This article may contain affiliate links and if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Thai cuisine combines a lot of tasty and spicy meals – mostly curries. These curries are prepared in various Thai restaurants across the globe. However, foreigners always confuse about which Thai curry is the best, sweetest, and hottest.
Well, if you’ve tasted many Thai curries, you’d easily agree with anyone that red curries are the hottest but not actually the sweetest. This article compares the popular Thai red curry with its closest alternative curry dish – green curry.
On a quick note, between green curry vs red curry, the red curries are the hottest, while green curries are typically the tastiest. However, there is a lot more to know about these Thailand dishes.
What is Red Curry?
Red curry (often distinguished as Thai red curry) is a type of curry dish believed to have originated from Thailand.
It is made from a blend of several varieties of hot chilies and other aromatic ingredients. This meal appears red after preparation; hence, the name – Red Curry.
To prepare this dish, you need a paste – the red curry paste, which is one of the base ingredients to use.
Many people (including foreigners) enjoy red curries because of the “hotness.” It is generally a healthy food for everyone, both young and old. There are pretty many sub-varieties of this dish.
Read Also: Best Substitutes For Yellow Curry Paste
What is Green Curry?
From the name, it is easy to say that Green Curry is a type of curry dish that appears green after preparation. Well, yes, that’s the basic description of this Thai dish.
The green curry dish is also like the red curry dish, made from blending different varieties of chilies and certain aromatic ingredients.
To prepare a green curry dish, you also need a green curry paste, which is one of the base ingredients for making this meal.
Actually, green curries are not as hot as red curries, but they are quite tastier. You’d find this dish in virtually all Thai restaurants in your city.
Red Curry Paste Vs Green Curry Paste
Curry pastes are the base ingredients for making any type of curry dish. For example, you need the red curry paste to make red curry sauce or dish; the same applies to making green curry dishes – you need a green curry paste.
The pastes are made from mixing several ingredients, including peppers, to achieve the desired color. You can actually get the ingredients, make the paste at home, and then proceed to make your curry dish.
Practically, the major difference between green curry paste and red curry paste is the type of pepper used. For red curry pastes, hot red chilies are used, while green chilies are used for green curry pastes.
As you may know, red chilies are typically the hottest peppers, and green chilies – although hot – are not as hot as their red counterparts.
Most peppers appear in green color when they’re not yet mature and then turn red when they’re fully matured. To make either of these pastes, you’d find the recipes online.
What are the Differences Between Green Curry and Red Curry?
Just as the pastes, the main differences between these two popular Thai curry dishes are the color and ingredients (basically the chilies) used.
Since red curries are made with red curry paste, they are reddish and hotter than green curries.
In contrast, green curries are typically tastier because they contain kaffir lime and Thai basil as part of the base ingredients. Green curry is more subtle and gentle than red curry.
Are There Any Similarities Between Red Curry and Green Curry?
Sure, there are a few similarities between these Thai curries. Basically, the major ingredient used in making them is “Chilies.” However, while the red curry is made with red chilies, green curry is a product of green chilies.
Furthermore, both dishes typically have lemongrass as part of their base ingredients, and they are dishes endemic to Thailand.
Green Curry Vs Red Curry: Which Should You Buy?
Red curry is common; chances are that you’d easily find red curry pastes in supermarkets and grocery stores. In contrast, you may not see green curry paste that easily.
Now, the question of which to buy depends on who is “eating” the dish. If you’re a chef and your customers prefer hot, spicy dishes; apparently, they’d love red curries.
On the other hand, if your customers love taster, mild-hot dishes, green curry is the ideal.
The same applies if you’re planning to prepare any of these dishes at home. You should bear in mind that red curry paste can be fiery hot, so if your family doesn’t love hot dishes, go for green curry paste.
How Long Does It Take To Make These Dishes?
On average, it would take you 15 minutes to prepare a curry dish if you bought a ready-made curry paste. If you’d be making the paste yourself, that would add about 5 additional minutes.
