Gaeng Hang Lay (Northern Thai Pork Belly Curry)

Gaeng hang lay reflects the deep culinary exchange between northern Thailand and Myanmar — the paste's ginger-forward, turmeric-rich character and the use of pickled garlic and tamarind directly reflect the Burmese curry tradition. Thompson treats this curry with particular detail in Thai Food as a demonstration of how Thai regional cooking absorbs and transforms culinary influences from adjacent cultures.

A northern Thai curry of pork belly, braised in a dark, aromatic curry paste of ginger, galangal, turmeric, dried chillies, garlic, and shallots — no coconut milk — with pickled garlic, whole shallots, tamarind, and palm sugar. Gaeng hang lay (the name reflects Burmese influence — hang lay is an anglicisation of the Burmese hin lay, meaning 'Burmese curry') is the most celebrated preparation of Chiang Mai and the northern Thai kitchen, and one of the few Thai curries without coconut milk.