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Kaeng Hang Lei — traditional dish from Chiang Mai, Thailand
Main course Meat

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥700kcal
💪34gProtein
🌾25gCarbs
🥑55gFat
🌿4gFibre
⚖️300 gServing

* Per serving · 300 g. May vary.

Kaeng Hang Lei

How to order / say it
Say it แกงฮังเล — [Geng-hung-lay]
Order I'll take the Kaeng Hang Lei, please.
Locally ผม/ฉันต้องการแกงฮังเล ครับ/ค่ะ
Say locally

A Northern Thai pork curry flavored with ginger and tamarind.

Why try it?

Kaeng Hang Lei offers a taste of Northern Thailand's cultural harmony with its blending of Thai and Burmese flavors. This dish is a reflection of the region's culinary history and its shared borders.

How it tastes

Rich and deeply flavored, this curry combines the sweetness of palm sugar with tangy tamarind and warming spices like ginger and turmeric. The result is a harmonious and comforting dish with tender pork.

Origin & History — first documented: 1600

Kaeng Hang Lei was brought to Northern Thailand by Burmese settlers in the 16th century. It has become a local favorite, reinterpreted over time to suit indigenous tastes and ingredients.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🥩 400 g pork belly
  • 🧂 30 g ginger
  • 🥣 2 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 🥣 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 🧄 30 g garlic
  • 🧂 3 tbsp red curry paste
  • 🍯 1 tbsp palm sugar
  • 🧂 1 tsp turmeric powder

Method

  1. 1 Marinate pork with spices and sauces for 30 minutes.
  2. 2 Sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant.
  3. 3 Add marinated pork, cover with water, simmer until tender.
  4. 4 Reduce sauce to thicken, adjust seasoning as needed.

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All Asia recipes — Thailand — Chiang Mai — Kaeng Hang Lei
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