Thai Cooking Class: Green Curry Paste

In the cooking class that I took, we made massaman curry, which is a popular curry, but it’s not my favourite. I went along with that choice because that’s what the other guest who took the class at the same time as I did had chosen. Really, I much prefer green curry. It’s actually pretty simple to make green curry paste. You need most of the same ingredients as for massaman curry (lemongrass, galangal, shallot, garlic, kaffir lime skin, finger root, and turmeric). Add to this a handful of sweet basil and about 10 small green chilies. Crush in mortar and pestle to form a paste and voila! you’re ready to make curry.

7-Eleven Meals in Thailand, Curry Edition!

On my way back from Sathorn Pier after applying for a new Myanmar visa at the embassy, I was feeling a little thirsty, so I stopped in at the 7-Eleven just before the pier and I noticed something INCREDIBLE: ready-made meals in RED trays!  Now, I’ve seen their ready-made meals in black trays (usually a fried rice or minced meat-type mixture with rice, but always involving rice), I’ve seen their meals in beige trays (my beloved soy protein option), and I’ve seen their meals in orange trays (no clue what the orange signifies– maybe rice dishes that are not Thai?), but I had yet to see the red trays.  Well, I just had to stop and inspect this situation.  I found rice with omelette, rice with omelette with red curry, and this little number which I ended up making mine: rice with green curry with two playful little fishcakes.  I mean, what is not to love about any of that, no?

Oh, it was heavenly!  The green curry was everything it should be, and the fish cakes were pretty near as good as the ones I got form my street vendor the other week.  All in all, a pretty darned amazing 7-Eleven meal!

Oh, and also, I LOVE the checkerboard tables that are all over the place in Bangkok, don’t you?

Green Curry with Coconut Milk

This is a meal which I used to order a lot way back when I was a Thailand noob and didn’t really know what else to order aside from green curry.  I have since broadened my Thai food horizons (just sift through this blog and you’ll see what I mean) but every now and then, I still treat myself to my standard Thai meal of days gone by.  Aaaaaand, if I order a massive bowl of green curry like this, it is a whole 30 Baht cheaper if I go vegetarian, which is motivation for once to stick to my flexitarian diet (I’m pretty much a full-blown meat-eater when I’m in Thailand, even though I swear I’m normally more of a flexitarian).

Green Curry with Vegetables over Rice

I know, I know– I keep talking about being a flexitarian, and then I keep posting all of these meat dishes.  Well, for one thing, being a vegetarian in a lot of parts of Asia is HARD!  For another thing, quite often, the most interesting dishes on the menu involve meat.  I mean, for realises, tell me my pork and rice does not look and sound heavenly (can’t you hear it?)  Or try to convince me this soup is not irresistible.  Or this soup.  Tell me the crocodile pate did not simply need to be sampled.

But I jest.  Here is a vegetarian option I’ll often order in Bangkok.  There is a sidewalk café on Soi Rambuttri where I like to eat from time to time, and the dish I always order is green curry with vegetables over rice.  And I really love it.  See?  Proof that I’m not carnivorious 100% of the time!