Gaeng Kua (Dry Curry with Pork)

Name: Gaeng Kua (Dry Curry with Pork)
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 10 Dried Red Spur Chilies, deseeded and soaked; 8 Dried Bird's Eye Chilies, deseeded and soaked; 1 tsp Coarse Salt; 2 stalks of Lemongrass, tender inner parts, thinly sliced; 15g Galangal, sliced; 10g Fresh Turmeric, sliced; 3 roots of Coriander Roots, cleaned and chopped; 6 cloves of Garlic; 4 Shallots, small; 1 tsp Kaffir Lime Zest, finely chopped; 1 tsp Shrimp Paste, gapi; 500g Ground Pork, finely minced; 1 tbsp Neutral Oil; 3 1/2 tbsp Khua Kling Curry Paste, prepared (from above); 2 tbsp Fish Sauce; 1 tsp Palm Sugar, optional, to balance; 3 tbsp Water; 6 leaves of Kaffir Lime Leaves, very finely shredded; 4 Fresh Bird's Eye Chilis, thinly sliced; 4 bowls of Jasmine Rice, steamed

Gaeng Kua is a bold southern Thai dry curry that clings to tender pork with layers of fragrant herbs, warm turmeric and bright kaffir lime. This version builds an aromatic curry paste, quickly browns ground pork until richly caramelized, then finishes with zesty herbs and fresh chiles for a concentrated, punchy dish best eaten with steaming rice.

Gaeng Kua is a bold southern Thai dry curry that clings to tender pork with layers of fragrant herbs, warm turmeric and bright kaf... Show more

Traditional Thai Recipe

Health Grade

B · Healthy

Time

45 min

Price

3,37 €

Calories

767 kcal

high protein

low sugar

comfort food

thai

Method

Soak the chilies

Pull the stems from the Dried Red Spur Chilies and Dried Bird's Eye Chilies, shake or scrape out most of the seeds, then cover them with hot water in a bowl. Let them soften for 15 minutes so they pound smoothly into the paste later.

Wash the aromatics

Rinse the Lemongrass, Galangal, Fresh Turmeric, Coriander Roots, Kaffir Lime Leaves, and Fresh Bird's Eye Chili under cool running water. Scrub any grit from the coriander roots and turmeric, then pat everything dry so the curry paste stays concentrated instead of watery.

Prep the aromatics

Trim off the woody tops and outer layers from the lemongrass, keeping the tender inner parts, then slice them thinly. Slice the galangal and turmeric, roughly chop the coriander roots, peel the Garlic and Shallots, and chop them into small pieces so they pound more easily. Finely shave or grate the green outer peel to get the Kaffir Lime Zest, then chop it very fine. Stack the kaffir lime leaves, roll them tightly, and shred them as thinly as you can; thinly slice the fresh bird's eye chili and set both aside for finishing.

Pound the paste

Drain the soaked chilies and squeeze out excess water. In a mortar and pestle, pound them with the Coarse Salt until they start to break down, then add the lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and coriander roots and keep pounding to a fairly smooth paste. Add the garlic, shallots, and kaffir lime zest, pounding until the mixture is fragrant and cohesive, then work in the Shrimp Paste last. The finished paste does not have to be perfectly silky, but it should be well combined and smell intensely spicy and citrusy.

Start the rice

Cook the Jasmine Rice using your usual method so it is ready when the curry finishes. If you use a rice cooker, this is the perfect time to get it going.

Heat the pan

Set a large wok or wide skillet over medium heat and let it warm up before you start frying. A gently heated pan helps the curry paste bloom without scorching.

Fry the paste

Add the Neutral Oil to the pan, then spoon in 3 1/2 tablespoons of the prepared khua kling curry paste. Stir-fry it for 1 to 2 minutes, pressing and spreading it around the pan, until it smells deeply fragrant and the oil starts to take on the paste's color.

Stir-fry the pork

Add the Ground Pork and break it up well with your spatula so there are no large clumps. Stir-fry until the pork loses its raw color, then season with the Fish Sauce and, if you want a little balance, the Palm Sugar. Splash in the Water a little at a time to help the paste coat the meat evenly, then keep stir-frying until the pork is fully cooked and the mixture looks almost dry rather than saucy.

Finish the curry

Add the shredded kaffir lime leaves and sliced fresh bird's eye chili, then toss for about 30 seconds just to wake up their aroma without dulling their freshness. Taste and adjust with a tiny bit more fish sauce if needed.

Serve and enjoy

Spoon the dry pork curry onto plates or a serving dish and serve it hot with the jasmine rice. This curry is meant to be bold and spicy, so a generous spoonful of rice with each bite makes it especially good.