If you’re outside of Thailand, you would know that sometimes it is hard to find all of the ingredients needed to make authentic Thai food–especially Fresh ingredients such as Thai basil, Kaffir lime, and Galangal. In many big cities in North America such as Vancouver, New York, or Los Angeles, residents are usually lucky to find many Thai ingredients because of the available imports from overseas. However, many towns and cities are not so lucky, which makes Thai food becomes either limited or less authentic.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that all of the Thai restaurants in big cities (where ingredients are available) are completely authentic. Often times, Thai food is modified due to the belief that it is either too spicy or doesn’t please the taste buds of foreigners. Therefore, this often makes a lot of Thai food in North America (and Europe) tastes sweeter than usual. Thailand has various and endless dishes, but in order to get you started, we will focus on Thai Curries. Here’s the top 5 tips on how to tell whether or not your curry is authentic.
Is It Thick?
Does the sauce of your curry run thick? If so, it is NOT authentic. Thai curries should not be thick, even if it is considered thick to Thai people, they are still quite runny like soup. If you can slurp your curry, that’s a great sign that it’s authentic. This doesn’t mean that ALL of Thai curries are runny. Some curries are thick, but they’re not well-known to foreigners because they are usually eaten as chili pastes and they are ridiculously spicy. But if you’re in North America and Europe, the Thai curries you can usually find, which are Green, Red, Yellow, or Massaman curry, should be soup-like. Still not convinced? Check out Mark Wien’s Video on Curries in Thailand!
Click Here to Watch
Does it Have Broccoli and Carrots?
If you said yes to this question, I am sorry to tell you your curry is NOT authentic. Thai people do not use broccoli or carrots in most of their curries (with the occasional exceptions of Massaman curry which can come with potatoes and carrots). Thai curries always use real herbs and Thai vegetables such as Thai eggplants, which are short and round unlike the regular aubergines, pumpkin, or bamboo shoots.
How Dark is Your Curry?
Are your curry light green, red, or yellow? Are they light like the picture above? Chances are they are not quite authentic. Traditional Thai curries usually run darker in colours and the colors depend on the ingredients of the curry pastes! This therefore can help you determine whether or not your curry is missing key ingredients. For example, the colours of the green curry depend on green chilies and yellow curry depends on turmeric.
The Level of Spiciness Also Plays a Key Role
Did you know different curries all have different levels of spiciness? The following is a list of spiciness level from hottest to least hottest according to how Thai people make it:
Hottest: Green Curry
Hot: Red Curry
Mild & Sweet: Yellow & Massaman Curry
Despite having the name แกงเขียวหวาน “Sweet Green Curry” in Thai, Green Curry is the hottest curry among the list. So don’t let that name fool you!
FAQs
An authentic Thai restaurant will most likely only serve Thai food as well and will not boast other types of Asian cuisine on their menu. Also, in Thailand, chopsticks are not used when eating. If a Thai restaurant gives you chopsticks, it may mean that the place is not authentic.
Why is my Thai curry not red? ›
Traditionally, all Thai curries were made with the same ingredients except for one thing: the chilies. Red curry was made with several red chilies for a fiery hot dish, while green curry was made with green chilies and yellow curry was made with yellow chilies.
Should Thai curry be runny? ›
Thai curries are quite runny by tradition, so don't be alarmed if this recipe ends up runnier than expected.
Which Thai curry should I try first? ›
Most restaurants will ask how spicy you want your curry; start with mild or medium if you're new to the cuisine! Panang curry is thick, rich, and less soupy than red or green curries, since it uses a little less coconut milk and adds in coconut cream.
What are the hallmarks of Thai food? ›
The perfect balance of flavors, combining sweet, sour, salty, and spicy, is a hallmark of authentic Thai cuisine. Furthermore, the attention to detail in presentation elevates the dining experience, creating a visual feast that complements the tantalizing flavors.
How do Thai restaurants make curry so creamy? ›
Often, Thai curries are made using coconut milk as the main liquid, which results in a creamy consistency. You can use as much or as little coconut milk as you wish based on your preference for texture, spice, and flavor.
What consistency should curry be? ›
The consistency should generally be medium, which is neither too thick nor too runny. Avoid adding too much water while cooking as this will make the curry runny and you have to cook it on high flame to make it thicker.
Is Thai curry supposed to be soupy? ›
For example, Thai curries are thin and soupy, not thick like Indian curries might be. Our stir fry sauces are never thickened with starch so it's always runny. We have all these runny sauces everywhere, and so in order to capture all of the sauce, and therefore the flavor, you need a spoon.
What is the secret to good Thai curry? ›
The secret to making amazing Thai curries is to use plenty of aromatics, like onion, ginger and garlic. Choose full-fat coconut milk for its richness (you won't regret it!). Stirring in just a little bit of rice vinegar and sugar adds tons of complexity.
What is the most delicious Thai curry? ›
5 Mouth Watering Thai Curries That'll Leave You Wanting More
- Green Curry. This Green Curry is one of the best Thai curries if you like hot, spicy food. ...
- Red Curry. Kaeng Phet is as spicy as they come, bursting with the flavor of both fresh and dried red chillis. ...
- Yellow Curry. ...
- Panang Curry. ...
- Massaman Curry.
In general, Thai yellow curry is the mildest, Thai red curry is medium-hot and Thai green curry is spicy, although it can sometimes vary depending on what region of Thailand you are in.
What is the difference between authentic and traditional pad thai? ›
You've probably had pad thai in your local restaurant, but what you had may not be anything like the authentic version. First, it should not have ketchup or any tomato product in it. Second, it should not be syrupy sweet. And finally, it shouldn't be just a heavy, soggy clump of noodles with bits of green onions.
What is distinctive about Thai food? ›
What makes Thai food so different from other cuisines is its use of contrasting flavors. Thai food often pairs hot spices with sweet, light citrus flavors like lime and mango. The signature peanut sauce is somewhere between sweet and savory and adds depth to any dish.
What are the four 4 categories basic Thai cuisine? ›
Traditional Thai cuisine loosely falls into four categories: tom (boiled dishes), yam (spicy salads), tam (pounded foods), and kaeng (curries).
What are the common characteristics of Thai food culture? ›
Thailand's Southern food culture is generally known for its bold flavors, typically characterized by spiciness, saltiness, and sweetness derived from coconut milk. Saltiness comes from ingredients like shrimp paste (kapi), fish sauce (nam pla), and budu.
