Jungle curry is a popular curry dish in the central region. Gang Pa is a word derived from the word ‘Paka’ or ‘Pa’, which means culinary art. ‘Gang Pa ‘ is a curry that does not use coconut milk or oil in the cooking process and as a result is incredibly difficult to make, with few cooks excelling at this dish. Over time, the word ‘Gang Paka’ has become eroded, leaving only ‘Gang Pa’ and numerous variations on the dish have popped up in places like Rayong and Kanchanaburi.
Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi are border areas adjacent to the Tanaosri Mountain Range, where people grow small, fragrant ‘Bird’s Eye’ Chilis among the native cultivars. There are also very pungent varieties of ‘Holy Basil’ and ‘Eggplant’ to be found here, which are used in the curry, making it taste mellow and well-rounded. These three ingredients define the aroma and flavor of the region’s Jungle curry.
As for the eastern provinces of Chanthaburi, Rayong, and Trat; they don’t have the same hot chili peppers, but they utilize various local herbs such as cassumunar ginger, dried ginger, black pepper, dried coriander flowers, and white cardamom, giving the curry a distinct pungent aroma and intense flavor.
