There is something about Green Thai curry which just warmes up your soul.The steam wafting from a warm bowl of some Thai curry with well cooked soft white rice is just what I need at the end of long day to make me feel special.The magic that hugs the house when you make one can’t be explained in words.But making the Thai curry from homemade Green Thai Curry Paste is beyond explainable in mere words!
Thai ingredients are seldom available locally but when they are, I end up acting like a child in a candy shop.Though thats probably me all the time when grocery shopping.Rarely do I get as much pleasure from anything else than shopping for food.I think all the kinara shops around my house recognise me now cause I confound the hell out of them by asking for the weirdest ingredients and the fact that I am carrying a baby in a very Indian looking (KolKol) carrier also earns me some curious looks.
This post is about proper green Thai curry paste.Let me shatter your hopes and dreams by telling you that the stuff coming from most bottles is crap.No where close to the kind of flavours you can get when using real ingredients.If you can get fresh ingredients then use those or else use dried versions and if you don’t have the dried versions then use substitutes but it will still be way better than what the packaged bottles promise you.
I would love to make this paste like this every single time I have a craving for Thai Green Curry but most times I don’t get one ingredient or the other and so these are the substitutes I use when I don’t find the right Thai ingredients
Fresh Lemon Grass= Dried Lemon Grass
Kaffir Lime Leaves=Normal Lemon leaves or Rind of a lemon.
Fresh Galangal=Dried Galangal or Ginger.
Thai Basil(it usually has purple stems)=Normal lemon or Italian Basil
Bird Eye Chillies= Normal Fresh Chillies
I can’t stress enough on the fact that bottled green Thai curry paste is horrible and even with all the substitutions you will end up with a Green Thai curry which will be way better than one made with the bottled paste.
This paste can be used to make Green Thai curry(obviously!) but also can be used as a salad dressing, marinade for a simple chicken fry, stir fry with vegetables and in wraps and sandwiches too.
Authentic Green Thai Curry Paste
- 1 Cup Fresh Coriander with the Stems
- 1 tsp Dried Coriander seeds or powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 2 tbsp Chopped innards of Lemon Grass
- 8 Kafir Lime leaves
- 1 inch Chopped Galangal
- 2 inch Chopped Ginger
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Fish Sauce substitute with water for vegetarian version
- 8-9 leaves of Thai Basil
- 5-6 Green Bird Eye Chillies
- 4-5 Shallots small onions
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- Juice and Rind of one Lemon
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Place all the ingredients in a food processor or a grinder and blitz it to make a smooth paste.
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Store it in a air tight jar inside the refirigerator for upto 7 days.
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