Kids Eating Curry–Tortilla, anyone?

So just how do you get kids to eat spicy, coconuty Thai curry–especially if it’s green? I wondered the same thing. I’ve discovered a few helps since I’ve been trying to get my kids as hooked on Thai food as I am.

I made a red, spicy curry the first time I served Thai food to my kids at home a few years ago. They’d loved trying out curries at restaurants (especially if we polished off the meal with coconut ice cream), but when I prepared it at home…it was a total flop. I served the dish–gobs of curry and a mound of rice floating on top–just as we’d had it at restaurants. Even my oldest, who’s willing to try just about anything wouldn’t go past a couple bites. Yikes!

I didn’t try making curry very often after that. I just didn’t want my kids getting into their heads that they didn’t like ‘curry.’ Recently, we went to a Malaysian restaurant that served both Japanese sushi (a favorite of theirs) and Malaysian curries. The server brought out a traditional Malaysian bread, roti canai, to serve with the meal.

A friend of ours, who’s from Malaysia, showed us that the meal would be eaten by dipping the bread into the curry. Voila! All of a sudden I was surrounded by three curry eaters. But we were still at a restaurant and I knew at home my kids might not give it a try (plus, I had no idea how to make that tasty bread–it was a cross between naan and pita bread–but crispier than both on the outside).

If you’ve been following my blog, you know my family loves Mexican food. Since the Malaysian bread seemed in the same category as flour tortillas I had a thought–pair something I know my kids already like–tortillas–with something they’re learning to like–curry. Here’s how I served it this time: I put the green curry (thank you Savory Spice) into small serving bowls (4-ounce ramekins) on a large plate with a pile of rice and a stack of flour tortillas in the center of the table. It helps if you have really good tortillas–I buy the uncooked variety in bulk from Costco. They taste entirely different from the somewhat stale, bland variety available at most grocery stores; they’re chewy and soft with a hint of crispness if you cook them just so.

My kids tore off pieces of tortilla to dip into the curry just as they’d done in the Malaysian restaurant. While no one asked for seconds (except my husband), everyone ate their entire serving of curry–no complaints. Anyone else raising a curry eater?

Also, don’t forget tomorrow is the last day to enter the $50 Bison Sampler Giveaway. I’ll be announcing the winner Friday morning.