Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp Noodles Recipe - The Mindful Hapa (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to 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.

Basically, it's depend on individual preference and the places you eat. At most street food shops, curry is put over rice as is usually we eat at home. If you order curry together with say fried egg or fish, each will be placed on either side so not to mix them.

You can skim the fat off the coconut milk, then 'split' it to fry the paste in; this enhances the flavour and gives the curry an authentic glossy finish. Caramelising the sugar element of the sauce will also deepen the sweetness.

If you are unable to get all of the ingredients to make your own curry paste, you can use curry powder instead. Generally, use 1 teaspoon of curry powder for every tablespoon of curry paste in any given recipe. You can adjust to your flavor preferences from there. That's it, my friends.

Cornflour

Ideal for Chinese sauces or Thai curries but can also be used for Indian curries. Add one tablespoon of cornflour to two or three tablespoons of cold water and stir. Pour the mixture into the sauce and allow to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Which doesn't take very long.

An interesting characteristic of Thai curries is that they are made of fresh ingredients only. Contrary to the Indian cooking, Thai restaurant prefers to use fresh herbs and spices to make the curry dishes, including fresh chillies and roots.

The same amount of calories can be found in 50 grams of noodles (dry, uncooked). So for the same amount (eg: 100 grams) noodles will contribute higher calories. But when you ask which one is healthier, then the noodle or rice that you usually consume is more or less the same.

Thai curries have a brighter flavor and soupier consistency, because they use lots of fresh herbs and are cooked for less time than Indian curries. It's worth your time stocking up on some of the unique ingredients — you can freeze herbs like lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves for multiple future uses.

Thai Curries

Thai people use a spoon and fork to eat curry, unless it is a noodle with curry soup like Khao Soi in which case chopsticks are used. Add a small amount of curry (meat and vegetables) on top of the rice, mix well into the rice and scoop the rice and curry with small and perfect bites.

Green curry is considered the most popular curry. With coconut milk as one of the main ingredients, there is a hint of sweet flavoring as well. Because the green curry paste is made with green chilis, it is far hotter than other curries.

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.

As others mentioned, make sure you're using full fat coconut milk from the can. Fry the paste to bring out the aroma and slowly whisk in the coconut milk into the curry paste. I usually do quarter can at a time to bring to simmer each time. Keep in mind veggies like onions or mushrooms will water down the sauce too.

Gochujang is thicker, fermented, and has a richer taste, while Thai red chili paste tends to be thinner and focuses on the heat. Substituting one for the other may alter the flavor profile of the dish.

Tom Yum Paste substitute: If you don't have Tom Yum Paste and don't feel like making your own, you can substitute Tom Yum Paste with: 3-4 lemongrass stalks, outer stalks removed, zested, or minced. 3 in. piece fresh galangal, zested, or minced.

In short: Definitely not. Although curry powders and pastes can share some universal spices, the flavor components of each are distinct from the other. In fact, typically these two mixtures are used to prepare different kinds of cuisine altogether.

Indian chef Maunika Gowardhan suggests using tomato purée, coconut milk or yoghurt as natural thickening agents to achieve the perfect consistency. Adding ground nuts such as almonds or peanuts can also be a great way to ensure your curry is a knockout.

Traditionally, all Thai curries were made with the same ingredients except for one thing: the chillies. Red curry was made with several red chillies for a fiery hot dish, while green curry was made with green chillies, and yellow curry was made with yellow chillies.