Bangkok--9 Jan--Plaza Athenee Bangkok, A Royal Meridien
Smooth Curry presents head chef Jasvir Sanghera’s pick of Thailand’s eight best curries. From milder flavours to flaming numbers, palace cuisine to rustic spices, explore the Thai curry dishes most to-die-for from across the kingdom from January – March 2014
Phanaeng peek gai sod sai goong
Steamed chicken wing filling with minced shrimp and chicken in Phanaeng curry sauce following a Royal recipe.
Phanaeng curries are generally milder than other Thai curries. Traditional ingredients include dried chilli peppers, galangal, lemongrass, coriander root, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, garlic, shrimp paste and sometimes shallots and peanuts. Panaeng is influenced by Indian and Khmer culinary cultures. Dating back to before the Ayutthaya era, the word “panaeng” means sitting in a cross-legged position.
Garee mai kwan.
Creamy yellow curry southern style with sliced chicken breast, sweet potato and deep fried tofu served with steamed vermicelli rice noodle.
A typical Phuket style curry that is very hard to find in Bangkok. The dish that harkens back to the origins of curry from Southern and Southeastern Asian cuisines with influences from as far afield as Trinidad and Fiji. The complex combination of spices and herbs, including fresh chillies derives from the cultural traditions and religious practice of Phuket.
Gaeng Taepho kor moo yang.
Sweet and sour kaffir lime flavour red curry with grilled pork neck and morning glory.
This medium spicy speciality of central Thailand comprises a thin soup with coconut milk enhanced by the enticing aroma of Kaffir lime. The taepho cooking style was first recorded in the reign of King Rama II in versus inspired by black ear catish composed for singing while rowing the royal boat.
Gaeng pa nuea Australian Wagyu
Hot and spicy jungle style vegetable herbs curry with Australian Wagyu beef.
One of Thailand’s fiercest and most beloved curries, the character of this dish is derived from herbs and spices found in the northern jungles of Thailand. To these are added kaffir lime , lemongrass, green pepper corns, galangal, garlic, eggplant and chilli. Coconut does not feature because they are not found in northern Thailand, making the dish ideal for people on low saturated fat diets.
Gaeng kua sabparod Australian Mussel
Sweet and sour red curry Southern style with pineapple and Australian Mussel
This typical Southern Thai curry owes its unique flavour to a special powder prepared from grilled fish. Though the process is hard work and time consuming, for the best flavour and texture, the ingredients should be prepared individually using a pestle and mortar, then pounded together.
Chuchee pla kapong thod.
Deep fried sea bass in Chuchee curry sauce.
This dry curry from central Thailand takes its name from ‘Chu Chee Chu Chee’ , the sound curry paste makes when it is fried. The secret is to cook the fish quickly in a thick, rich red curry, and serve over freshly-steamed jasmine rice.
Gaeng kati tom yum goong.
Spicy and sour tom yum curry with coconut milk, lemongrass and prawns
Hot from Phuket, a spicy and sour tom yum curry not unlike the classic Tom Yum Goong but with coconut milk. The secret is the exquisite curry paste, a concentrated blend of fine herbs and other ingredients for which Krabi is justly famous. Served with steamed and fresh or boiled vegetables, the experience is unforgettable.
Gaeng Runjuan
Spicy ,sweet and sour herbs curry with beef shank
A delectable throwback to Thailand’s grand old days, the key to this unique curry is the ancient method of blanching thin slices of beef shank in a liquid and herbal curry broth. Runjuan literally means “traditional” and gained notoriety after M.L. Neung Ninrat, famous for never wasting food, commanded it for her palace during the reign of King Chulalongkorn. The concept of combining shrimp paste into curries was quite revolutionary, though the original dish has become something of a precious rarity.
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