Red curry paste (Entry TH-04) with beef and Thai eggplants in coconut milk — the same technique as gaeng kiew wan gai (Entry TH-15) but with a protein that requires a longer cooking time and a slightly different consideration for the fat contribution. Beef's higher myoglobin content and the tougher connective tissue of many beef cuts require longer simmering in the coconut milk than chicken — but the correct cut (thin-sliced tender beef for a quick curry vs. braising cuts for a slow one) determines the cooking time as much as the protein type.
**The cut choice:** - For a quick red curry (15–20 minutes): sirloin or tenderloin, sliced thin (3mm) against the grain. Added for the last 10 minutes of the curry's simmer. - For a slow red curry (1–1.5 hours): chuck or short rib, cubed — the collagen in the connective tissue converts to gelatin during the extended simmer, enriching the coconut milk and producing a sauce that clings more richly to the meat. The approach changes the dish's character significantly. **Thompson's preference for red beef curry:** [VERIFY] Thompson's specific red curry beef preparation from the source — whether he specifies a quick or a slow approach as the canonical version. **The seasoning difference from chicken curry:** Beef has a stronger inherent flavour than chicken — the red curry paste quantity can be slightly increased to ensure the paste's aromatic cuts through the beef's flavour. The fish sauce quantity remains the same; the palm sugar is slightly reduced (beef's natural umami compounds make the dish taste richer without additional sugar).
David Thompson, *Thai Food* (2002); *Thai Street Food* (2010)