Kua Kling (Southern Thai-Style Red Curry)

By Ali Slagle

Updated December 15, 2020

  • Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
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Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(1,764)
Comments
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Whereas larb is bright and acidic — light on its feet — this simple adaptation of a traditional Southern Thai dry red curry, is grounding and spicy. It owes much of its flavor to red curry paste, turmeric and fresh chile that have been toasted until they shake awake. For scorching heat (a curry like this is typically brutally hot), add more chile. As the chicken — though it could be ground pork, sliced beef or chicken, or mushrooms — cooks, its fat renders and the fired-up curry paste adheres. Season it with brown sugar and fish sauce, and serve with rice, cabbage, herbs, avocado, cucumber and-or a crisp fried egg.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

  • ¼ cup Thai red curry paste (ideally one with makrut lime, lemongrass and shrimp paste)

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 2 Thai or serrano chiles, thinly sliced, or to taste

  • 1 pound ground chicken

  • ½ teaspoon dark brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated lime zest, or 10 makrut lime leaves, deveined and thinly sliced

  • Rice, sliced cabbage, chopped herbs, sliced avocado, chopped cucumber and fried egg, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

23 grams carbs; 99 milligrams cholesterol; 337 calories; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 17 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 385 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 1 gram sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, warm the oil and toast the curry paste, turmeric and chiles (if using) until extremely fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir and lower heat as needed to prevent sticking.

  2. Step 2

    Add the chicken and cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon. Stir to coat the meat in the curry paste and to prevent sticking, and cook until the chicken is opaque, 7 to 10 minutes. If everything is sticking, don’t panic — just add a little water or neutral oil.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in the brown sugar, fish sauce and lime zest, and cook just until the liquid’s been absorbed, about 1 minute. Season to taste with more brown sugar and fish sauce. (The chicken should be spicy first, salty second.) Serve at once with desired toppings.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,764 user ratings
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Comments

Ana

We love this recipe. Instead of ground chicken, I slice up boneless chicken thighs. They take a little longer to cook but make the dish sooo much better. Added minced ginger with the paste and turmeric, and followed advice to add lime juice and mint leaves at the end.. delicious. Perfect served with rice and a cucumber-red bellpepper-peanut salad with homemade Thai dressing. Will not stop making this ever.

anna

Delicious!!! 1 tsp grated ginger added with curry paste 8oz mushrooms + 3/4# ground chicken thigh meat needed 1 tsp lime zest and more of both brown sugar/fish sauce at the end served with: coconut rice mint cucumber cabbage cilantro lime wedges

Tom

Super dish. Quick and easy. A great way to get those familiar Thai flavors basically from the pantry. I used thighs, and ran them through a food processor for a few pulses. This left them with some texture. Also served with a spicy dipping sauce of lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, pickled chiles, garlic, and cilantro.

Paul

This recipe might be tasty, but it does not resemble Kua Kling. You cannot make Kua Kling from red curry paste.

MrsMaimoni

I made this for dinner tonight, thanks to all of those who advised to add more lime and more brown sugar. And, OFC to taste the curry paste before adding it. I used Mekhala and WHOA is that hot (and I typically love hot dishes) I ended up adding only 1 tablespoon and also added a bit of coconut oil. I served with rice and a cold cucumber salad. So easy and So much flavor.

JerseyBiker

Tasty, but quite spicy even cutting back on the curry paste. We didn't use the ginger, but it would have added more depth.

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