Red vs Green Curry
Whenever the word curry comes across, people think of hot Indian curries that are very popular all over the world. But the terms red curry, green curry, and yellow curry are associated with Thai cuisine and these colored curries are a staple food in entire Thailand. People remain confused between red curry and green curry despite the obvious color differences because both curries make use of similar herbs and spices to make the base or the paste of these curries. However, despite similarities, there are differences between red curry and green curry that will be highlighted in this article.
Green Curry
It goes without saying that green curry is one of the many curries that are popular in Thai cuisine and it gets its name because of its green color. This green color is because of the inclusion of a paste of green chilies that make this curry as hot as red ones. Initially, the use of green chilies was the only reason why these curries were called green but, with the passage of time, many other ingredients started to be used to make these curries to lend green color and flavor. This included green coriander leaves, lime leaves and basil. Some other common ingredients in green curries in Thailand are green eggplant, shrimp paste, garlic, lime rind, lemongrass, shallots, etc. All these are mixed well to make a fine paste and also to give the curry its characteristic green color. Green curry is very popular in Thailand and fish dumplings, beef, and chicken are commonly served in green curries. There are people who say that green curry is the hottest in Thai cuisine, but it is not true and often depends upon the personal liking of the chef making the curry.
Red Curry
Red curry, known as kreung gaeng phet daeng in Thailand, obviously has a red color and is used most widely in Thai cuisine. Long dried red chilies are used to prepare this curry that also makes use of ingredients like lime rind, lemongrass, coriander leaves, peppercorn, cumin, shrimp paste, shallots, and so on. Fresh turmeric is invariably added to get that golden red hue in the curry. Coconut milk is the liquid base that is used to make the paste of all the ingredients. Because of the shrimp paste, red curry is avoided by vegetarians for whom there is a substitute present in the market.
What is the difference between Red and Green Curry?
• Red curry and green curry are two of the most popular curries used in Thai cuisine that is famous for its soupy dishes.
• Red curry makes use of long dried red chilies, whereas green curry is made using fresh green chilies.
• Most other ingredients used to make these curries are the same
• Some believe green curry to be hotter than red curry.