Rezept

Khua Kling: The dry curry from Southern Thailand

Khua Kling is a dry curry from Southern Thailand that contains no sauce, instead coating every fiber of the minced meat with paste. Ready in 20 minutes, best served with rice.

3 Min. Lesezeit

Khua Kling: Das trockene Curry aus Südthailand

Khua Kling is a dry curry: it is fried without a drop of liquid until the paste coats every fiber of the minced meat. Originally from Southern Thailand, this offered a practical advantage. Without sauce, the dish lasted longer and was easy to take on the go.

The paste, called phrik gaeng khua kling in Thai, already contains chili, lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, and shrimp paste. What would have to be purchased individually in many online recipes is already ready to use in this jar. All that remains at the stove is the frying.

Because nothing is diluted in a dry curry, you can taste every individual ingredient in the paste. This makes Khua Kling one of the most intense dishes in the entire range, even though the preparation itself is remarkably simple.

In Southern Thailand, Khua Kling often ends up in a simple metal tin rather than on a plate because it is eaten on the go: on the way to work, in the fields, or on the bus. At home, all you need is a hot pan and a few minutes of patience; no other equipment is necessary. A pot with a lid would actually be counterproductive here, as the moisture would not be able to escape.

  • 4servings
  • 20 min.preparation time
  • 3/5on the THAANI scale

Shopping list

What you will also need

  • 1 jar of THAANI Khua Kling (use 2 tbsp for this recipe)
  • 500 g minced meat (pork or beef)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 100 g green beans, cut into fine rings
  • 4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
  • 1 lime
  • Rice for serving

Preparation

  1. Heat the oil. Heat vegetable oil in a pan or wok over high heat.
  2. Sauté the paste. Fry the Khua Kling paste for 1 to 2 minutes until it becomes aromatic and darkens.
  3. Add the meat. Add the minced meat and fry until crumbly, ensuring the paste is well incorporated into the meat.
  4. Fry dry. Continue frying over medium heat until there is almost no liquid left in the pan.
  5. Stir in the beans and lime leaves. Fold in the green beans and kaffir lime leaves for the last 2 minutes.
  6. Serve. Season to taste with lime juice and serve with rice.
Khua Kling is ready when there is no more liquid swimming in the pan, not when the clock hits a certain time.

Variations or tips

  • Beef instead of pork makes the dish heartier and slightly leaner, while chicken makes it significantly milder.
  • For extra heat, fry fresh, finely chopped chili along with the minced meat.
  • Sticky rice is traditionally better than loose jasmine rice, as it absorbs the dry consistency better.
  • Khua Kling tastes almost as good cold as it does warm, making it perfect for taking to the office.

After opening, the paste can be kept at +2 to +6 °C; it is best covered with a thin layer of oil. One jar is enough for about 10 servings, so you can cook this recipe for four people multiple times before it is empty.