Also known as แกงเผ็ด, แกงเผ็ดไก่, Gaeng Ped Gai, Kaeng Phet, Thai Red Chicken Curry.
Chicken or pork in a red chili coconut curry with bamboo shoots or Thai eggplant and basil. Hotter and less sweet than green curry, and the base for a lot of khao rad gaeng shop trays.
235kcal / 1 bowl (curry only)
A bowl of gaeng phed gai with eggplant is about 235 calories, per the Thai Department of Health, for a typical 250g curry shop ladle. Add a 200g plate of rice and the meal is about 495 calories. Coconut milk is 145 of the 235.
Nutrition facts
Per 1 bowl (curry only) (250g)
Amount
Per 100g
Calories
235 kcal
94 kcal
Protein
14 g
6 g
Carbs
10 g
4 g
Fat
16 g
6 g
Where the calories come from
Coconut milk80g
145 kcal
Chicken50g
80 kcal
Bamboo shoot or eggplant, basil40g
15 kcal
Red curry paste, fish sauce, sugar10g
15 kcal
The real talk
Red curry and green curry are the same calorie problem in different colours. The Thai table puts red curry chicken at 235 per cup and green at 240. The paste is different, the coconut milk is the same, and the coconut milk is 60 percent of the number. A curry shop ladle uses about 80ml. A restaurant bowl uses 150ml and doubles the calories.
Red curry is a good pick at a khao rad gaeng shop (the rice and curry counter) because it is one of the thinner curries. Panang and massaman use coconut cream and sit at 320 or more per cup. Red curry with bamboo shoots is 235, and if you pick the fish ball or chicken version over the pork belly one, you keep it there. Pork belly red curry from a restaurant can be 400 plus per bowl.
The rice and curry shop trick is to order one curry over rice (khao rad gaeng) rather than two toppings. One ladle of red curry over 200g of rice is about 495 calories. Add a second topping like a fried egg or moo krob and the plate is 650 to 800 before you sit down.
How the portions compare
180 kcal
Small cup
235 kcal
Standard curry shop bowl
495 kcal
With 1 plate rice
Red Curry (Gaeng Phed) variants, ranked by calories
Variant
Calories
Notes
Gaeng phed look chin pla (fish balls)
220 kcal
Curry only
Gaeng phed gai (chicken)
235 kcal
Thai Department of Health figure
Gaeng phed ped yang (roast duck)
340 kcal
Duck skin plus lychee and pineapple
Gaeng phed moo sam chan (pork belly)
400 kcal
Restaurant portion
How to eat it lighter
Choose the chicken or fish ball version; pork belly red curry roughly doubles the fat.
At a khao rad gaeng shop, ask for one ladle only (took diaw) and leave the pooled sauce at the edge of the plate.
Bamboo shoot and eggplant are free; ask for extra vegetables rather than extra meat.
Eat it with a 150g rice portion instead of 200g and the meal drops to about 430.
Common questions
How many calories in red curry with rice?
About 495 for a curry shop ladle of chicken red curry over a 200g plate of rice. Restaurant bowls with thick coconut cream push that to 650 or more.
Is red curry spicier than green curry?
Usually yes. Red curry uses dried red chilies and less palm sugar; green curry uses fresh green chilies and is sweeter. Calories are nearly the same at 235 versus 240 a cup.
Is Thai red curry keto friendly?
Without rice it is low carb, about 10g carbs a bowl, but it is not a free food: 16g of fat and 235 calories a bowl adds up if you drink the sauce.
Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical street stall or food court serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.
Calorie figure based on Thai Department of Health (กรมอนามัย) via hdmall.co.th: gaeng phed gai sai makhuea 1 cup = 235 kcal. Macros estimated from the ingredients.