Product Review: Yai’s Thai
Disclosure: I was given this product in exchange for this post. All opinions here are my own.
The words “spice” and “grandma” rarely coincide but in the case of Yai’s Thai, a curry and sauce business, they do.
Co-founders Leland Copenhagan and Sarah Hughes were inspired by Leland’s grandmother to conjure up Thai sauces without any fake nastiness. This is evident in most of Yai’s Thai nutrition labels: the majority of flavors are low in sodium, gluten-free, Whole30 approved, paleo-friendly, and vegan. You can say that the sauces are made with a yai’s (Thai for “grandma”) touch.
I tried spicy and extra hot flavors, but not to worry — their products range from mild to extra hot if you prefer something less extreme. Here is what I thought of the two curries and sauce I sampled.
Red Thai Coconut Curry (spicy)
I drizzled this sauce on pork, rice, and vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots).
The heat filled my entire mouth instead of a tingling, concentrated sensation like I’m used to. I loved how creamy it was — the texture was a nice switch up from my usual hot sauce, which is usually more liquid-like.
The bottle calls this flavor “red hot” which is fitting: there was instant heat on the first bite.
Rating: 5/5
Prik Khing Curry (spicy)
I paired this as well with pork, rice, veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots). It was super watery on top, which I surmise is due to the sunflower oil it’s made with.
Both the smell and taste had a strong tomato body. Although it does have a nice spice, I prefer the other curry.
Rating: 3.5/5
Chili Garlic Hot Sauce (extra hot)
The flavor is not for the faint of heart! Far from an intro spice, the chili flavor is more prominent than the garlic. The bottle marks this as extra hot, and I agree. I was rather generous with my pour and had more sips than usual of water between bites. There is no dropper, so use caution when pouring. Texture wise, it is more liquid-like than the curry so if you want more of a thick sauce, go with the aforementioned two. This paired well with the fried rice I ate with it.
Rating: 5/5
To spice up your life, visit yaisthai.com.
