Thai Green Curry Paste
Thai green curry paste is a tempting and tantalizing chili paste made by mixing green chilies and many other flavorful spices. It can be used for making many Thai curries, Thai noodles and Thai soups with meats and vegetables. Master the art of making this paste at home with this recipe.
| Ingredients: |
| 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds or Cumin Powder |
| 2 teaspoons Coriander Seeds or Coriander Powder |
| 3-4 small Garlic cloves, finely chopped |
| 1 tablespoon chopped Galangal |
| 2 tablespoons chopped Lemon Grass (approx. 1 stalk) |
| 2-3 Shallots, chopped (approx. 1/4 cup) |
| Lime Zest from 1 Lime |
| 3-4 Thai Green Chilies or Jalapeño (or to taste) |
| 1/4 cup chopped Coriander Stems and Roots |
| 1/2 teaspoon chopped Fresh Turmeric, optional |
| 1/2 teaspoon White Peppercorns or Pepper Powder, optional |
| A pinch of Salt |
Directions:
- These ingredients are easily available in thai grocery stores. For a spicy paste, use Thai green chilies, and for a less spicy paste, use jalapeno or green bell pepper.
- Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns, and 3-4 garlic cloves in the small jar of a blender.
- Add 1 tablespoon chopped galangal.
- Add 2 tablespoons of chopped lemon grass. (Cut the hard stem part from the bottom and cut it from the top as well. Remove the outer layer from the stalk and then cut the inside soft part into slices.)
- Add 1/4 cup chopped shallots and 1/2 teaspoon fresh turmeric.
- Add 3-4 Thai green chilies or Jalapeño or green bell pepper and 1/4 cup chopped coriander stems and roots.
- Add lime zest from 1 lime. (To remove the lime zest, peel it lightly using a peeler or grate it using a grater to get the green lime peel. Don’t use the white pith part as it is bitter.)
- Blend until smooth. Thai green curry paste is ready to be used as an ingredient in many scrumptious Thai curry recipes.
Tips and Variations:
- Follow the steps given below to prepare it using mortar and pestle.
- Place coriander seeds, cumin seeds, white peppercorns, galangal, fresh turmeric, lime zest, garlic, and thai green chilies in a mortar and pound into smooth paste using pestle. Add lemon grass, coriander stems, shallot, and salt it and pound again until smooth coarse paste.
- You can also use kaffir lime leaves in place of lime zest.
- Store it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. It stays good for a week in the refrigerator and for up to a month in the freezer.
Taste: Spicy
Serving Ideas: Apart from being useful in making curries, noodles, and soups, it can also be used to marinate paneer and tofu to make them flavorful.