# Cooking with curry paste **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 15, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601 "2012-01-15T14:58:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/61 "2012-01-18T07:29:35Z")
Another curry variety to add to the list is Cape Malay curry - it’s generally like Indian curry with the addition of sweet fruits like apricots and sultanas. The spice mixture tends to include more of the sweeter spices like cinnamon and allspice, as well. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/62 "2012-01-18T07:50:00Z")
That sounds awesome **MrDibble**. Do you have any recipes? I’ve never seen it and it’s unlikely I’ll be able to access anything pre-made where I am at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/63 "2012-01-18T21:36:06Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > That sounds awesome **MrDibble**. Do you have any recipes? I generally make it up as I go along, it being (sort of) my main cultural cuisine. But there are lots of recipes online. I’ll sketch my basic chicken curry: Fry up onions, garlic&ginger paste and the spices (either a bog-standard Indian curry powder or my own mix: cumin(most important), coriander (the seeds), turmeric (very important), ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cayenne (or other chile powder), paprika (the only time I use _un_smoked) and cardamom). Also some salt, pepper and a couple tablespoons of sugar. Use a veg oil like sunflower, until onions are soft. Toss in your chicken meat, brown lightly & allow to take colour from the spices. Add pre-cooked diced potatoes (I usually just nuke these) and also allow to colour. Then canned chopped tomatoes with juices & some chicken stock goes in here (but not too much stock, we’re not making soup, we want a sticky sauce at the end) and (I can’t stress this enough!) Mrs Balls chutney. If you live somewhere that has South African ex-pats, this should be available somewhere, otherwise, order it online. I can’t think of an equivalent foreign condiment. Also add some chopped dried apricots at this point. Simmer until the sauce has reduced to be fairly thick. Serve with yellow rice with raisins. Have [boeber](http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/us/colorado/littleton/362054-kheer-boeber-a-rich-and-creamy-drink-with-overtones-of-cardamom-and-cinnamon-) for dessert. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/64 "2012-01-19T01:03:50Z")
I lost my curry paste virginity tonoght. Sorry, no pictures. Got me a tub of Mae Ploy Red Curry Paste. Followed the directions sort of. Too lazy to look up metric equivalents. I squeezed out about 2 tablespoons into some peanut oil, added coconut milk, then small pieces of chicken breast. Brought to a boil and cooked for a while. Added broccoli, green beans, red bell pepper, mushrooms, scallions and simmered until the veggies were bright. Added a bit of agave syrup at the end. Poured it on rice. Sprinkled chopped peanuts on top. Really good. HOT, but fortunately, I love pain. I also bought a tub of the green. How much is 50g anyway? ETA: “Mrs. Balls” is THE greatest name I’ve ever heard. That will definitely be the name of my next dog or cat. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/65 "2012-01-19T01:17:34Z")
50g is about 2 oz (1 oz = 28g - don’t ask me why I know that off the top of my head ;)). Just google “50g in oz”. Do you have kitchen scales? ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/66 "2012-01-19T01:29:21Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Got me a tub of Mae Ploy Red Curry Paste. Followed the directions sort of. Too lazy to look up metric equivalents. I use that brand, too. Even though the curry paste has various ingredients, I was taught to do it this way: 1. Put some oil in the wok, heat to medium. 2. Put in minced _ **shallots** _, and let them fry for a while. 3. Put in crushed garlic, and let fry until golden 4. Put in a lump of curry paste, and fry until it “breaks”–that’s my word, I don’t remember the Thai word. 5. Add fish sauce, turn up heat, and stir fry the meat just barely. 6. Remove the meat, then stir fry vegetables quickly 7. Add coconut milk, Thai basil, big chunks of galanga, and (if desired, lime juice), return the meat, and simmer. This has always worked, but I’ve noticed others here in this thread do it differently. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/67 "2012-01-19T01:50:52Z")
Visit some ethnic markets! You’ll not only expand your horizons and have a lot of fun, but you’ll SAVE a bunch of money! Indian/Pakistani markets will get you going with curry flavors, Middle Eastern markets will wow you with lentils and spices, and Asian markets will educate you in strange vegetables and fruits. “Curry” is a garbage-can term, meaning whatever blend of spices you want it to mean. There is hot curry, mild curry, red curry, yellow curry, and green curry. There is beef curry, chicken curry, and vegetarian curry. If you want to get technical, there is an actual curry PLANT that has aromatic leaves which are often cooked in curry dishes. The world awaits you! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/68 "2012-01-19T01:52:41Z")
Oh, and be careful about what is labeled “coconut milk.” I’ve seen a water-type liquid with occasional flakes of coconut masquerading as coconut milk. For my own cooking purposes, I use canned coconut cream, which is blended from the actual coconut meat. It’s incredible. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/69 "2012-01-19T02:58:53Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > Visit some ethnic markets! You’ll not only expand your horizons and have a lot of fun, but you’ll SAVE a bunch of money! Oh, I live in Thai Town, where just about every ingredient you could want is available. Also, there are a lot of hole-in-the-wall eateries where you can try different ways of preparing Thai food, from different parts of Thailand. Also Thai DVDs, if you want. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/70 "2012-01-19T03:15:28Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > 50g is about 2 oz (1 oz = 28g - don’t ask me why I know that off the top of my head ;)). Just google “50g in oz”. Do you have kitchen scales? I don’t have kitchen scales because I am a worthless human being. ☹ But one ounce… so it’s about the amount I could stuff into a shot glass? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/71 "2012-01-19T03:21:26Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > If you want to get technical, there is an actual curry PLANT that has aromatic leaves which are often cooked in curry dishes. If you want to get super technical, there are at least two plants that bear the curry name: the curry plant and the curry tree. The [leaves of the latter](http://www.speedyremedies.com/curry-leaf-karipatta-benefits.html) is what is used in Indian cooking, and the former is a [spindly plant](http://windowboxherbs.50megs.com/curry%20plant.htm) that sort of resembles the non-flower part of lavender. It smells a good bit like curry, but it doesn’t really add that much flavor to anything. David Thompsons details that the method for coconut-based curries is to fry the paste in coconut cream. Here is what he has to say in his book _Thai Food_ (pages 294-295): > [@](#): > > For coconut-based curries, the paste is fried in coconut cream, which first needs to be simmered slowly until it separates and is quite oily. This is important as the paste must be fried, not boiled – it makes a marked difference to the final taste. The process is similar to clarifying butter, with the oil separating from the solids: the oil fries the paste, and the creamy solids give the curry substance. Coconut cream can be separated in two ways. The first is to simmer the cream over a low heat, stirring regularly, until it is thick and is beginning to separate or ‘crack’. For the second method, several cups of combined cream and milk are brought to the coil and, as the cream rises, it is skimmed off and simmered in a smaller, separate pan until it has cracked; I find this the more successful method. Either way, the paste is added to the oily, separated cream, worked in and then cooked. Sometimes, if large pieces of meat need to be poached, they are simmered in a coconut cream and milk mixture; the cream that rises is skimmed and used to cook the curry paste and the remaining liquid is used to moisten the curry, if required after seasoning. > > ``` > The problem with canned coconut cream is that it has been homogenised, and starch has been added to stabilise it, during its manufacture – making it almost impossible to separate. If using canned, add a little oil when frying the paste: this will replicate separated coconut cream. > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/72 "2012-01-19T03:31:51Z")
Agree that “Mrs Balls” is the best name for anything, ever. Just the name inspired me to purchase two bottles just now. Will try Mr.Dibbles’s recipe as soon as it arrives, and report back if I can remember to do so. ---
**Author:** ![cuberdon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@cuberdon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuberdon)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/73 "2012-01-19T22:20:07Z")
There is a good description of the types of Thai curries here: [http://thaifoodandtravel.com/blog/thai-curries/](http://thaifoodandtravel.com/blog/thai-curries/) And since you mentioned green curry paste, this recipe may interest you: > **[Easy Green Curry with Pork Recipe](http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipes/greencurp.html)** > > Easy Green Curry with Pork Recipe by Kasma Loha-unchit (Gkaeng Kiow Wahn Moo) or (Kaeng Kiew Wan Moo). Other pages on that site discuss the use of different ingredients and recommended brands. Mae Ploy, which you bought, is a good one. Disclosure: I’ve taken quite a few of this teacher’s classes. Edit: and to answer your question, 50g is about 3 Tablespoons. ---
**Author:** ![cuberdon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@cuberdon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuberdon)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/74 "2012-01-19T22:35:44Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > (I can’t stress this enough!) Mrs Balls chutney. If you live somewhere that has South African ex-pats, this should be available somewhere, otherwise, order it online. Amazon lists original, peach, hot, chili, extra hot, and mild. Which do you recommend? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/75 "2012-01-19T23:27:26Z")
> [@LouiseE](#): > > There is a good description of the types of Thai curries here: > > [Error 404 – Page Not Found on Site](http://thaifoodandtravel.com/blog/thai-curries/) > > And since you mentioned green curry paste, this recipe may interest you: > > [Easy Green Curry with Pork Recipe](http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipes/greencurp.html) > > Other pages on that site discuss the use of different ingredients and recommended brands. Mae Ploy, which you bought, is a good one. > > Disclosure: I’ve taken quite a few of this teacher’s classes. > > Edit: and to answer your question, 50g is about 3 Tablespoons. Thanks for the links! Three tablespoons, eh? I only used about half that much and as soon as the paste hit the hot oil, my eyes teared up and I started to choke on the fumes (but in a GOOD way ;))! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/76 "2012-01-20T11:04:01Z")
> [@LouiseE](#): > > Amazon lists original, peach, hot, chili, extra hot, and mild. Which do you recommend? Original or hot, depending on if you just want it as an ingredient (heat is unnecessary then, the curry spices give you that) or are going to use it as a standalone condiment too (in which case hot is nice). I find the extra-hot too hot for a condiment, and while I like the peach for some other uses (great as a grilled fish basting!), it doesn’t work as well in curry, IMO. Never had the “chili”. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/77 "2012-02-11T06:09:44Z")
Bumping this thread to report that I found a Japanese curry block in a store. Just cooked up some chicken shallots and made a pot. I’m eating it now. Reminds me of when I was a kid and at school they would get a load of mystery meat and cans of pineapples, add a jar of powder and call it “curry”. Except it’s _salty_. There’s no sweetness at all. It’s also medium-spicy, and there is a teensy burn but not much. Not terrible, and I liked the texture, but not one of the better curries I’ve ever had: I don’t mind bland but bland and salty is a bit tragic. It was S&B brand “Golden Curry”. Are there better brands that someone could recommend? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601/78 "2012-02-11T16:21:09Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Bumping this thread to report that I found a Japanese curry block in a store. Just cooked up some chicken shallots and made a pot. I’m eating it now. > > Reminds me of when I was a kid and at school they would get a load of mystery meat and cans of pineapples, add a jar of powder and call it “curry”. Except it’s _salty_. There’s no sweetness at all. It’s also medium-spicy, and there is a teensy burn but not much. > > Not terrible, and I liked the texture, but not one of the better curries I’ve ever had: I don’t mind bland but bland and salty is a bit tragic. It was S&B brand “Golden Curry”. Are there better brands that someone could recommend? You might want to try Vermont brand to see if you like it any better, or “rolling your own” with S&B Oriental curry powder. ([Here’s a good recipe if you want to do so.](http://norecipes.com/blog/2008/07/18/karei-raisu-japanese-curry-rice/)) Japanese curry is definitely not curry in the tradition of South or Southeast Asia. It reminds me more of the type of curry you’d get when ordering it from a Chinese place: a salty, starch thickened sauce, with an inoffensive amount of curry powder in it. It’s pretty darn easy to make from scratch. I usually add some Knorr or other stock cubes to it for the salt & MSG content. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cooking-with-curry-paste/609601.md?page=3)