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Thai-Style Dry Pork and Mushroom Curry

Thai-Style Dry Pork and Mushroom Curry

By Hisham Ali HassanOctober 7, 2025

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    35 minutes

Unlike coconut-based Thai curries that are soupy and sweet, this khua kling curry from southern Thailand is sauceless and assertively savory. In Thailand, we learned a shortcut to making the dish: supplement store-bought Thai red curry paste with turmeric to add bitter, earthy notes and a golden hue. We skip the traditional shrimp paste and add chopped mushrooms to lighten the pork. For more heat, garnish with thinly sliced Fresno or Thai red chilies. Makrut lime is an important flavor; if you can’t find the leaves, look for a red curry paste that lists makrut leaves or peel as one of the first ingredients. Curry pastes vary in spiciness by brand, so we recommend tasting a small amount before deciding exactly how much to use. Moisture content also differs, so keep close watch during cooking so the paste doesn’t scorch. Serve with jasmine rice and, if you like, sliced cucumber.

Tip

Don’t add salt during cooking. The curry paste and fish sauce may very well provide enough salinity. But since curry pastes and palates differ, at the end, taste and adjust as needed.

Ingredients
  • 1

    tablespoon neutral oil

  • 2

    medium shallots, minced

  • 8

    ounces cremini or button mushrooms, chopped into ¼- to ½-inch pieces

  • 3-4

    tablespoons Thai red curry paste

  • 2

    teaspoons white sugar

  • ½

    teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1

    pound ground pork

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 2

    teaspoons fish sauce

  • 8

    makrut lime leaves, minced

  • 1

    teaspoon lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve

  • Thinly sliced scallions, to serve

Step 1

In a 12- to 14-inch wok over high or a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and mushrooms; cook, stirring, until the liquid released by the mushrooms cooks off and the mixture begins to brown, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Stir in the curry paste, sugar and turmeric. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and the paste darkens and begins to stick to the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pork and ¾ teaspoon pepper; cook, breaking the meat into large chunks, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce and lime leaves; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in the lime juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Transfer to a shallow serving dish and sprinkle with the scallions. Serve with lime wedges.