Is green curry not spicy?
It has heat. The curry paste uses chilli, even if the coconut milk makes it feel gentle. If you do not cope well with spicy food, ask about the spice level before you order.
Green Curry
Kaeng Khiao Wan · แกงเขียวหวาน
If you fancy a fragrant curry with rice, choose green curry. Green curry paste is stirred into coconut milk, then meat and vegetables are added and simmered. The richness of coconut gets herb notes such as basil. The pale green colour looks mild, but it has heat, so if you do not cope well with spicy food, say so when you order.
Thai green chicken curry and roti · Takeaway · CC BY-SA 3.0
Resized for display · Photo used under CC BY-SA 3.0
What does it taste like?
Behind the rich, smooth coconut milk you can feel the heat of the curry paste. The herb aroma is clear too, so it tastes quite different from a typical curry-house curry. Spoon a little curry and its pieces over your rice at a time.
Even with coconut milk it can be hot. Ask about the spice level when you order.
The basics
- Dish
- Green Curry · Kaeng Khiao Wan
- Thai name
- แกงเขียวหวาน
- Type
- Soups and curries
- Region
- Central · Central Thai food culture · eaten across the country
- Main ingredients
- Green curry paste and coconut milk, with meat and vegetables simmered in. Herbs such as basil may add aroma.
The dish and where it comes from
Green curry is one of the signature dishes of central Thailand. In Thailand it is eaten not only with steamed rice but also with rice noodles known as khanom chin, and with roti. On a trip to Bangkok, have a curry with the meat you like and a portion of rice for a meal.
How to order and eat it
- Choose a main ingredient such as chicken and order. If curry and rice are sold separately on the menu, order rice too.
- Ask before it is cooked whether the spice can be reduced. Coconut milk does not make a dish free of heat.
- Spoon a little of the curry sauce and pieces over your rice as you eat. If you are sharing several dishes, you do not have to pour all the curry over the rice at once.
Frequently asked questions
Is a curry with only vegetables vegetarian?
Not necessarily. The curry paste or seasonings may contain animal ingredients. If you are vegetarian, ask whether the paste and sauce are suitable as well as the meat.
More dishes and cities to explore
Official sources and references
If you would like to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are worth a look. Ingredients and cooking methods can vary from one cook to the next.
Sharing image credit: Takeaway · CC BY-SA 3.0