Serving Thai Curry 

When searching for a Thai curry recipe, note that often times the water-based curries are categorized with soups. This is because not all gaeng are spicy curries. The word gaeng also encompasses mild flavored soups called Gaeng Joot i.e. clear Thai soups. 

The curry dishes of Thailand have no direct equivalent in Western food, making it hard to translate exactly how to serve and eat a dish. Curries are eaten spooned over plain steamed jasmine rice. This helps to cut the heat and the intensity of the flavors. To eat curry as we eat normally eat soup in the West is inappropriate because curries are packed full of intense spices, herbs and hot chilies. Diners normally share a bowl of curry.

Curry in Southern Thailand 

Curry is one of the most important dishes of Thai cuisine. The other dishes for a meal are often planned around what type of curry is going to be prepared in the South. In fact the familiar greeting in the Southern countryside is Gin gang ry wahnee? - what kind of curry are you eating today? 

The decision as to which type of curry to prepare hinges upon the available ingredients. Coconut curries are especially popular because of the proliferation of coconut trees. But the South is also famous for Gaeng Tai Pla (Spicy Fish Stomach Curry) and Gaeng Leung (Yellow Sour Curry with Fish), both of which are water-based. 

Some Like it Hot! 

Breaking into a sweat is, for many, highly desireable. It is a sort of addiction once you eat curries on a daily basis for about a month. Gradually your tolerence for spicy curry increases to an incredible level you never dreamed possible! Reputedly there are many health benefits from eating chili peppers, including high Vitamic C content and increased metabolism rate.

If you like milder curry, simply omit the fresh whole chiles and/or add less curry paste. Another excellent hint is to cook the rice first and allow it to come to room temperature, making it easier to eat spicy foods with it. 

Comparing Curries 

Thai curry is not the same as Indian curry. Thais cook their curry dishes for a much shorter time and use more fresh herbs and garlic and fewer dry spices then in Indian curry