Poo Pad Pong Kari

1. 1

   Prepare the crab

2. 2

   Prepare vegetables and aromatics

3. 3

   Make the curry sauce mixture

4. 4

   Heat the wok and sauté aromatics

5. 5

   Cook the curry sauce

6. 6

   Add the crab meat

7. 7

   Add final garnishes

8. 8

   Serve immediately

• •Use the highest quality fresh crab meat you can find. Blue crabs or Dungeness crabs work exceptionally well. The sweetness of the crab is the star of this dish.
• •For the most authentic flavor, use Japanese SB curry powder or British-made Waugh's curry powder, which are popular in Thailand. These mild curry powders have the right balance of turmeric and coriander.
• •Don't skip the nam prik pao (roasted chili paste). It adds an essential smoky, sweet, and spicy complexity that makes this dish distinctively Thai. Use the oil that floats on top for extra flavor.
• •Keep the eggs soft and creamy rather than fully scrambled. The sauce should have a custard-like consistency that coats the crab, not dry scrambled eggs.
• •Chinese celery is quite different from regular celery - it's more aromatic and has thinner stalks. If you can't find it, substitute with regular celery leaves plus a bit of cilantro, though the flavor won't be quite the same.
• •Work quickly once you start cooking. This is a stir-fry dish that comes together fast, and the ingredients should remain tender and not overcooked.
• •If using whole crab pieces with shells, be sure to crack them thoroughly so diners can easily access the meat. Shell-on presentation is more authentic and adds flavor.
• •Evaporated milk is traditional in modern recipes for its neutral, creamy flavor. You can substitute regular milk or even coconut milk for a richer, more traditional Thai touch.
• •Adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer fresh chilies, or by increasing the amount of nam prik pao for a deeper heat.
• •This dish is best served immediately. The eggs can become rubbery and the sauce can separate if held too long.

• •
  khao-suai
• •
  som-tam
• •
  yam-woon-sen
• •
  tom-yum-goong
• •
  khao-pad-sapparot
• •
  pad-pak-ruam-mit
• •
  goong-ob-woon-sen

Poo Pad Pong Kari is a quintessential example of Sino-Thai fusion cuisine that emerged in Bangkok's Chinatown during the mid-20th century. The dish was created by Teochew Chinese immigrants who brought their stir-fry techniques to Thailand and ingeniously combined them with Anglo-Indian curry powder that had become available through British colonial trade routes. Some food historians credit chefs from Shanghai or Penang for its creation, while others point to Indo-Portuguese influences from Goa, but the finished dish is unmistakably Thai in its balance and generosity. The key innovation was using Madras-style yellow curry powder from Britain—rich in turmeric and coriander—and enhancing it with distinctly Chinese-Thai elements like soy sauce, nam prik pao (roasted chili paste), and the Cantonese technique of thickening sauces with beaten eggs. This created a unique custard-like curry sauce unlike any traditional Thai curry made with fresh paste and coconut milk. The dish gained widespread fame when Somboon Seafood restaurant, which opened in Bangkok in 1969, made it their signature specialty. Somboon's version became so legendary that poo pad pong kari is now considered one of Bangkok's must-try dishes, served in restaurants ranging from street-side stalls to upscale establishments. The restaurant's success helped popularize this Sino-Thai creation throughout Thailand and eventually internationally. What makes this dish historically significant is how it reflects Thailand's position as a cultural crossroads. It combines British curry powder (itself a colonial invention), Chinese stir-fry methods, Thai ingredients like nam prik pao, and local seafood—all harmonized into something that feels authentically Thai. This adaptability and fusion of influences while maintaining a distinct Thai identity is characteristic of Bangkok's culinary evolution in the 20th century.

An authentic poo pad pong kari has several defining characteristics that distinguish it from generic curry dishes: **Essential Elements:** - Uses dry curry powder, not curry paste. The specific type matters—mild Indian-style curry powder (like Japanese SB brand or British Waugh's brand) is traditional, not Thai yellow curry paste or strong Indian curry blends. - The sauce must have a soft, creamy, custard-like texture from the eggs and milk, not a thin, soupy consistency or dry, fully scrambled eggs. - Nam prik pao (roasted chili paste) is non-negotiable. It provides the smoky, slightly sweet, and complex flavor that makes this distinctly Thai-Chinese rather than simply curry-flavored. - Chinese celery leaves are essential for authenticity. Their strong, aromatic flavor is a defining characteristic that regular celery cannot replicate. **Authentic Techniques:** - The curry sauce mixture (eggs, milk, seasonings) should be whisked until fluffy before adding to the wok, creating a lighter texture. - Aromatics (garlic, onions) are fried first to develop flavor, then the egg mixture is added and gently scrambled while still creamy. - The seafood is folded in at the end, just long enough to coat and heat through without overcooking. - Fresh herbs (green onions and Chinese celery) are added at the very end, wilting slightly but retaining their fresh aroma. **Traditional Presentation:** - Most authentic versions use whole crab pieces with shells cracked, not just picked crab meat. The shells add flavor and make for dramatic presentation. - The dish should have a vibrant golden-yellow color from the turmeric in the curry powder. - It's always served immediately while hot, typically with jasmine rice, though khanom jeen (rice vermicelli) or bread are also traditional accompaniments. **What to Avoid:** - Using thick curry paste or making it too spicy—this is a mild dish where the crab flavor should shine. - Overcooking the eggs until they're rubbery and dry. - Omitting the milk, which is essential for the creamy sauce texture. - Using standard curry powder with too much heat or the wrong spice profile. - Skipping the nam prik pao, which removes a key layer of Thai flavor. Authentic poo pad pong kari from Bangkok's Chinese-Thai restaurants strikes a perfect balance: rich but not heavy, aromatic but not overpowering, with the sweet crab meat as the undisputed star supported by a harmonious blend of Sino-Thai flavors.