Learn how to make trio of Thai Curry Pastes; Thai Red Curry Paste, Thai Yellow Curry Paste and Thai Green Curry Paste
"Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements."
~ Marcel Boulestin
One thing I have learnt from my over a decade of kitchen adventure is learning how to balance and harmonize flavours. Even the fresh ingredients, such as herbs, spices and vegetables, can differ depending on their freshness, the soil and climate condition where they are grown, the way they are packed and stored etc. Same chilli I had bought few days back was less spicy and the tomatoes were more juicer than the one from my previous shopping trip to same old supermarket. Similarly, tamarind puree from same brand may differ in degree of sourness depending on how thick or thin it is made while the colour of chilli powder may be brighter than the last pack you consumed.
Thai Red, Yellow and Green Curry Pastes
Thai Green Curry Paste
For any cook, amateur or experienced, it is important to make adjustments in the quantity used to bring out the right flavour of the ingredients to suit your taste buds rather than blindly following the given recipes religiously. Recipes should serve as guidelines as they cannot speak for our taste preference or the variance in the ingredients we get from different places. Rather following the cooking instructions, I follow my instinct and my palate as it is these two which tells me what I would like in a particular dish, a hint of this a dash of that which creates a perfect harmony between flavour, aroma and the complete satisfaction of creating something which my loved ones enjoy.
Following your instinct and taste should not be limited to the ingredients you are familiar with, to the food which you are grown up with or to the one’s which you have had tasted hundred times. For me it is more important when I create a foreign cuisine where the ingredients used can vary considerably from batch to batch, brand to brand and seasonality. Never hesitate to cut down the number of chillies if you can’t take too much of heat, increase the amount of lime juice if you enjoy sharp and sour taste. Don’t panic if you are short of one or two ingredients. Add or omit herbs and spices to suit your taste and adjust the flavour according to your preference. Play around with the ingredients until you get the right combination of flavours that are most suited to your palate.
Thai Red Curry Paste
Thai Yellow Curry Paste
One cuisine which I feel I can safely tweak to my preference is Thai food. For a hard core south Indian who has more than average percentage of coconut milk flowing in her blood stream, Thai curry is as dear to me as any Rasams and Sambars. Who wouldn’t fall for a subtle blend of hot, salty, sweet and sour flavors of Thai curry which makes the taste buds tingling? When cooked with home-made curry paste it’s a cherry on icing.
Today I am sharing not just one, but three recipes for Thai Curry Pastes; Thai Red Curry Paste, Thai Yellow Curry Paste and Thai Green Curry Paste. These trio of Thai Curry Pastes are fresh, fragrant and flavoursome which is sure to tickle every taste buds. Don’t hesitate to make these curry pastes even if you are short of any ingredients. I am posting the substitutes for few ingredients which otherwise is not easily available in few places and I can safely vouch for these as I have tried them myself. So without further ado, let’s get cooking…
Thai Green Curry Paste
Thai Green Curry Paste
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins
Recipe Level: Easy
Spice Level: Medium to Hot
Makes: About 1 cup
Recipe Source:Real Vegetarian Thai by Nancie McDermott
Shelf Life: 2-3 weeks when refrigerated
Ingredients:
1 stalk lemongrass
2 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
2 Tbsp Vegetarian Fish Sauce (read notes)
1 tsp Brown Sugar
4-6 Green Chillies, deseeded (adjust as per to taste)
1 small Onion/Shallot
1-2 large Garlic Cloves
1 tsp Kaffir Lime Zest (read notes)
1 tbsp Kaffir Lime Juice (read notes)
1 thumb-size piece Galangal (read notes)
1 packed cup Fresh Coriander stems and leaves
1 packed cup fresh Basil stems and leaves
Ingredients for Thai Green Curry Paste
Method:
Preparation:
- Wash the fresh coriander and basil and spread them on a tea towel to dry them. Making sure that no moisture is left will help to keep the paste from getting spoilt and hence increase their shelf life.
- Similarly, wash the green chillies and pat them dry. Remove the stems and slit them and remove the seeds. You can retain the seeds if you prefer spicy flavour.
- Remove the hard outer stalks of lemon grass and slice the lower part and keep it aside. You can use the hard stalks of lemon grass to make a flavoursome green tea.
- Wash and pat dry the galangal and scrape the skin. Roughly slice them and keep it aside until needed.
- Peel the onion or shallot and garlic and roughly chop them.
Proceed to cook:
- Place all the ingredients listed above in a pestle and mortar or in a food processor or grinder and grind them to paste. I personally prefer to use pestle and mortar to get the maximum flavour from the fresh ingredients but food processor makes the life easier if you are short on time. The water content in the fresh basil and coriander leaves and stems is enough for helping in grinding the paste, but if the ingredients are sticking to the jar add very little water, just enough to help in grinding. If using the paste immediately, then use little coconut milk in place of water for flavour.
- Transfer the Thai Green Curry Paste into an air tight, sterilised jar and close the lid tightly and store it in a refrigerator. If made by taking all the precautions, the curry paste will stay fresh for 2-3 weeks. Use the curry paste to make Thai curries or soups.
Thai Red Curry Paste
Thai Red Curry Paste
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins
Recipe Level: Easy
Spice Level: Medium to Hot
Makes: About 1 cup
Recipe Source:Real Vegetarian Thai by Nancie McDermott
Shelf Life: 2-3 weeks when refrigerated
Ingredients:
2 large Garlic Flakes
1 small Onion/Shallot
1 inch Galangal
2 stalks of Lemon Grass (lower half) or ½ Lime zest + 2 tbsp Lime Juice
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
1 tbsp Tamarind Paste
½ packed cup Fresh Coriander Stems (not leaves)
1 tbsp Basil/1 tsp Dry Basil PowderSpices Used:
1½ tbsp Coriander Seeds
Seeds from 3 Green Cardamom Pods
5-6 Dry Red Chilies (adjust as per taste)
¼ - ½ tsp Black Peppercorns
Ingredients for Thai Red Curry Paste
Method:
Preparation:
- Wash the fresh coriander and basil and spread them on a tea towel to dry them. Making sure that no moisture is left will help to keep the paste from getting spoilt and hence increase their shelf life.
- Remove the hard outer stalks of lemon grass and slice the lower part and keep it aside. You can use the hard stalks of lemon grass to make a flavoursome green tea.
- Wash and pat dry the galangal and scrape the skin. Roughly slice them and keep it aside until needed.
- Peel the onion or shallot and garlic and roughly chop them.
Proceed to cook:
- Dry roast coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, dry red chilies and black peppercorns on a low heat for a minute or until the seeds turns light golden and fragrant. Transfer them into a clean and dry plate and let them cool down to room temperature.
- Transfer the roasted spices and all the other ingredients listed above into a pestle and mortar or food processor or mixer jar and grind to a smooth paste. I personally prefer to use pestle and mortar to get the maximum flavour from the fresh ingredients but food processor makes the life easier if you are short on time. The water content in the fresh herbs are enough for helping in grinding the paste, but if the ingredients are sticking to the jar add very little water, just enough to help in grinding.
- Transfer the Thai Red Curry Paste into an air tight, sterilised jar and close the lid tightly and store it in a refrigerator. If made by taking all the precautions, the curry paste will stay fresh for 2-3 weeks. Use the curry paste to make Thai curries or soups.
Thai Yellow Curry Paste
Thai Yellow Curry Paste
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 5 mins
Recipe Level: Easy
Spice Level: Medium
Makes: About 1 Cup
Recipe Source: Real Vegetarian Thai by Nancie McDermott
Shelf Life: 2-3 weeks when refrigerated
Ingredients:
1 medium Onion or 2-3 Shallots, peeled and quartered
8-10 finger length Dry Red Chillies, soaked in warm water for 20 mins
1½ inch Galangal or Ginger
1 cup Fresh Coriander Leaves, including roots and stems
4-6 Large Garlic Cloves
1 tbsp Lemongrass Paste or 3 stalks of Lemongrass, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
½ tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Curry Powder (I used Kitchen King Powder)
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tbsp Lime Juice (I used Kaffir Lime Juice)
1 tsp SaltSpices to Roast and Ground to Powder:
1½ tbsp Coriander Seeds
½ tbsp Cumin Seeds
10 Black or White Pepper Corns
Ingredients for Thai Yellow Curry Paste
Method:
Preparation:
- Wash the fresh coriander and basil and spread them on a tea towel to dry them. Making sure that no moisture is left will help to keep the paste from getting spoilt and hence increase their shelf life.
- Remove the hard outer stalks of lemon grass and slice the lower part and keep it aside. You can use the hard stalks of lemon grass to make a flavoursome green tea.
- Wash and pat dry the galangal and scrape the skin. Roughly slice them and keep it aside until needed.
- Peel the onion or shallots and garlic and roughly chop them.
Proceed to cook:
- Heat a pan and dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns on slow flame till they change colour and are aromatic, about 2 minutes. Transfer them into a clean bowl and let them cool completely. With a help of coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and mortar grind them to fine powder. I personally prefer to use pestle and mortar to get the maximum flavour from the fresh ingredients but food processor makes the life easier if you are short on time.
- Add this powder to all the ingredients listed above into a pestle and mortar or food processor and grind them to smooth paste adding little water at time. Make sure that you add water only when it is required to get fairly thick and smooth paste.
- Transfer the Thai Yellow Curry Paste into an air tight, sterilised jar and close the lid tightly. You can store this paste in an air tight container and refrigerate for up to one month and use as and when needed.
Thai Yellow Curry Paste
Sia’s Notes:
- Vegetarian Fish Sauce is a mixture of soy beans, salt, sugar, water, chilli, and citric acid which acts as a preservative. I make my own Veg Fish Sauce when I am short of strore bought by adding ½ cup Soya Sauce+1 tbsp Sugar+1 tbsp Red Chilli Paste+ ¼ tsp Citric Acid/1 fresh Lime Juice.
- Fresh Galangal is available as fresh/dried/paste form in local oriental stores or Asian stores and sometime in supermarkets. If you don’t have Galangal in your pantry use Ginger and 1 tsp Lime juice instead. I usually add small piece of ginger along with galangal which gives extra flavour and kick to the curry paste.
- Fresh Kaffir Lime is usually available in Asian stores. When they are not available substitute them with lime zest and juice.
- Lemon Grass is available as fresh/frozen/dry/paste. You can substitute them with lime zest and juice.
- I personally prefer to use pestle and mortar to get the maximum flavour from the fresh ingredients but food processor makes the life easier if you are short on time.
