[Question] How do I make my curry taste like the stuff from a Thai restaurant?
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I know a big part of it is making sure to get authentic curry paste. What else would I need to make something like a nice tofu curry (6/5 spicy) that would taste like the stuff I could get as takeout?
Great question and I hope other know the secret.
One thing I’ve heard is that you’re supposed to heat activate your curry by cooking it alone for a couple of minutes before adding other ingredients.
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I know a big part of it is making sure to get authentic curry paste. What else would I need to make something like a nice tofu curry (6/5 spicy) that would taste like the stuff I could get as takeout?
What works for us is Cock brand red curry paste.
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Yeah I find a little Cock makes almost everything taste better.
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I know a big part of it is making sure to get authentic curry paste. What else would I need to make something like a nice tofu curry (6/5 spicy) that would taste like the stuff I could get as takeout?
Without knowing the specific curry you’re looking to replicate makes it hard to make specific recommendations but a few things have helped me up my game.
The first is what you use to add a sour note. In the west we often use lime juice, which is great to add sprinkled at the end, but you need to get some tamarind paste for the depth of flavour. It also adds sweetness, but you can instead use some sugar, preferably brown or palm.
Fish sauce is a must to round out the depth of umami and I find soy really doesn’t work for me. If that’s a no-go because of dietary restrictions you might have to add some yeast flakes with the soy sauce, but it’s not going to have the same depth.
If you can get galangal, use it. Same with lemon grass. But again all depends on the specific curry.
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I know a big part of it is making sure to get authentic curry paste. What else would I need to make something like a nice tofu curry (6/5 spicy) that would taste like the stuff I could get as takeout?
You want a good curry paste, so not Thai Kitchen if you’re in the US. You can make your own if you’re feeling fancy but I rarely bother tbh. Cook it in a splash of coconut milk until it starts sizzling, then you can add the rest of the milk. The other big thing is get some lime leaves, they’ll make a huge difference.
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I know a big part of it is making sure to get authentic curry paste. What else would I need to make something like a nice tofu curry (6/5 spicy) that would taste like the stuff I could get as takeout?
Every thing you know is a lie.
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Yeah I find a little Cock makes almost everything taste better.
I didn’t want to tell you this, but I’ve been trying to stick a little cock in all your food, for years.
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I didn’t want to tell you this, but I’ve been trying to stick a little cock in all your food, for years.
I guess it’s a good thing you always have a little Cock handy.
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I know a big part of it is making sure to get authentic curry paste. What else would I need to make something like a nice tofu curry (6/5 spicy) that would taste like the stuff I could get as takeout?
It depends on what specifically you like about it I suppose. The main things that hit in Thai cooking are the aromatics: galangal, ginger, lemongrass…etc.
Understanding which of those flavors you like in the restaurant version is key to making it well at home, so maybe understanding what type of curry paste is best for you is the best way to go about it.
Check this: https://thewoksoflife.com/thai-curry-paste/
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Yeah I find a little Cock makes almost everything taste better.
User name checks out
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I know a big part of it is making sure to get authentic curry paste. What else would I need to make something like a nice tofu curry (6/5 spicy) that would taste like the stuff I could get as takeout?
May ploy paste. It’s what most Thai people in Australia use. It’s the bomb.
Mai ploy? May ploi?
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Every thing you know is a lie.
It’s a blank page. But Maesri is some very good stuff
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I know a big part of it is making sure to get authentic curry paste. What else would I need to make something like a nice tofu curry (6/5 spicy) that would taste like the stuff I could get as takeout?
Last time I looked for an answer, I found Dan Toombs “The curry guy” but I haven’t had a chance to try out any recipes yet. They have a YouTube channel and some books. Depending on how you like your media.
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It’s a blank page. But Maesri is some very good stuff
Also vouching for this stuff.
It’s my cornerstone keep in the pantry trick for lazy vegan meal prep and fuck I get so many compliments on the meals I make with it
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I use this one and it is awesome.
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Without knowing the specific curry you’re looking to replicate makes it hard to make specific recommendations but a few things have helped me up my game.
The first is what you use to add a sour note. In the west we often use lime juice, which is great to add sprinkled at the end, but you need to get some tamarind paste for the depth of flavour. It also adds sweetness, but you can instead use some sugar, preferably brown or palm.
Fish sauce is a must to round out the depth of umami and I find soy really doesn’t work for me. If that’s a no-go because of dietary restrictions you might have to add some yeast flakes with the soy sauce, but it’s not going to have the same depth.
If you can get galangal, use it. Same with lemon grass. But again all depends on the specific curry.
It’s usually “green” that I go for, sometimes red.
Just imagine a little hole in the wall place where the menu is in Thai, with your options being “red,” “green,” or “massuman” and the staff will respond well to the white guy asking for it to be “thai spicy.”
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I know a big part of it is making sure to get authentic curry paste. What else would I need to make something like a nice tofu curry (6/5 spicy) that would taste like the stuff I could get as takeout?
My partner is from Thailand. She affirms get authentic curry paste. She says to get it at an Asian grocery store, not from an American store. She says get the good coconut milk as well. And she suggests using fresh chilis, lime leaves, and basil.
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I know a big part of it is making sure to get authentic curry paste. What else would I need to make something like a nice tofu curry (6/5 spicy) that would taste like the stuff I could get as takeout?
Curry paste, coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, and fish sauce (add near the end) are the most important things. Cock brand curry paste is the best I can get where I live and works very well (red/green, or yellow if you want it milder). For the fish sauce, the brand is less important, but Squid brand is good. I also think the rice is pretty important, so try to get decent Jasmine rice (store-bought works fine).
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It’s usually “green” that I go for, sometimes red.
Just imagine a little hole in the wall place where the menu is in Thai, with your options being “red,” “green,” or “massuman” and the staff will respond well to the white guy asking for it to be “thai spicy.”
Check out Pailin from https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/, she’s legit. She’s got an incredible amount of videos on her cooking channel, including what brands are good.
Happy cooking.
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My partner is from Thailand. She affirms get authentic curry paste. She says to get it at an Asian grocery store, not from an American store. She says get the good coconut milk as well. And she suggests using fresh chilis, lime leaves, and basil.
And she suggests using fresh chilis, lime leaves, and basil.
To be clear for the gringos in the chat, these would be “Thai chili peppers”, “kaffir lime leaves”, and “Thai basil”, all of which should be readily available at your nearest Asian market.
You snip some leaves off the citrus tree in your backyard, add some jalapeños, and sweet basil you’re gonna have a whole different dish.
