Thai curry vs. Indian curry

[crazy88]

Indian/ Pakistani wins it for me. Not keen on the coconut soup based curries here. The drier fried curries without coconut however are great as is a decent gaeng som with fresh tuna or prawns. Also gaeng baa with moo baa or venison. Burmese curries are excellent. Also like the chinese style that English philistines like myself pour over chips and a pancake roll. Not the fruity packet mix one. Used to cook a nice Nepalese beef one and a Caribbean one with plaintain but I have not found the ingredients here.

Crazy 88

[Dannie Boy]

I've been to Sri Lanka a couple of times and the curries there tend to be very spicy with a lot of chilli and often with coconut milk (which personally I like) and which I normally add when making an Indian curry.

[caller]

I like a traditional British Indian curry(!) from time to time (I think most of us are aware of the history now) but have no intention of making one myself.

I very rarely eat Thai curries, partly because I'm not a great lover of coconut (or whatever milk is chucked in), but mainly because after a few mouthfuls, I find it a bit samey. I do however, love all other Thai food.

I can imagine in LOS, enjoying an 'Indian' from time to time is a nice change and a treat.

[STEVE G]

...a traditional British Indian curry(!) from time to time (I think most of us are aware of the history now...

A long history as well:

"Saik Deen Mahomad, manufacturer of the real currie powder, takes the earliest opportunity to inform the nobility and gentry, that he has, under the patronage of the first men of quality who have resided in India, established at his house, 34 George Street, Portman-Square, the Hindostanee Dinner and Hooka Smoking Club. Apartments are fitted up for their entertainment in the Eastern style, where dinners, composed of genuine Hindostanee dishes, are served up at the shortest notice; ... Such ladies and gentlemen as may desirous of having India Dinners dressed and sent to their own houses will be punctually attended to by giving previous notice...
The Morning Post 2 February 1810"

[Big Boy]

Yes, my wife has tried substitutes, but never really successful. Its easier to have Indian.

BB can you eat yoghurt? It is a good substitute and much less in calories. I myself cannot substitute it when cooking Thai, but can easily with Indian. You must watch how you add it or it may curdle or split.

Apparently calorie savings are: .........

Yes, I can eat yoghurt, but I'm quite happy to have Indian curry if I go out, and my wife does a delicious 'Chinese Restaurant' style curry (think the curry sauce poured on your chips style) for me as well, so I'm not deprived.

As for calorie savings, I eat so little since my stomach operation a couple of years ago that I don't have to think about calories

[hhfarang]

I like a traditional British Indian curry(!) from time to time (I think most of us are aware of the history now) but have no intention of making one myself.

What is the difference between a "British" Indian curry and an "Indian" Indian curry?

Does the British one come with mushy peas?

[dtaai-maai]

What is the difference between a "British" Indian curry and an "Indian" Indian curry?

I imagine most Brits in Britland believe there isn't one. You need to remember that Indian food has had a long time to adapt to the refined British palate...

Also, when I was a young man in the 70s-80s, the Indian was the place you stumbled into with your mates when the pub threw you out at closing time. Subtlety was not a priority.

Here's a couple of interesting articles.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle ... kka-masala

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink ... r-all.html

Britain’s Indian restaurants, meanwhile, grew unabated. By 1980, there were 3,000 of them, swelled partly in the immigrant aftermath of Bangladesh independence in 1971. By 2000, there were 8,000 curry houses with 14.6 per cent of first-choice main courses across the country being good old chicken tikka masala; that Anglicised dish that makes tandoor-grilled chicken acceptable to the British palate, coming as it does swimming in thick, creamy, spicy gravy.

Our love for it, along with our idiosyncratic method of ordering, became pervasive enough for the writers of the show Goodness Gracious Me to produce a sketch in which a group of arrogant, abusive young Indians go out for “an English”, mispronounce the waiters’ names and dare themselves to order the mildest thing on the menu.

[Dannie Boy]

I have worked and travelled throughout the Indian subcontinent over the past 20 years and eaten "curries" in all of them (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka) and although the curries in the non commercial eateries are quite different, curries served in 5 star hotel restaurants are very similar to those served in British curry houses. Probably the best Chicken Tikka Masala (maybe not the best dish to make reference to) I have eaten was from a restaurant in Mumbai.

Working in Pakistan for a few years, I ate a number of curries at people's houses and whether it was chicken or mutton, there was always more bone than meat in the dish, but the taste was normally very good.

[Takiap]

There are several Thai "curry" dishes that don't contain any coconut milk, but a lot of these won't be found on the menus of your typical restaurant, or even at many side of the road places.


I'm particularly fond of one of the "curry" pastes you get, but I can't recall the name, and I can't buy it myself from the market because many of them look the same. I make my own though by hand (no blender), using only fresh ingredients. This can be used to back coconut milk based curries or soups, or you can use it for a fried style of curry. In that case you fry some of the paste in a wok; add some tinned fish; fresh fish; chicken or pork; toss in a couple of kaffir lime leaves, and you are good to go. Quick, easy and delicious.

With all that having been said, Indian food (it all seems like curry to me ) wins hands down, mostly because of the massive variety.Of course if I had my way, I would add coconut milk to a lot of Indian dishes as well. Love the stuff.

[dundrillin]

Nepalese curry houses are becoming common in the UK. Rather than plough through the menu I simply ask for a dish that they themselves would eat in Nepal. I have never been disappointed.

[Siani]

I have noticed a few Nepal restaurants especially in London suburbs. Must try one next time.

Mr S reckons I invented the curry takeaway We used to live in Wimbledon village in 1965 and frequented an Indian restaurant called the "Rawlpindi" which was next to the "Dog & Fox" pub. It was superb, really the best, I always had "Mutton Rogan Josh". The décor was typical 60's Indian with flocked wallpaper. Anyway, we got so friendly with the staff. We were having friends one weekend from the coast to stay, I asked them if I could bring some dishes and could they cook me enough for 6 people. They did, I went around the back kitchen with some pyrex dishes and they gave me a bowl full rice and another Rogan Josh! So Mr S says that was the start of takeaways! I remember doing it as I was hopeless at cooking rice!. Sadly the restaurant is no more, but there are loads of others...not as good, may I say

[caller]

'Nepalese' curry house have been in London since the 80's. Much of their fare was and is interchangeable with all the usual Indian stuff, but in response to customers seeking out more authentic dishes, the menu's have changed accordingly, but you can still get a vindaloo or whatever!

[margaretcarnes]

I make either an Indian 'curry' or a Chilli every week for Mum, and find that she really only enjoys them if the chilli content blows her head off. Taste buds shot I guess. It's a shame because indian food can be more tasty when it's subtle. This weeks was Cumin Scented Chicken - (it would work well with prawns Siani.) Mum was OK with it but not ecstatic. I thought it was better than a big chilli blast.

Personally I prefer Massaman or Penang curry to Thai green/red curries which just seem 'samey' as someone said earlier, and too thin. Larb is good though. Overall UK curry house food is passable at best IMO, but I think they usually just sling whatever meat you want into the sauce before serving. At least curry made at home can be marinaded properly and then left overnight to fester.

[Dannie Boy]

With reference to Margaret's comment about Indian restaurants throwing whatever meat it is into the curry sauce, well this is an extract from a book called. "The Curry Secret -Indian Restaurant Cookery at Home" written by Kris Dhillon. It's a book full of interesting tips and techniques, but as the following extract explains,the heart of virtually all Indian curries is one sauce, which then gets modified to give you the distinct flavours:

Curry Sauce
This is the most closely guarded of all the secrets of restaurant cooking.
Once prepared, it has a very smooth texture and a pale golden colour. Taste it and it is pleasant with a subtle curry flavour. Every good restaurant has a large pan of the sauce always at hand, with the recipe varying only slightly from chef to chef. It forms the base of all the restaurant curries from the mild to the very hot and spicy. It will keep in a refrigerator for up to five days, although the best restaurants will prepare no more than three days' requirement in one go. Together with your spices, the prior preparation of the curry sauce, and whatever meat or fish you propose to use, a selection of dishes can be prepared in a matter of minutes.
You will see that the making of the curry sauce is in fact simple, with no special equipment required other than a blender. It is essential, though, that you follow strictly the instructions for blending and skimming as these are the two procedures that can make the difference between a good curry sauce and a poor one.
The quantities I have given are enough for six to eight persons. If you do not require so much you may halve the quantity of each ingredient, or alternatively, freeze the remainder of the finished sauce. I have included freezing instructions where applicable. Although Indian restaurants do not normally do this, it is a perfectly good way of taking advantage of your freezer at home.

[hhfarang]

Thai green curry chicken is one of my favorite dishes taste wise, but after eating it, I have to run to the loo several times within the next 2 hours every time. The first time that happened I thought it was food poisoning, but I now know it happens whenever I eat green curry, no matter where it comes from.

Any idea of what ingredient may cause this? It only happens with the green curry here, none of the other curries or now other dish so far.