No matter what anyone says, nothing is better than making curries with homemade pastes. Yes, it does take more time, I am not denying it. Think of this as a Sunday job and say goodbye to the jar aisle. That aisle is full of ingredient lists with words we can’t pronounce, and that my friends, is supermarket shopping rule #1. Once you’ve mastered this, head over to my green curry recipe to continue the goodness.
thai green curry paste
Ingredients
3 shallots
2 lemongrass stalks, white bit only
8 kaffir lime leaves
4 cloves of garlic
a knob of galangal or ginger
roots and leaves from a bunch of coriander
1tsp of salt
5 green bullet chillies
1tsp each peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds
Method
Finely chop all the ingredients then leave aside in a bowl. The finer you chop, the easier the process will be so take your time, especially with the kaffir lime, lemongrass and galangal, which will struggle to break down otherwise.
Heat a non stick pan then dry roast the peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds until you can start to smell the spices.
Using either a mortar and pestle or a food processor, puree the ingredients until a smooth paste is formed. If using a processor, you may find you want to add a little water to help it move along. You’ll get a better flavour from using a mortar & pestle as it bruises the ingredients, rather than shreds them. This brings out the natural colours and aromatics better. My advice? Enlist someone to help you!
Ready to make the curry? Click here.