How do I make my Thai curry less spicy? (9+ tips)
In this brief guide, we will answer the question “How do I make my Thai curry less spicy?”, with tips on how to tone down the heat level of curry. We will also mention what is the best way to eat spicy curry and list down different types of Thai curries.
How do I make my Thai curry less spicy?
In order to make your Thai curry less spicy, you need to:
- Add lemon: Lemon brings acidity in the curry while making it less spicy. Squeeze out a tablespoon or two of lemon juice and add it to the curry.
- Add vinegar: Vinegar works in a similar way to lemon juice, by increasing the acidity it decreases the spiciness.
- Add sugar: Sugar always works really well by balancing out the spice levels. Keep adding sugar until you believe the spiciness has been reduced significantly.
- Add sweeteners: Alternatively, you can use honey or brown sugar as well.
- Add coconut milk: A lot of Thai curries use coconut milk in their recipes anyway so if your curry is too spicy, consider adding more coconut milk. It will make the curry mild while not changing the flavor a lot.
- Add cream: Adding cream is another great way to reduce spiciness especially if your curry also contains tomatoes.
- Add more vegetables: Adding a bunch of vegetables will help with the spiciness because vegetables that are abundant in starch soak up all the flavors.
- Add yogurt: Yogurt is used in a lot of Indian curries. Feel free to add as much yogurt as you need to bring down the heat levels of curry.
- Serve with a cooling condiment: You can also use a cooling condiment to go with a curry so that it feels less spicy and is easy on the stomach. In particular, mint yogurt raita goes very well with curries.
- Use ketchup: Ketchup can be used in tomato based curries as ketchup has sweetness to it.
What is the best way to eat a spicy Thai curry?
You can pair up the curry with a side dish or a sauce to enjoy the curry even more. Let us look at some side dishes that go really well with spicy curry.
Naan
Naan is basically an Indian take on kneaded flour dough cooked in a tandoor. Naan goes really well with Indian style curries especially if they are spicy.
Rice
Plain steamed rice covered with curry is an excellent way of having curry. If you do not want plain steamed rice, then have the curry with garlic rice or vegetable fried rice.
Sauces
Well curry can be eaten with additional sauces to elevate the flavor even further. As explained above, mint yogurt raita is one of them. Other than this, you can have yogurt mixed with cucumbers, salt, and some black pepper.
Potatoes
Potatoes are very versatile and can be used with almost any dish. You can have roasted baby potatoes with curry or mashed potatoes.
Achar
Achar is another name for pickles. Achar can be eaten with curries for an added tangy flavor.
Vegetables
You can use roasted vegetables or steamed vegetables as a side dish for curries. Not only will they add flavor, they will also make the curry feel less spicy.
Find out what other side dishes you can use with curry here.
What are the different types of Thai curries?
Green curry: The main ingredient in thai green curry are green chillies. Green chillies mixed with fresh coriander give the curry its vibrant green color. The other ingredients that are usually added are lemongrass, vegetables, and sauces. It is one of the most popular curries. Proteins such as beef, chicken, or prawns are also used.
Red curry: The main ingredients in red curry are red chillies or red chili powder. It is distinct because of its spiciness from the red chillies. Alternatively, red chili paste can be used.
Yellow curry: Yellow curry gets its color from ground turmeric. Coconut milk is added to give the curry a nice texture. Fish sauce, curry paste, and chili peppers are also used. Chicken usually goes best with thai yellow curry. Other ingredients like ginger and garlic are also added to further enhance the taste.
Massaman curry: Massaman curry is a bit milder than other types of curries. It contains ingredients like those used in Indian style curries for example cardamom and cinnamon.
Panang curry: Panang curry is different from other Thai curries because it has ground up peanuts in it. The peanuts give it a very nutty, earthy flavor which is distinct from other curries.
Other FAQs about Curry that you may be interested in.
Can you eat curry when pregnant?
Does Thai curry have fish sauce?
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the question “How do I make my Thai curry less spicy?”, with tips on how to tone down the heat level of curry. We also mentioned what is the best way to eat spicy curry and listed down different types of Thai curries.
