Author’s Note
If you are anything like me, you must have walked up and down supermarket aisles, eyeing those colorful rows of curry pastes lining the shelves. They look so tantalizing that I always tend to grab a few. There are some really authentic ones out there that can save time and effort when you are in need of a curry in a hurry.
However, after trying my hand at making curry paste at home, I have stopped wandering around the supermarket aisles trying to find that perfect curry paste. I found out that fresh home made curry pastes are hands down so much better than the store bought versions. They have that fresh clean taste and strong flavors.
There are several types of curry pastes. Although the basic ingredients are similar, they all add a different flavor and degree of heat to the recipe they are introduced to. After researching through various curry paste recipes, I have come up with some of my own versions. Thai green curry, which is my favorite, is the hottest as it uses small, hot fresh green chilies. Red curry paste is milder, as it usually uses dried red chilies. There’s a little bit of chopping and cleaning involved, but it’s all worth it. So, take out your blender or food processor and let us make some curry paste.
Recipe
Ingredients
| Green curry paste | |
|---|---|
 | 1 tablespoon coriander seeds |
| 1 tablespoon cumin seeds |
| 1 teaspoon shrimp paste (opt it out if you want to keep it vegetarian) |
| 15 fresh green Thai chilies, chopped |
| 2 shallots chopped |
| 6 garlic cloves chopped |
| A good chunk of fresh galangal, about 2 inches, chopped |
| 3 lemongrass stalks (white part only) |
| 7 to 8 kaffir lime leaves, chopped |
| 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro root |
| Grated rind of 1 lime |
| 1 teaspoon black peppercorn |
| Red curry paste | |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon coriander seeds |
| 1 tablespoon cumin seeds |
| 2 teaspoon shrimp paste (leave it out if you want to keep it vegetarian) |
| 12 dried or fresh red chilies, chopped |
| 2 shallots, chopped |
| 8 garlic cloves, chopped |
| A chunk of galangal, about 2 inches, chopped |
| 3 lemongrass stalks ( white part only), chopped |
| 5 kaffir lime leaves, chopped |
| 3 tablespoon chopped cilantro root |
| Grated rind of 1 lime |
| 1 teaspoon peppercorns |
Note: Follow the same instructions below for either green or red curry paste.
Instructions
| Dry fry the coriander and cumin seeds in a heavy bottom skillet, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until browned. Remove from heat and let it cool. Grind to a powder with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder |
| Put the ground spices, shrimp paste (if using), and chilies into a blender or food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process again to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides as necessary |
Note: The Thai curry pastes can be stored in a clean jar for upto 5 days in a refrigerator. You can freeze them for upto 3 months. My favorite way of freezing them is in an ice cube tray. When I am in need of some curry paste, I take out as many cubes as I need for a meal and return the tray to the freezer for future use.
Inspiration: Thai flavors