Cracking the Curry Code

Let me begin by saying I'm a huge fan of Thai curry.  And I've scoured the face of the planet trying to gather just the right ingredients to duplicate the curry deliciousness we experience at every Thai restaurant we visit. And I've failed miserably.

My poor family. Pot after pot of "curry".  "This will be the one!", I'd exclaim excitedly, wildly waving my spoon from the kitchen. "I think this time it's going to be delicious!". And each time, after dragging each family member out from under the beds and inside the closets for sampling, it was not. Really really not.

"Maybe it's just a tiny bit too sweet?", Colin would ask. "Oh no", I'd reply. "Just swish it around in your mouth for about mmmmm five minutes and then you'll get a slight hint of the taste".  - OR -  "Mom, what was it like back when I still had tastebuds and could taste food before my tongue was burned up by your curry experiments?"

Imported curry paste from the Asian grocery store, special curry paste from the grocery store, curry powder, every coconut milk known to man, curry cookbooks that basically instruct me to fly to Thailand and harvest the ingredients myself, special recipes from friends, lemongrass, thai basil, fingers crossed, spin around touch the ground, make a wish ...      still bad.

And then .....

*WAIT*

Cue the choir!

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I present Mae Ploy. The answer to all of my curry hopes and dreams. (And restorer of tastebuds).

And yes, that is a 2 pound tub you see there.  Ahem. I uh.. well, I was *DESPERATE* and found Mae Ploy at a local restaurant supply store. The ends of the earth, I tell you. That's where I've traveled for this.

But before I let you in on my discovery, I wanted to make sure it was widely available (and that you wouldn't have to mortgage your right pinky to buy it) before I recommended it to you. And lo and behold, It is! You can find it here, here, here, and lots of other places online. (In Spokane, you can find it at Cash & Carry).

Oh, and here's the best part: It's just spices. And no preservatives. I just followed the simple recipe on the back which included adding some coconut milk, chicken, potatoes, etc.

I've found I like to use lowfat coconut milk best, but regular coconut milk is delicious too.  Just a lot more rich.

And just like that, I've cracked the curry code.

And none too soon. I think my family was about to rebel.

P.S. I'm not related to anyone with the names Mae or Ploy and was not paid to let you in on my little discovery.

P.P.S. If you're going to go to the trouble of making Thai curry, make sure to serve it with Jasmine rice. It's the yummiest. And nope, I don't have any relatives named Jasmine either.

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Between posts on my website, I document my life on Instagram. You can follow along with me there.

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Comments

[Lisa Leno]

Thank you for the heads up. There is nothing better than a steaming bowl of hot curry. I usually crave the green with tofu...

[stephanie @ providence handmde]

Ooooh, I could give you the biggest hug!! We've tried to duplicate curries, too, with no luck. Once it was so bad that the pan had to IMMEDIATELY go on the back deck - it smelled like dead fish and was horrible. So I totally understand how exciting this is. Off to get me some curry paste!! :) Thanks for sharing!

[Janice Tappero]

Mae Ploy also makes the best Sweet Chilli Sauce. We buy it in a 32 oz glass bottle at Cash n Carry for around $2.00. (Yes, the one on Division across the parking lot from Noodle Express). It's my husband's "new catsup". It goes on everything!

[kelley]

that's what we use too-can't be beat! The red curry is also delicious.

[Beckie]

In Spokane you can also get Mae Ploy at the Bay Asian Market on Srague. It is only a few dollars for the giant tub and they also offer the smaller sizes if you don't want a tub of curry. I also have found Maesri curry pastes like panang and masaman in great little cans for around $1. Thai curry is addictive stuff!!

[kerri neubek]

You have no idea how great this is, we are always trying to make it as good as the restaurants too....I cannot wait to try this. Thanks for sharing! My boyfriend and his kids will be elated. : )

[Julie Campbell]

OK... I'm SUPER excited about this!!! I've been on the hunt too and keep failing miserably!

[Cathy Sander]

I like their Panang Curry, Bay Asian Market on E. Sprague has very good selection and nice produce too. Kaffir leaves are a must as well.

[Angie]

I will have to try it. My husband loves curry dishes!

[Isabel ~ Maison Douce]

Oh, my goodness... We too love curry and always add coconut milk and eat it with jasmine rice!!! I usually just use the Golden Curry, but would love to try something different... Thanks!
Isabel

[alyssa santos]

Mae Ploy is the best! I love their coconut milk, too -- the texture never gets weird. The Asian Market on Sprague and Havana has the best prices ( on all kinds of spices, soy sauce, fish sauce) however I like the bigger can of coconut milk available at Cash n Carry. I fell in love with Thai curry during pregnancy #3 -- perfect comfort food. My middle name is "mae" however, I too was not paid for this endorsement! :)

[Traci Logan]

Love it, thanks for letting us in on your discovery. I have a friend who has a Curry obsession somewhat like yours and can't wait to show her this awesome discovery.

[Lisa]

Yum~ I will have to look for it! One of our favorite dishes is shrimp curry with toasted coconut and chopped cilantro on top. I use one can regular coconut milk and one can light coconut milk and that seems to be a good flavor for me. And of COURSE it is served with Jasmine rice! There's no other kind! :)

[Chana]

Coconut is KEY!!

[Emily]

Thank you!!!!!! I have made many a curry that turns out terrible--I can't wait to order this!

[Shannon]

After reading your post, I immediately ordered some! I have been trying curry recipes for years, and this did not disappoint!
After I ordered it, it came in like 2 days so we made it Saturday night for dinner. WE LOVED IT! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING!!!

[Jamie]

Girl, you rock. I recently stumbled across your blog just in time to get a bumper sticker (yay!!) and I've been going through your archives. I can't resist commenting on this to add my thanks for the heads up - I haven't been willing to experiment on the curry I LOVE, so THANK YOU for passing along this tip and saving my taste buds. Really, you rock. = )