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2:

Pad Kra Pao

Pork - Pigs are farmed in central Thailand but most of the pigs that are used are imported from countries like Brazil, Netherlands, and Germany. Pigs are imported then are commercially farmed in the country side. Due to pork being one of the most eaten meats in Thailand it is produce all year round.

Garlic - Garlic has been in Thailand since ancient times and is grown primarily in the northern parts of Thailand like Chiang Mai and Lamphun. The climate is favorable for farming and it is grown both at the commercial level and at the small-scale. Garlic is also a stable ingredient in Thailand so it is always in demand.

Thai Basil and Thai Chili - Thai basil and Thai chili can be found anywhere in the country. They both are the things that give Thai food that special flavor. They are commonly grown together in people's gardens or in large groups in the north. Two of the most popular ingredients so it is grown literally everywhere.

Oyster Sauce - Thailand has the most famous Oyster sauce company in the world called Mae Krlua (Mom of the river). It is made from hand picked Oysters from the Thai coast.

​​Fish Sauce - Fish sauce is made out of local anchovies, salt, and water. It takes about 3-5 months for the sauce to ferment in a wooden barrel. It is made locally and commercially.

Soy Sauce - Thailand grows soybeans in central Thailand to make soy sauce commercially and also import soy sauce from other countries such as Singapore, Japan, and China. Personally i think Thai soy sauce tastes weird.

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Currywurst

Bratwurst - Bratwurst is a traditional German sausage made from local pigs and spices. This process is done commercially in factories and locally in villages or towns. Since its a popular food in Germany different chefs have different recipes making every single sausage special.

Tomato Sauce - The tomato sauce used in Currywurst is actually very similar to ketchup. Commercial production involves mass production of tomato's and other herbs. People use different tomato sauces for different recipes making the production of different sauces.

Curry Powder - Curry powder consists of different herbs found all over the world. Commercially, these spices are sourced from different parts of the world, processed, and blended in factories to producing a consistent product. People use different blends for currywurst giving each a unique flavor.

Onion Powder - Onion powder is made from dried up unions grinded into a powder. These onions are grown in Germany and the powder is commercially produced but can be home made. 

Worcestershire Sauce - Worcestershire Sauce is a English sauce made of vinegar, molasses, anchovies, tamarind extract, onions, garlic, and various seasonings. It is also produced in the US and Germany allowing it to be an easy seasoning for Currywurst. There are vegetarian and vegan versions of the sauce as well.​

Most of the ingredients I have listed have minimal impact on the earths carbon emissions, labor and are relatively cheap. The only thing that is detrimental to the climate is the commercial farming of pigs in Thailand and Germany. Pigs need lots of land similar to cattle and emit c02. Farming pigs is rather labor intensive and cannot be done mechanically so there are people who have the job of taking care of these animals so they are good to eat. In Germany bratwurst uses pork and other spices but goes through more production. Since pork is such a important food in Thai and German cuisine there is a large production that happens pretty much all year. The Thai herbs are very easy to grow anywhere so they have no major labor concerns and are essential to Thai dishes. The sauces however may impact marine life and land use due to fishing and soybean farming. These sauces however have such a major cultural impact not only in Thailand because they are used in dishes all around Asia. Powders are easy to make and take little labor and are used all over the world. Tomato's are a sustainable and essential to German cuisine. Worcestershire sauce does have labor concerns as the fermentation process takes multiple months but it is a iconic condiment in western food culture. From a scale from the 0-5 I would rate all the ingredients to be around a 4.2 mark. The Thai ingredients i would rate around a 4.5 and the German around a 4.

In conclusion i think we can rate Thai Pad Kra Pao as more sustainable than German Currywurst. Pad Kra Pao has less environmental impact than the German dish. The Thai dish included more plants and herbs that have less impact on the environment compared the German dish that needs the production of bratwurst and Worcestershire sauce, both which contribute to carbon emissions. Both dishes have economic impact but the Thai dish relies on more locally sourced ingredients which supports small local farmers and industries making it more economically stable. The German dish uses more processed and imported foods making it less economically stable. Both dishes are deeply rooted in the countries culture. Through this comparison I have learned that meat production is one of the most environmental decrementing processes now. It increases carbon emissions, water use, and land use. Local farms contribute to sustainability. Ingredients like Thai basil, chili, and garlic are grown with relatively low environmental impact and support local economies. Both dishes show the amazing tastes of each cuisine and how each culture uses what's available to make the best food they can.

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