Authentic Thai Red Curry Recipe (Gaeng Ped)

Authentic Thai red curry recipe – crafted from scratch with homemade curry paste. This creamy dish is so quick and easy and full of traditional flavors! You can go with shrimp or simply choose your favorite protein, just serve with steamed jasmine rice to soak up all that irresistible spicy coconut curry sauce.

Here are more authentic red curry recipes for you to try later: gaeng daeng recipe (with chicken), Thai red curry fish, Thai eggplant curry recipe, and Thai roasted duck curry!

Authentic Thai red curry recipe

My hubby and I are total red coconut curry addicts! Our love for Thai food has gone a step further, and we decided to make all curry pastes from scratch.

We reached for our traditional granite mortar and pestle, and crafted large batches of each paste. Our freezer is now loaded with homemade curry pastes! If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can simply use a food processor.

We made the spicy Thai red curry paste, the irresistible green curry paste, the aromatic panang curry paste, and the complex massaman curry paste.

You can’t have an authentic Thai meal without making everything from scratch, right?

And let me tell you, it’s absolutely worth every minute of it. It’s a tad more time and effort, but this authentic Thai red curry recipe beats any version I’ve had in Thai restaurants!

After grinding the paste, it wasn’t long before my hubby and I were enjoying the best spicy curry we’ve ever had! We savored every last drop of the creamy coconut milk sauce with perfectly cooked shrimp.

The eggplants and long beans add a delightful crunch, and fragrant steamed rice is perfect for mellowing down the spiciness of this comforting dish.

Thai red curry shrimp substitutions

Thai red shrimp curry is incredibly easy to customize to your liking. It’s simple to swap out ingredients and add your favorite veggies:

• Protein options: Whether you like gaeng ped with shrimp, chicken, beef, pork or tofu, you can use any type of protein you want. The creamy coconut sauce complements any meat perfectly. Simply adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Vegetarian: Substitute the shrimp with tofu, and the fish sauce can be substituted with vegetarian fish sauce, or half a teaspoon of salt.
• Vegetables: Common vegetables in Thai red curry include bamboo shoots, bell peppers, Thai eggplant, and snow peas. You can also add zucchini, carrots, or baby corn for variety.
• Spiciness: Adjust the spice-level by adding more or fewer chilies. If you can’t eat spicy, I suggest omitting the chilies altogether. Alternatively, you can use mild Spanish pepper instead of Thai bird’s eye chilies, or remove the seeds.

If you’re cooking for a large crowd or a family, you might like a milder curry. My gang garee curry recipe for yellow chicken curry is a crowd-pleaser, authentic Thai massaman chicken curry is a bit sweeter with peanuts, and this Thai beef panang curry recipe is perfect for meat-lovers!

Homemade red curry paste

What’s an authentic Thai red curry shrimp without homemade red curry paste?! Making your own Thai red curry paste is a game-changer. No more trips to the store or food markets for store-bought or pre-made paste. Just make a big batch at once, and you’ll be set for a while.

It’s amazing how much difference it can make in flavor. It takes your meal from good to amazing, and it’s so rewarding.

To me, investing time and effort into crafting an authentic red curry from scratch is absolutely worth every moment! In this recipe, I’ll guide you through the ingredients and the steps for making your own curry paste.

Note: This recipe is delicious with store-bought curry paste too. If you don’t have time to make your own curry paste, that’s totally ok!

Ingredients

Thai red curry ingredients

• Thai red curry paste – For store bought paste, I recommend using either Mae Ploy or Maesri.
• Shrimps – Look for black tiger shrimp, these are usually larger than others. Other protein options are prawns, chicken thighs or chicken breast, pork, beef, or tofu.
• Thai eggplants
• Long beans – Thai eggplants and long beans are 2 traditional Thai vegetables I love using in my Thai curries.
• Coconut milk – When you make a coconut curry, you should always use full-fat coconut milk. You want a rich and flavorful coconut curry sauce. In this recipe, I used coconut milk from the brand Aroy-D. (not canned coconut or coconut cream)
• Fish sauce – Adds a salty and umami flavor to the curry.
• Palm sugar – Palm sugar is an authentic sweetener of Thai cuisine, adding a caramel-like sweetness. It’s a healthy alternative to white sugar and brown sugar.
• Kaffir lime leaves – Also known as makrut lime leaves. Try looking for a package of fresh makrut lime leaves in an Asian supermarket, any leftovers can be stored in your freezer.
• Fresh red chilies – If you have a high spice-level, then go ahead and add some Thai bird’s eye chilies. If not, you can remove the seeds or omit the chilies altogether.

Homemade red curry paste ingredients

You can find most ingredients at Asian grocery stores or at Asian markets. Read more about the staple ingredients used in Thai cuisine in my guide of essential Thai pantry staples.

• Dry red spur chilies
• Kaffir lime skin
• Shrimp paste
• Lemongrass
• Dry chilies
• Turmeric
• Galangal
• Shallots
• Garlic
• Salt

Cooking instructions

Red curry paste instructions

Step 1: Begin by soaking dry red spur chilies in water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, you can chop your herbs and spices into pieces for easy pounding. Add drained chilies to a mortar along with lemongrass, galangal, and salt, pounding until fully broken down. Incorporate kaffir lime zest, turmeric, shrimp paste, garlic, and shallots, continuing to pound everything into a fine paste.

Authentic Thai red curry instructions

Step 2: Add one-third of the coconut milk to a pot or wok over medium heat, reducing it until the coconut oil separates.

Step 3: Stir in the red curry paste until the two are well mixed.

Step 4: Add the remaining coconut milk after approx 20 seconds.

Step 5: Add fish sauce and palm sugar, stir, then add vegetables and simmer for about a minute or until the vegetables has softened slightly. If using protein other than shrimp, add it now.

Step 6: Add shrimps, kaffir lime leaves, and chilies, boiling until shrimps are cooked, about 1-2 minutes. At this point, the vegetables should be soft to your liking. Serve immediately with rice.

Gaeng ped Recipe tips and tricks

• Adjustment for kids: You can leave out the chilies to tailor this Thai red curry for kids. Replace them with thinly sliced red bell peppers for color and more veggies. If you opt to use less curry paste for a milder taste, this will alter the overall flavor profile.
• Spice level tips: The spice level is a solid 7 out of 10. To customize the heat, adjust the number of chilies to your preference. To reduce spiciness, you can deseed the chilies or swap Thai chilies for a milder variety.
• Coconut milk: Choose full-fat coconut milk to achieve a curry sauce that’s both rich and velvety
• Dietary note: This authentic Thai red curry recipe is gluten-free. Just avoid adding any soy sauce and double-check the labeling of your store-bought items.

How to serve

This curry is perfect as a main along with a bowl of steamed white rice. Feel free to present it in a separate bowl or directly atop a bed of fragrant white jasmine rice. For a twist, try it with rice vermicelli noodles (khanom jeen). To garnish, a sprinkle of Thai basil can add a fresh aroma.

How to store Thai red shrimp curry

Let your leftover Thai red shrimp curry cool to room temperature. Transfer it into an airtight container and store in your fridge for up to 3 days.

To freeze: You can freeze Thai curry for later. Simply transfer it into a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Freeze leftover coconut milk for up to 6 months in an airtight container.

Reheating instructions: Simply reheat on the stove over medium heat until warm. Avoid overcooking the shrimp

Frequently answered questions

More authentic Thai curry recipes you’ll love

• Hor mok pla (Thai steamed fish curry)
• Kaeng som (Southern Thai curry)
• Authentic panang curry recipe
• Thai jungle curry
• Thai green curry pork
• Choo chee curry

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Authentic Thai Red Curry Recipe (Gaeng Ped)

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This authentic Thai red curry recipe is easy to customize with your favorite vegetables and protein.

Praew

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Cuisine Thai

Course Main Course

Serving Size 2 people

Ingredients

THAI RED CURRY

• 10 shrimps black tiger shrimp
• 1/8 cup red curry paste see notes
• 2 cups coconut milk full fat
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1.5 tablespoon palm sugar
• 2 cups Thai eggplants halved or quartered
• 4 long beans sliced into 1-inch sized pieces
• 2 kaffir lime leaves sliced into thin strips
• 2 fresh red chilies sliced

RED CURRY PASTE

• 0.35 ounces dry red spur chilies
• 0.09 ounces dry chilies
• 0.5 ounces galangal
• 0.87 ounces garlic
• 0.87 ounces shallots
• 0.09 ounces kaffir lime skin
• 0.09 ounces turmeric
• 0.87 ounces lemongrass
• 0.35 ounces shrimp paste
• 0.09 ounces salt

Instructions

RED CURRY PASTE

• Begin by soaking dry red spur chilies in water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, you can chop your herbs and spices into pieces for easy pounding. Add drained chilies to a mortar along with lemongrass, galangal, and salt, pounding until fully broken down. Incorporate kaffir lime zest, turmeric, shrimp paste, garlic, and shallots, continuing to pound everything into a fine paste.

THAI RED CURRY

• Add one-third of the coconut milk to a pot or wok over medium heat, reducing it until the oil separates.
• Stir in the red curry paste until the two are well mixed.
• Add the remaining coconut milk after approx 20 seconds.
• Add fish sauce and palm sugar, stir, then add vegetables and simmer for about a minute or until the vegetables has softened slightly. If using protein other than shrimp, add it now.
• Add shrimps, kaffir lime leaves, and chilies, boiling until shrimps are cooked, about 1-2 minutes. At this point, the vegetables should be soft to your liking. Serve immediately with rice.

Notes

• Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
• Red curry paste: For store-bought, you can use either Mae Ploy or Maesri.
• This recipe makes a medium spicy curry. Add or remove chilies to taste, remove the seeds, or substitute Thai chilies for non-spicy chilies or bell peppers.
• Use full-fat coconut milk for a rich and creamy coconut curry sauce.
• This recipe is gluten-free.

Nutrition Facts

Authentic Thai Red Curry Recipe (Gaeng Ped)

Amount per Serving

Calories

604

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

50

g

77

%

Saturated Fat

 

43

g

269

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

3

g

Cholesterol

 

137

mg

46

%

Sodium

 

1488

mg

65

%

Potassium

 

872

mg

25

%

Carbohydrates

 

27

g

9

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

9

g

10

%

Protein

 

21

g

42

%

Vitamin A

 

2350

IU

47

%

Vitamin C

 

9

mg

11

%

Calcium

 

156

mg

16

%

Iron

 

10

mg

56

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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