The 'sweet-green' curry — named for its color, not its sugar — and barely a century old.
Spicy
$15
Where it comes from
Kaeng khiao wan is a young classic, first recorded between 1908 and 1926, late in Siam's royal era. The name fools translators: wan, sweet, describes the pale creamy shade Thais call 'sweet green' — not the taste, which runs hotter than red curry. Fresh green bird's-eye chilies give the paste both its color and its temper; coconut milk, eggplant, zucchini and basil round it into one of the best-loved curries on earth.
Not sure how to judge a plate like this? Read our field guide to the best Thai food in Orange County — five signs of a real Thai kitchen, and what to order once you’re in one.
