It was Dara vs. Alexander in the exciting finale of Master Chef Junior USA where young home chefs age 8 to 13 competed for the grand prize of 100,000 dollars and a trophy.

Dara an Asian girl from California and Alexander a chubby Anglo boy from New York provided an apt contrast in styles. In other words, great television!

For her main course in the finale Dara chose to use a "Thai" style curry sauce composed of garlic, ginger, curry powder, and coconut milk.

It's interesting that this kind of Thai inspired but NOT real Thai curry sauce has become popular in general fine dining restaurants in the west (as opposed to Thai restaurants).

I somehow doubt the pantry on offer for these chefs included ingredients like the actual makings of a fresh Thai curry paste or even pre-made paste, but I don't know.

These kinds of dishes are not pretending to be actual Thai cuisine of course.

Personally, I am not a fan of this kind of pimped up "Thai" inspired food but it has become very pervasive and the fact that such a dish was in the finals of this major competition amplifies that point.

I won't tell you the grand prize winner in case you want to watch this seven part series yourself or just the finale.

You can see the two finalists describe their three course starting at about minute 7:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=b6tSDfUjmZs

It was Dara vs. Alexander in the exciting finale of Master Chef Junior USA where young home chefs age 8 to 13 competed for the grand prize of 100,000 dollars and a trophy.

Dara an Asian girl from California and Alexander a chubby Anglo boy from New York provided an apt contrast in styles. In other words, great television!

For her main course in the finale Dara chose to use a "Thai" style curry sauce composed of garlic, ginger, curry powder, and coconut milk.

It's interesting that this kind of Thai inspired but NOT real Thai curry sauce has become popular in general fine dining restaurants in the west (as opposed to Thai restaurants).

I somehow doubt the pantry on offer for these chefs included ingredients like the actual makings of a fresh Thai curry paste or even pre-made paste, but I don't know.

These kinds of dishes are not pretending to be actual Thai cuisine of course.

Personally, I am not a fan of this kind of pimped up "Thai" inspired food but it has become very pervasive and the fact that such a dish was in the finals of this major competition amplifies that point.

I won't tell you the grand prize winner in case you want to watch this seven part series yourself or just the finale.

You can see the two finalists describe their three course starting at about minute 7:

Coconut milk was used in curries from Malaysia and India. It is not original authentically thai cuisine. Thai curries are dry as a rule

Yes, but would have to taste that curry to see if there is anything faintly Thai in the flavor. Another thing you see in the west is adding peanut butter like for a sate dip and calling it Thai as well. It's not exactly the crime of the century as it's mostly about marketing as Thai flavoring is seen as a good thing.