Red Curry with Beef (Gaeng Phed Neua)

Thai Translation – Gaeng = Curry, Phed = Spicy, Neua = Beef

Red curry is a fragrant and creamy curry, hearty and tempting. It is best served with fluffy white rice or sticky rice. You can purchase pre-made curry pastes in most supermarkets which are very good. But they are no substitute for a freshly made paste of your own that can be whipped up in minutes.

Lean beef is an excellent source of protein and other minerals. It is delicious in a curry and when cooked well, it has a delicate mineral taste that goes superbly with a hearty creamy flavours in the curry. The eggplants in this curry are Thai eggplants that are small and round and often described as bitter. There are three main varieties you can use for this recipe –egg size and shaped eggplants (makhue prot), the pea sized eggplant ( makhue puang) which are crunchy and bitter in taste or the purple eggplants or aubergine. Look for the Thai eggplants in Asian supermarkets, but you can use aubergine for this recipe – just be careful about overcooking the eggplant as it can turn to mush.

Thai Beef Salad (Yum Neua)

Thai translation – Yum = Spicy Salad; Neua = Beef

This is a fresh and tasty healthy salad that will get your table and tastebuds talking. Made with the freshest of ingredients, its packed with protein and vitamins and will give you long lasting energy. This dish is a favourite of the health concious. Lean veal or a beef tenderloin steak is the perfect meat for this scrumptious and spicy salad but any lean cut of meat is fine. An alternative option is to serve this on a crunchy baguette for a meal on the run or a tasty lunch option. Just leave the dressing off until you are ready to eat or you'll end up with soggy bread!

Yellow Curry with Beef (Gaeng Kari Neua)

Thai Translation – Gaeng = Curry, Kari = Yellow, Neua = Beef

Yellow curry is a creamy and mild curry that is a great introductory into Thai curries. It can be cooked from a store-bought paste or you can easily make your own paste. Yellow curry can also be made with any type of meat or vegetables and is the basis for Khao Soi, a northern Thai dish which is made with noodles and served with pickled vegetables. Yellow curry is similar to curries that come from Burma, Malaysia and Cambodia.

Beef Massuman (Gaeng Massuman Neua)

Thai Translation – Gaeng = Curry, Matsuman = Muslim ,  Neua = Beef 

This curry originates from Southern Thailand and is influenced by Indian curries. It is distinct from other Thai curries as it has an earthy, heavily aromatic and spiced curry paste which is different to the usual fiery and fresh red and green curries. It is most commonly cooked with beef which again is different to the usual Thai curries. The paste can be found in supermarkets but it is a lot more flavoursome when made from scratch.