THAI CURRY PASTES
These pastes are the basis for Thai Green and Red Curries. I typically make the Green with chicken and the Red with pork or beef, you can use any protein, including seafood or tofu with either. I also the pastes to make sauces to serve as an accompaniment with grilled fish, pork or chicken along with a mango or pineapple salsa. The Green is a bit more herbacious and citrusy due to the additional Coriander seed and the absence of dried chilies. The process is the same for both, with the addition of the soaked dried red chilies for the Red. While this may seem tedious to try to source the ingredients, it is so much better and fresher tasting than most store bought curry pastes that have preservatives to extend their shelf life. These make about 2 cups of each, so I divide them into small containers store some in the refrigerator for use within 2-3 weeks, share some with foodie friends and freeze the rest. You can also freeze it in individual portions (about 2 TBSP) in plastic bags.
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Spice. Grinder, Coffee Grinder or Mortar & Pestle
Ingredients
GREEN CURRY PASTE
- 1 1/2 TBSP Coriander Seeds whole
- 1 TBSP Cumin Seeds whole
- 1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns whole
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt Mortons
- 4 stalks fresh Lemongrass tender purple section only, about 4"
- 4 slices fresh Galangal about 1/2" slices
- 8-10 fresh Jalapeno peppers, stems removed (use 8 if using Serranos)
- 2 fresh Serrano peppers, stems removed
- 20 Green Thai "bird" chilies, stems removed
- 6 Cloves Garlic, peeled
- 2 Large Shallots, peeled
- 1 bunch fresh Cilanto Roots (or stems if you can't find cilantro with roots (Conserve leaves for another purpose)
- 8 fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves, spines removed
- 1 TBSP Anchovy Paste (1/2 tube) OR 1 tsp Shrimp Paste
RED CURRY PASTE
- 1 TBSP Coriander Seeds whole
- 2 tsp Cumin Seeds whole
- 1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns whole
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt Morton's
- 5 stalks fresh Lemongrass tender midsection only, about 4"
- 4 slices fresh Galangal (about 1/4" slices)
- 8 fresh Fresno Chilies fresh, stems removed
- 12 dried long red Chilies, such as New Mexico Hatch (hot), soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, stems removed and liquid drained.
- 20 Red Thai "bird" Chilies, stems removed
- 6 cloves Garlic, peeled
- 2 large Shallots, peeled
- 8 fresh Kaffir Lime Leaves spines removed
- 1 bunch fresh Cilanto Roots (or stems if you can't find cilantro with roots (Conserve leaves for another purpose)
- 1 TBSP Anchovy Paste (1/2 tube) OR 2 tsp Shrimp Paste
Instructions
- In a small saute pan, toast the Coriander, Cumin, Salt and Peppercorns over medium-high heat until fragrant. Toss or stir frequently to make sure the seeds don't burn.
- Transfer the toasted spices to a spice grinder or coffee grinder and process to a fine powder.
- Place the lemongrass and galangal in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse to chop. Galangal is quite coarse, so I find it helps to cut your slices into smaller pieces.
- Add the cilantro roots, shallots, garlic and lime leaves and pulse a few times.
- Add all of the chilies, spices and anchovy (or shrimp) paste and process until a fairly smooth paste forms, scraping down the sides frequently and mixing to make sure no large chunks remain. Be patient here, as it is a very fibrous mixture of ingredients and how quickly it blends together will depend on how powerful your food processor is.
- Transfer to airtight container(s) and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks or freeze.
Notes
KTINA'S TIPS
- This is another recipe that I tend to double when I make it due to the labor intensiveness of the process, and then I share with friends who are fans and keep several containers in my freezer. It's a great project for a cold or rainy day, or that day that you have to be home for a repairman, etc.
- I have a Magimix food processor which has a very powerful motor and a large bowl that allows for a double batch (just barely). If you have another brand, you may find that you can only make a single batch (which makes a lot, so unless you have a lot of friends that you plan to share with, doubling isn't necessary).
- If you have Asian grocery stores near you, it's worth heading there as you are likely to find all of the ingredients you need, particularly lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shrimp paste (if using) and chilies. You will also find the prices to be much more reasonable, since many restaurants do their shopping at these stores and buy in bulk. If you don't have the good fortune of having an Asian market near you, or can't readily locate the ingredients, you can source them online through many sources such as Amazon, Etsy and some other specialty food websites.
- Many grocery stores stock fresh jalapenos, serranos and fresno chilies (which look like a red jalapenos, but they are actually different and have a firmer texture that is much better here), as well as Thai "bird" chilies. Look for chilies that are firm and free of blemishes. If you can't find them easily, you can source them online including at Amazon and Etsy, which serve as go between for small specialty vendors. I had great luck with Melissa's Produce (melissas.com) for Fresno chilies when I could not find them anywhere.
- If you can't find cilantro with roots, which can be difficult, use the stems instead. When I can find cilantro with their roots attached, I grab it and rush to the Asian market to get the other ingredients as the results are really better with the roots.
- I usually slice my chilies in half to help the food processor . . . if you find brown/black seeds when you slice, toss them as they are starting to go off.
- I use Hot New Mexico Hatch chilies for the dried red chilies. They are available at many grocery stores, or readily available from many online sources. They don't weigh much, so don't order the 5 pound bag like I did or you'll have enough for your lifetime.
- When soaking your dried chilies, they will float to the top, so I place a small plate or saucepan lid on them to keep them submerged. Make sure to take off the stems and drain the water.
- I use an old coffee grinder that I keep for the sole purpose of grinding spices and it works beautifully. It is really important to grind your spices, as the food processor will leave you with large chunks of peppercorns and coriander seeds, which are unpleasant in your curry.
- Traditional Thai curry pastes call for fermented shrimp paste, but since several friends have shrimp allergies, I have substituted anchovy paste with equal success and now simply use that . . . plus it's much easier to find, especially if you don't have an Asian market near you.