When we conjure up an image of a piping hot, slow-cooked and deliciously silky curry, many of us think first of the endless Indian varieties ranging from Korma and Dhansak to Chana masala and Vindaloo, all of which originate from various regions across the culturally and gastronomically diverse country.
Rightfully so, given that the word “curry” derives from the Tamil word “kari”, meaning sauce. The exact origins of the first curry, however, remain unknown – though it’s largely agreed upon that the dish was popular centuries ago within the Indian subcontinent, which spans Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The evolution of Thai curry is entirely separate from that of Indian, or subcontinental curry – with their main similarities relating solely to the presence of (imported, in the case of Thai curry) Indian spices, and the homogenising effects of Western colonialism on regional cuisines.
According to Alexandra Domoronchai, a chef and lifelong fan of Thai curry, Indian traders and Buddhist missionaries shared aromatics, spices and herbs like tamarind, cumin, shallots, and lemongrass throughout the Kingdom of Siam (as Thailand was called before 1939) in the fourth century.
Recipes developed within the proceeding centuries thanks to the development of nam prik or prik gaeng, which is a thick paste containing various aromatic ingredients that continues to be used as a universal base for gaeng, kaeng, gang, or geng – all of which are used to broadly refer to Thai curries today, despite their slightly different spellings.
It was only following the Vietnam War that Western consumers encountered Thai cuisine. As such, the myriad varieties of gaeng simply became Thai green, red and yellow curries.
So, we know that curries are made using nam prik, but what exactly is in the different varieties of Thai curry pastes we have on the market today? Thai green curry paste typically contains chillies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, coriander and shrimp paste.
Other common ingredients include lime juice and zest, galangal, and cumin seeds. Red paste, naturally, contains red chillis rather than green, as well as spices like cumin and turmeric, which are more common in southern Thailand thanks to its climate.
We’ve curated a selection of the best green, red and yellow Thai curry pastes on the market to cook up a storm at home.
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Mae Ploy Panang Curry Paste 400g
Drier and sweeter than other traditionally enjoyed Thai curries, Panang curry comes from Panang Island off the western Malaysian coast and is typically served with beef.
The paste is made with chilli, lemongrass, shallot, galangal, mungbean, shrimp paste, kaffir lime peel, coriander seed, cumin salt and pepper. What sets Mae Ploy’s Panang curry paste, and their various other pastes, apart from the rest is the purity of ingredients and the lack of additives.
Buy now £4.99, Amazon
Mae Ploy Green Curry Paste 400g
So nice we had to include it twice. Mae Ploy’s curry pastes are free from nasties, wonderfully affordable and filled to the brim with authentic flavour.
The green curry paste is a classic in my household and contains an impressive 31 per cent green chilli, alongside lemongrass, garlic, salt, galangal, shrimp paste, kaffir lime peel, coriander seed, pepper, cumin and turmeric.
Buy now £3.00, Sainsbury’s
Blue Dragon Thai Red Curry Paste 170G
Cheap, cheerful and packed with flavour, Blue Dragon’s Thai Red Curry paste makes whipping up a tasty feast quick and easy. This one is packed with tomato paste, garlic and onion puree, red chillis, paprika, coriander, cumin, lemongrass, soybean paste, lime leaves and more.
Buy now £2.30, Tesco
The Spice Tailor Thai Red Curry
It’s as easy as three pouches thanks to The Spice Tailor’s Thai Red Curry mix. Crafted to produce a wonderfully smooth and aromatic curry, you’ll have a dish ready in just 10 minutes thanks to the fact that it’s split into three easy, pre-portioned steps.
Ingredients include lemongrass, galangal root, sweet basil, kaffir lime leaves and more.
Buy now £3.85, Waitrose
Thai Taste Red Curry Paste 200g
Produced in Thailand using home-grown ingredients, Thai Taste paste contains all the ingredients that make a true Thai curry. The brand recommends marinating your protein of choice in the paste before simmering and mixing with coconut milk for a true flavour storm.
One of the only authentic Thai curry pastes on the market which doesn’t utilise shrimp, it’s wonderfully vegan-friendly.
Buy now £2.45, Sainsbury's
Payst Curry Paste Six Pack
As fresh as it gets, all Payst curry pots are meticulously handmade. They come in six delicious varieties: green, red, Massaman, Gaeng Gatti, Jungle and Gaeng Gari. Our personal favourite is the Gaeng Gari (yellow) paste, which features a sprinkling of fennel for a rounded flavour.
Buy now £26.99, NOTHS
Biona Organic Thai Red Curry Paste 125g
A medium-hot paste that can be used to bring flavour to any dish, it features only the highest-quality, organic ingredients including chilli, garlic, ginger and lemongrass. It’s also entirely vegan, and sugar has been replaced with agave syrup.
Buy now £2.88, Turmeric and Honey
The Coconut Kitchen Thai Green Curry Paste
Made with fresh, crushed green “Prik Chee Fah” Thai chillis, this wonderfully aromatic paste has strong hints of Thai basil, lemongrass and lime. It also contains fish sauce and shrimp paste for a classic, traditional Thai curry flavour profile.
Buy now £4.15, The Coconut Kitchen
