Difference between Massaman Curry and Panang Curry 🍲🇹🇭

Imagine a dish that combines aromatic spices, creamy coconut milk, and a perfect blend of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors to create a delicious meal. This is the essence of Thai curry—a dish that delights foodies worldwide with its vibrant flavors and rich cultural heritage of Thailand.

Among the different types of Thai curries, the well-known red, yellow, and green curries are popular choices, but Massaman and Panang are particularly notable for their unique histories and distinct flavors.

Similarities

Both Massaman and Panang curries are based on creamy coconut milk and aromatic spices, but offer distinct flavor experiences that highlight the diversity of Thai cuisine. Both curries originate from southern Thailand and share common ingredients such as fish sauce, coconut sugar, tamarind juice, dried red chilies, cumin, and coriander seeds.

The use of coconut milk in both curries creates a rich and creamy texture, and they are typically served with rice, making them hearty and satisfying dishes. Let's explore the distinctive characteristics of these two popular curries and take a closer look at their origins and ingredients.

Massaman Curry 🍲

Massaman curry is a flavorful Thai dish known for its rich, complex flavor and aromatic spices. Although its exact origins are disputed, it is believed to have been influenced by Malaysian cuisine, with Thais adapting the dish over time to create Massaman curry pastes from its unique blend of herbs and spices.

Massaman curry was also mentioned in a poem called "Kap He Chom Khrueang Khao Wan" written by King Rama II of the Chakri Dynasty to praise various savory and sweet dishes.

Traditionally, Massaman curry is prepared with beef, chicken, or lamb and includes ingredients such as potatoes, onions, and roasted peanuts. The curry is more spicy than other Thai curries and contains a variety of spices such as cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, nutmeg, kaffir lime peel, coriander seeds, and galangal. These spices give Massaman curry its rich, mildly spicy, sweet, and slightly complex flavor, reminiscent of Indian spices.

Its unique flavor diversity has earned it international recognition and praise. In 2023/2024, Massaman Curry was ranked the seventh-best hotpot in the world by Taste Atlas. ✨

You can find our authentic Thai Massaman recipe here

Panang Curry 🍛

Panang curry is another popular Thai dish known for its rich and creamy texture. The earliest known mention of panang curry can be found in Mom Somchin Rachanupraphan's book "Tamra Kap Khao," published in 1890, indicating its deep roots in Thai culinary history.

This curry is typically prepared with beef, pork, or chicken and features signature ingredients such as kaffir lime leaves and sweet basil leaves. Unlike Massaman curry, Panang curry contains simpler spices, including red chilies, lemongrass, galangal, cumin, and cardamom, giving it a spicy, salty, sweet, and savory flavor profile.

The distinctive characteristics and enduring popularity of this beloved curry have led to international recognition. In 2024/2025, Panang Curry was ranked the world's best hotpot by Taste Atlas. 🌟

If you want to cook it yourself, get our authentic Thai Phanaeng paste and try our Phanaeng curry recipe !

Did you know?

An interesting fact about Massaman curry is that it is not traditionally prepared with pork. This is because the curry has strong historical and cultural ties to Muslim communities in Thailand, who follow Islamic dietary laws that prohibit the consumption of pork. Instead, it is typically prepared with halal meats such as beef, chicken, or lamb. This reflects the blend of Thai and Muslim cooking traditions and makes Massaman curry a unique dish that highlights the diversity of Thai cuisine.