Indian spices from the south and fresh herbs from the north are combined in this central Thai green curry paste recipe. This recipe yields a large quantity of curry paste that may be used to create numerous batches of curry over the course of a few weeks in the refrigerator. Your curries will always taste better with fresh curry paste than with prepared pastes that have preservatives.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 30 mins |
| Servings: | 36 |
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped Thai chile peppers
- 3 shallots, chopped
- 2 cilantro roots, peeled and chopped
- 1 head garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 ½ ounces fresh Thai basil leaves, chopped
- 2 stalks lemongrass, sliced
- 2 tablespoons peeled and chopped galangal
- 2 tablespoons grated makrut lime zest
- 2 tablespoons fermented shrimp paste
- 2 tablespoons freshly toasted cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh turmeric root
- 1 tablespoon toasted coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
Instructions
- Combine green chiles, shallots, cilantro roots, garlic, Thai basil, lemongrass, galangal, lime zest, shrimp paste, cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander seeds, salt, and white pepper in a mortar and pestle; pound into a smooth paste.
- It is well worth the energy of using a mortar and pestle. You can use a food processor or blender to purée the ingredients into a paste, but keep in mind they can oxidize the ingredients, muddying the flavor.
- Use 2 to 3 tablespoons of the curry paste in your curry, depending on how spicy you like it.