Development of a Ready to Cook “Kaeng Liang Curry Paste” and the Concept of the Food Business

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: The WHO has prescribed the criteria for individuals to consume 400-500 grams fruits and vegetables per day for health promotion and disease prevention purposes. However, the study found 71.1% of Thais aged 15 years and over consumed less than the criterion. Therefore, the Thai Health Promotion Foundation has campaigned for 50% Thai people to take more than 400 grams of fruits and vegetables daily. As well, the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine has revived Thai food wisdom, announcing “Kaeng Liang” is a healthy food (spicy mixed veggie soup) with herbal properties and local vegetables in all seasons. Consistent with Thai beliefs and culture about eating food as medicine, the objectives of this study were (1) to explore the recipes of Kaeng Liang from Thai wisdom; (2) to develop a prototype of Kaeng Liang curry paste; (3) to evaluate the tasters’ preference of the ready-to-cook curry paste; and (4) study the business concept of the product from the tasters.

            Methods: The study had steps: (1) telling stories of Kaeng Liang as Thai wisdom from local cooks in four regions; (2) developing a prototype Kaeng Liang curry paste three times and getting the pastes evaluated for preference by nine tasters each time, totaling 27 tasters, then applying prototype  paste 3 as a ready-to-cook curry for the tasters; and (3) managing healthy food exhibition, cooking Kaeng Liang using the ready-to-cook curry paste, evaluating preference and giving business concepts by 84 tasters.

Results: (1) Kaeng Liang is well-known Thai food in all regions, consisting three equal main ingredients: shallots, galingale, shrimp paste with ground dried shrimp, and peppercorns as you like, and cooking with local vegetables of all seasons. (2) The ready-to-cook curry paste contains three main ingredients (a) shallots 25%, (b) galingale 20%, and (c) shrimp paste 15% with ground dried shrimp 30% and peppercorns 10%. (3) The tasters’ preferences were at the highest level for the taste, and at a high level for color, fragrance, appearance and appropriateness. (4) Suggested food business concepts includes (a) cook Kaeng Liang as a healthy dish in the canteen; (b) publicize through various multimedia; (c) offer market promotion by selling, exhibition, and sample distribution; and (d) offer various products with a modern packaging design.

Discussion: The Kaeng Liang ready-to-cook curry paste provides medicinal properties, beneficial to health, and can be cooked with various types of vegetables. It helps people consume more vegetables and is more convenient to cook. It has been used to promote vegetable consumption in adults, the elderly and lactating mothers by selecting local vegetables which have health properties such as banana blossom for new moms after giving birth and chiang-da vegetable for diabetics. In addition, there should be guidelines for managing health/herbal food business for sale in hospitals.

            Conclusion and recommendation: Kang Liang is a healthy food that promotes vegetable consumption. Further studies should be conducted to determine the shelf life and nutritional values of the product, develop another ready-to-cook curry paste for cooking healthy dishes for various groups of patients, revitalize other healthy food/dishes based on Thai wisdom such as Kaeng Pa and Kaeng Som, and conduct trials on healthy food business and services in the hospital canteen.