Last updated October 2026
Open almost any Thai menu and the curries take up a good share of it. Green, red, panang, massaman, sometimes yellow and jungle curry too. They are all built on a paste pounded from herbs, spices and chillies, but they taste remarkably different, and the heat ranges from gentle to properly fiery.
★View the Best Thai Restaurants in Napier→If you have ever ordered the same curry every time because you were not sure what the others were like, this guide is for you.
What makes a Thai curry
Most Thai curries start with a curry paste: a blend of fresh and dried chillies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, shrimp paste and spices. The paste is fried, usually in coconut cream, until it smells fragrant, then coconut milk, meat or vegetables, and seasonings such as fish sauce and palm sugar are added.
What changes from one curry to the next is mainly the paste (which chillies and spices go into it) and how much liquid the finished dish has.
The four curries you will see most
Massaman
- Colour and texture
- Rich, brown-orange, often with potato and peanuts
- Typical flavour
- Warm spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, slightly sweet
- Heat
- Usually mild
Panang
- Colour and texture
- Thick and creamy, less liquid
- Typical flavour
- Rich, nutty and a little sweet, with makrut lime leaf
- Heat
- Mild to medium
Red
- Colour and texture
- Bright red-orange, soupy
- Typical flavour
- Savoury, built on dried red chillies
- Heat
- Medium
Green
- Colour and texture
- Pale green, soupy
- Typical flavour
- Fresh and herbal, with green chillies and Thai basil
- Heat
- Often the hottest of the four
Heat varies from kitchen to kitchen, so treat this as a guide rather than a rule. Most Thai restaurants will adjust the heat if you ask.
Massaman curry
What the name means
Massaman curry is widely thought to take its name from an old word for Muslim, reflecting the Persian, Indian and Malay traders whose spices shaped the dish. That history shows in the flavour: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise and nutmeg sit alongside the usual Thai chillies and lemongrass.
How to say it
Most people say it “mah-sah-mun”. You will also see it spelt matsaman or mussaman.
Is massaman spicy?
Massaman is usually one of the mildest Thai curries. It is rich, slightly sweet and warming rather than hot, which makes it a popular first choice for anyone who is new to Thai food or wary of chilli.
What meat goes best?
Beef is the classic, slow-cooked until it falls apart, but chicken and lamb are common too. Potatoes, onions and peanuts are almost always part of it. Because the best massaman is cooked slowly, cuts such as beef cheek, chuck or lamb shank suit it far better than quick-cooking steak.
Panang curry
Panang (also spelt phanaeng) is a thicker, richer cousin of red curry. It uses less liquid, so the sauce clings to the meat rather than pooling around it, and it often includes ground peanuts and thin strips of makrut lime leaf.
It is creamy and slightly sweet, with more heat than massaman but usually less than green curry. Beef, chicken, pork and prawns all work well, and it is a good middle ground if you want something a little bolder without a lot of burn.
Red and green curry
Red curry
Red curry paste is made with dried red chillies, which give it its colour and a deep, savoury warmth. It is a versatile base and turns up with chicken, beef, pork, seafood and vegetables. Roast duck red curry, often with pineapple, lychee and tomato, is a well-known variation that balances the spice with sweetness.
Green curry
Green curry paste uses fresh green chillies, and the curry usually includes Thai basil, Thai eggplant or bamboo shoots. It tastes brighter and more herbal than red curry and is often the spiciest of the classic curries. Despite the colour, green does not mean mild.
How to order the right curry for you
- New to Thai food or cautious with chilli? Start with massaman.
- Want rich and creamy with a bit more kick? Try panang.
- Like heat? Go for green curry, or ask for your red curry hotter.
- Ordering for a group? Choose one mild and one hotter curry, plus rice and something fresh like a salad, so everyone has something they enjoy.
- Ask about heat. Kitchens differ, so if you are unsure, ask how hot a dish is and whether it can be adjusted.
- Mention allergies. Many curries contain peanuts, shrimp paste or fish sauce, so tell the restaurant about any allergy before you order.
Getting the most from a takeaway curry
Curry travels well, which is one reason it is such a popular takeaway, whether you are heading home from the Art Deco centre or taking dinner down to Marine Parade on a fine evening. Keep the rice separate until you eat so it does not soak up all the sauce, and if you have leftovers, refrigerate them promptly and reheat until steaming hot. Many people find slow-cooked curries like massaman taste even better the next day, once the spices have had time to settle.
Where Chaona Thai fits
Chaona Thai is a Thai restaurant on Emerson Street in central Napier, open for lunch and dinner seven days, with dine-in, table bookings and online ordering for pickup and delivery. Its curry and main dishes include a massaman made with slow-cooked beef cheeks, potato, onion, lotus root and peanut, a green curry with chicken, bamboo shoot and long beans, and a duck curry with tomato, lychee, pineapple and grapes, all served with jasmine rice.
For something more substantial, the Chaona crafted menu includes a Panang lamb shank set with roti, rice, mixed salad and panang curry. You can book a table or order online, or call 06 835 3959.
