Mae Ploy’s range includes Thai curry pastes, sauces and condiments. The name is inspired by a fictional character, created by Kukrit Pramoj – writer, scholar and Thailand’s prime minister in 1976. In his stories, Mae Ploy is a strong-minded guardian of Thai culture and heritage. An appropriate name for this authentic brand of Thai flavours! For most people, I recommend going with one of the top 3: Mae Ploy, Namjai or Aroy-D. They came close enough that you can't go wrong with any of them. But if you're vegan or allergic to shrimp, then Aroy-D would be your only good option.

Freeze the leftover paste in small portions. Use ice cube trays and once frozen, remove and store in a glass jar or Ziploc bags for easy thawing and measurement for your recipes. Make-ahead - This curry can be made ahead, simply refrigerate for up to 5 days and reheat as needed For each type of paste, there’s a basic expectation of what it should taste like; but like any recipe, everyone has their own specific formula, hence all these brands. Toast the dry spices, cardamon, cloves, cumin, coriander seeds, and white peppercorn on medium heat until fragrant for 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye on these, as they will burn easily. Using low heat with longer toasting time is fine, too, to prevent burning. Remove the toasted spice from a pan, and transfer to a plate. Let cool. Thai Kitchen I would use only if this were my only choice. I would also add more chilies, more shrimp paste, and would use a LOT of it, like...the whole jar for a 4-serving curry (which makes it also the most expensive one in this lineup). If I'm cooking for kids or people who cannot handle any spiciness at all, then Thai Kitchen would be a safe choice. What About Other Kinds of Curry Paste?

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Massaman really good as well, but Im still messing with a few things and this great recipe could be my answer to what I seek. Step 1. Remove the stems and seeds of the chilis, then soak all the chilis in warm water for 15-20 minutes or until soft. While my go-to store-bought paste has been Mae Ploy for years, and I have used many other brands in the past, I've never really compared them side by side or paid close attention to the subtle differences. So, to really find out what is the best brand (at least according to me), a blind taste test is called for. I then tasted the two curries with jasmine rice, because Thai curry is always served with rice. And here are the results: Thai Kitchen: The weakest flavour in the group by a long shot. It is not spicy at all (so kid friendly). In this standardized test the curry sauce was too diluted to even determine how good the flavour was.

Toast the dry spices for 2-3 minutes. Once fragrant, remove from pan, transfer to a plate. Let cool. Namjai: A near-tie to Mae Ploy. It has a redder colour (if that matters to you) and a slightly milder shrimp paste flavor.Step 3 Sear off the beef pieces in the pan until browned, then add the curry paste and cook for two minutes until the aromats are released. Use kitchen gloves to remove the seeds of the chilis. The oils from the seeds can burn your skin. Very unpleasant!

Try baking these curries in the oven, 190 degree’s for around 75 minutes plus extra if beef and see how those flavors intensify. Galangal.Use fresh or frozen galangalonly for Thai curry paste recipes. Never use dried or powdered galangal. Also, never substitute fresh ginger for galangal.Read more about Galangal in Thai cookinghere. Find galangal at your local Asian market in the produce or freezer section. Coriander seedsare easily found in the spice section of most Asian markets. Use the powder form if unable to find whole seeds.Step 3. Drain and pat dry the soaked chiles. Cut into 1-inch pieces, and add into the mortar with the salt. Start pounding with a pestle until smooth. Does Thai Kitchen make a curry I would enjoy? As a Thai person, I find it a little unsatisfying, but I wouldn't call it a bad meal. For kids, people sensitive to spice, or someone completely uninitiated to spicy cuisines, this might be a great first step. And you know what, that's probably the audience they're making this paste for. The Takeaways You'll need these dry spices for making authentic Massaman curry paste. I recommend visiting your favorite Asian grocery store to grab these spices for making your paste. If using powdered spices instead of whole, use about ½ the amount called for in the recipe. Serve over rice topped with peanuts or cashews and fresh cilantro. What Does Massaman Curry Taste Like?

Heat the fat until melted and then add 100g of Panang paste, cook for a few minutes on medium to mellow the flavors. I recommend using a food processor for your first time making homemade massaman curry paste. The next time you do it, try the mortar and pestle method. It's a great weekend project too. So the bad news is that the most widely available paste is also our worst performing one. But in real life, we don't use a standardized recipe and we can do more with our dishes. So if I do everything I can to make it reach its full potential - use more paste, add more seasonings - can the worst come close to our best curry paste?Mae Ploy massaman curry paste. Mae Ploy paste is heavy on the salty side. Use less fish sauce when making your massaman curry. Mae Ploy is my go-to store-bought curry paste for making Massaman curry. As soon as you walk in, the Thai section will be staring you in the face (signs showing different countries) at each section entrance. Start by frying 50g of the paste with oil, then pour in a cup of coconut milk to form the base of your sauce. Add your meat, along with more coconut milk then bring to the boil. Add cubed potatoes, sliced onion and peanuts and cook until the veg is soft. Massaman curry from Thailand has a mix of Malay, India, and muslim nation flavors, and it's often served with potato (see recipes below, massaman is also a wonderful part of Thai peanut sauce).