AgWired

Have you ever wondered where red curry get it’s color. It comes from the chalky red seeds of what my guide called the “curry plant”. My research shows that his “curry plant” is not the same plant known as the curry plant in English. Nor is it the same as the curry tree. I couldn’t quite identify what we call this plant in English, but the guide on my mountain excursion in Vietnam says the fruit of this plant is where the Vietnamese find the red-coloring to use in their red curries.

I found out it also works great as a lipstick. Talk about long-lasting! Really, I couldn’t get that streak off my cheek for about two days. The red powder “lipstick” doesn’t have much of a curry taste, or much of any taste for that matter. When I said as much to my guide, he agreed and explained the plant is used just for the coloring.

Bananas are a staple of Southeast Asia. In Thailand, small crepes stuffed with bananas, chocolate and condensed milk are popular treats and are often the staple for the average backpacker. Banana shakes are also a favorite. (Personally, I go for banana-coconut shakes.) The same goes for Cambodia as well as Vietnam. Although, neither of those countries offer “banana pancakes” that can rival those in Thailand. I’m in Laos now and I heard the “banana pancakes” here are just as good as those in Thailand. We’ll see…

The bananas here in Southeast Asia sometimes look funny, like midget bananas. I didn’t know they could come so small. You see bunches of dwarfed bananas that barely stretch beyond the length of your palm. They’re great snacks and you can usually get a huge bunch of them for about $2.

In Thailand, banana flower salad is an excellent local dish. Watch out though! It’s spicy!!

When I was on my 5-day motorcycle trek through the central highlands of Vietnam, my guide explained that the pulp from banana trees is used by villagers to feed their pigs. They chop up the trees, then grind the pulp and put it in a stew of sorts. The pigs love it.