Thai Curries Explained: Your Guide to Kaeng Phet, Kaeng Som, and More

Ever mixed up your kaeng som and kaeng phet? 🍲🌶️ After 30 years in Hua Hin, I still do! Thai curries are a world of flavors—each with its own story. From tangy to fiery, the differences are fascinating. Curious to learn more? My latest blog post breaks it down simply. If you love Thai food, this might just clear up the confusion! 😊

In Thai cuisine, "kaeng" (แกง) is often translated as "curry," but this can be misleading. While some are curry-like, kaeng broadly refers to a category of soups or stews with a liquid base, ranging from clear broths to thick, coconut cream-based dishes.

The main differences between various kaengs lie in their base ingredients, flavor profile, color, and consistency. Here’s a breakdown of the major types, using your examples as a starting point:

1. Kaeng Phet (แกงเผ็ด) - "Spicy Curry"

• Base: Rich coconut cream/milk.
• Key Flavor Profile: Spicy, rich, creamy, aromatic. The heat is prominent but balanced by coconut richness.
• Color: Red or Green, from specific curry pastes.
• Consistency: Thick and creamy.
• Key Distinguishing Ingredient: Curry paste (น้ำพริกแกง) fried in coconut cream.
• Examples: Kaeng Phet includes the famous Red Curry (Gaeng Phet Daeng) and Green Curry (Gaeng Khiao Wan). Massaman and Panang curries are also part of this rich, coconut-based family, though with their own distinct identities (influenced by Persian and Malaysian cuisine, respectively).

2. Kaeng Som (แกงส้ม) - "Sour Curry"

• Base: Water or light broth.
• Key Flavor Profile: Pronounced sourness, followed by spicy and salty. It is not creamy and is much lighter.
• Color: Orange-yellow, from turmeric and shrimp paste.
• Consistency: Thin, broth-like, with vegetables often floating in the liquid.
• Key Distinguishing Ingredient: Souring agent—usually tamarind juice ("som" means sour), sometimes assisted with pineapple or roselle. It uses a simpler, pounded paste of chilies, shrimp paste, and turmeric.
• Note: A central Thai specialty often with fish and vegetables. Do not confuse it with the Southern Thai "Gaeng Som" (or Gaeng Lueang - Yellow Curry), which is a thicker, fiercely spicy, and sour fish curry.

3. Kaeng Jued (แกงจืด) - "Bland Soup"

• Base: Clear broth (often pork or chicken).
• Key Flavor Profile: Mild, savory, clean. "Jued" means bland, but it's intentionally subtle and comforting.
• Color: Clear or light.
• Consistency: Clear soup.
• Key Distinguishing Ingredient: No curry paste. It's a seasoned broth with ingredients like tofu, minced pork, vegetables, and glass noodles.
• Purpose: Served as a digestif or a balancing dish alongside stronger-flavored foods.

4. Kaeng Liang (แกงเลียง) - Herbal Vegetable Soup

• Base: Light broth or water.
• Key Flavor Profile: Savory, peppery, herbal.
• Color: Light green/yellow from vegetables and herbs.
• Consistency: Brothy with lots of vegetables.
• Key Distinguishing Ingredient: A blend of fresh herbs and peppercorns pounded lightly (like black pepper, long pepper, garlic, shrimp paste). Loaded with squash, mushrooms, and leafy greens.
• Note: Considered a healthy, nourishing soup, often for postpartum mothers.

5. Kaeng Tai Pla (แกงไตปลา) - Southern Fermented Fish Viscera Curry

• Base: Coconut milk and water.
• Key Flavor Profile: Extremely salty, spicy, funky, umami-rich. One of the strongest-flavored Thai dishes.
• Color: Dark yellow/brown.
• Consistency: Medium-thick broth.
• Key Distinguishing Ingredient: "Tai Pla" – a pungent fermented sauce made from fish entrails. Also includes bamboo shoots, eggplant, and green beans.
• Note: A signature dish of Southern Thailand, an acquired taste for many.

6. Kaeng Khae (แกงแค) - Northern Jungle Curry

• Base: Water or light broth.
• Key Flavor Profile: Very spicy, herbal, aromatic, without coconut cream.
• Color: Green from herbs and chilies.
• Consistency: Brothy.
• Key Distinguishing Ingredient: A fresh, dry-roasted paste of chilies, herbs, and shrimp paste, and an abundance of fresh, often wild, vegetables (like acacia leaves, ivy gourd, mushrooms).
• Note: A staple of Northern Thai cuisine, showcasing foraged ingredients.

Summary Table of Main Differences:

Type of Kaeng	Base	Key Flavor	Consistency	Distinguishing Feature
Kaeng Phet	Coconut Cream	Rich, Spicy, Creamy	Thick & Creamy	Fried curry paste in coconut cream
Kaeng Som	Water/Broth	Sour, Spicy, Salty	Thin & Brothy	Tamarind sourness, no coconut
Kaeng Jued	Clear Broth	Mild, Savory	Clear Soup	No curry paste, "bland" balancing dish
Kaeng Liang	Light Broth	Peppery, Herbal	Brothy with Veg	Medicinal herbs & vegetables
Kaeng Tai Pla	Coconut & Water	Salty, Funky, Very Spicy	Medium-thick	Fermented fish viscera (Tai Pla)
Kaeng Khae	Water	Very Spicy, Herbal	Brothy	Herbal paste, foraged vegetables, no coconut

In essence, the world of kaeng is incredibly diverse. Moving from the rich, coconut-based Kaeng Phet to the sour, clear Kaeng Som is like jumping from a creamy bisque to a tangy consommé—they are fundamentally different dishes that simply share the culinary category of "liquefied stew." The variety reflects the regional landscapes and ingredients of Thailand.

Savor the simplicity of Thai home cooking with fresh, garden-grown ingredients. 🌱🍛 Each recipe carries the warmth of tradition—perfect for sharing with loved ones. Ready to bring a taste of Thailand to your kitchen?