Why is green curry called 'sweet' (wan)?

The name refers to the colour — 'wan' relates to the pale green hue of the fresh chillies used, not to sweetness in the dish. Though palm sugar is added, it is not a sweet curry.

Is green curry hotter than red curry?

Generally yes — green chillies used in green curry paste are often fresher and hotter than the dried red chillies used for red curry. However, heat varies enormously between restaurants.

curry

Gaeng Keow Wan Gai

แกงเขียวหวานไก่

Medium

Gaeng Keow Wan Gai — green chicken curry — is Thailand's most beloved curry, made with fresh green chilli paste, coconut milk, chicken, Thai eggplant, and fragrant kaffir lime leaves. Despite its name, it is neither particularly sweet nor excessively hot, but complex, herbal, and deeply satisfying.

Key Ingredients

chicken
green curry paste
coconut milk
Thai eggplant
kaffir lime leaves
fish sauce
palm sugar
Thai basil

Where to Try It

Any Thai restaurant — this is a benchmark dish for quality. Bo.lan in Bangkok serves an exceptional version.

Tips

The quality of the curry paste determines everything — restaurants that pound their own paste produce dramatically better results.
Eat with jasmine rice to absorb the rich coconut sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

curry

Gaeng Keow Wan Gai

แกงเขียวหวานไก่

Medium

Key Ingredients

chicken
green curry paste
coconut milk
Thai eggplant
kaffir lime leaves
fish sauce
palm sugar
Thai basil

Where to Try It

Any Thai restaurant — this is a benchmark dish for quality. Bo.lan in Bangkok serves an exceptional version.

Tips

The quality of the curry paste determines everything — restaurants that pound their own paste produce dramatically better results.
Eat with jasmine rice to absorb the rich coconut sauce.