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Curries are popular Indian and Thai cuisines, loved by many people. There are many varieties of curries and they are all tasty.
Typically, curries are categorized by color: red, green, and yellow curry. However, there are other variations, which include Panang curry, massaman curry, and sour curry.
In terms of red curry vs panang curry, the red curry is the hottest variety, while the Panang curry is considered the sweetest.
There are a few similarities and differences between red curries and Panang curries. This article details everything you should know about these two delicious Thai cuisines.
What is Red Curry?
Red curry is a typical Thai cuisine made with several varieties of hot peppers, along with other ingredients to spice the sauce. It looks enchanting after preparing, and because of the hot chilies used, it is a “Hot” dish.
The red curry dish is considered the hottest type of curry. This dish looks reddish after preparation; hence, it was given the name, Red Curry.
Asides from red chilies, other ingredients used to prepare this dish include garlic, lemongrass, and aromatics.
However, some chefs add other ingredients to their red curries to achieve a unique taste and flavor. But, however, you make red curries, there must be several hot peppers in the paste/dish.
What is Panang Curry?
Panang Curry is a type of Thai/India Cuisine prepared with several spicy ingredients to achieve a unique taste and flavor. It sometimes looks like red curries, but it’s never as hot as them.
Generally, Panang curry is the sweetest variety, thanks to the inclusion of coconut cream or milk and peanuts (sometimes added).
To prepare Panang, you must include the base ingredients for preparing all kinds of curries. These ingredients include lemongrass, galangal, coriander, shrimp paste, and other aromatics.
Well, Panang curry is not so popular are red, green, and yellow curries, but it’s surely one of the best you would taste out there.
Red Curry Vs Panang Curry: Key Differences
| Red Curry | Panang Curry | |
| Heat Level | Very hot | Mild |
| Main Ingredients | Several hot chilies and lemongrass | Coconut milk and peanuts. |
| Color | Reddish | Reddish |
The difference is in the texture and taste; although Penang curry may look reddish sometimes, the taste is never the same with any variety of red curry.
Penang curry is made with the base curry cuisine ingredients, topped with peanuts and coconut cream.
In contrast, red curries are heavily spiced with hot chilies. Also, Penang curry is typically thicker and sweeter than red curry.
People who love hot spicy dishes go for hot curries, and people who prefer mild-hot, sweet dishes go for Penang curry.
What’s the Similarity Between Red Curry and Panang Curry?
Some people believe that Penang is a type of red curry that originated in Malaysia. Well, that’s not true; Penang is a different variety of curries; there are actually many types of red curries, and Penang is not one of them.
The main similarity between these two dishes is the color; they both appear reddish, with red curry looking brighter than Penang curry.
More so, the recipe for making these curries contain the same base ingredients such as lemongrass and chilies.
Which Should You Buy/Prepare?
Everyone has their preferences when it comes to what they eat. Apparently, someone may choose red curry over panang, and another person may pick Panang over red curries.
However, individual differences notwithstanding, Panang curry is sweeter and thicker than red curry. It also has mild heat compared with red curry.
On the other hand, red curry is heavily spiced with hot chilies, which makes it reddish and “hot.”
Red curry is also delicious; it is even the commonest and most-consumed Thai cuisine globally.
Panang Curry Vs Red Curry: Which Is Better?
From what we’ve discussed above, it’s obvious that the Panang curry seems better than the red curry.
Everyone loves tasty meals, and the Panang curry is tastier with mild heat. Regardless, if you love spicy food, the red curry is a meal for you.
You can get the ingredients for making either of these curries and prepare them in your home. The recipe is easy to follow, and the meal doesn’t take long to make.
Red and Panang curries are very healthy and nutritious; there’s nothing to worry about, health-wise.
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