of cooking for me is the one ingredient that makes it very authentic.

Its probably worth noting however that usually only enough for 1 person max 2 would be cooked at one time.

en.r4cart

1. put oil into pot to heat it
2. fry lemon leave until the smell come out
3. put some curry paste and fry it for a moment
4. put coconut milk, set big fire to cook
5. Small fire for a moment and put some plum sugar.

Above is only the curry sauce.
If you want chicken curry, just add chicken and veg to the curry sauce you made, cooking well and add some salt or something else to suit your taste.

BTW, you can bring some menus from any restaurant, and find out what in the meal and buy them.

WindSock

Zascar wrote: »

Can you get Thai Basil or Lemongras in normal shops? I don't have time to go to an ASian market..

Not sure about the Basil, but you can get some Blue Dragon brand Lemongrass sticks in a jar in some shops.

http://www.bluedragon.com/products/ingredients/lemon-grass-whole.aspx

WindSock

Also :pac: lol @ word cut off at the end of the link ^