Info
- Skill Level: Moderate
- Cost: Moderate
- Favorited: 6 Times
Can be made ahead of time.
Thai Red Curry Paste
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Recipe
It's most authentic to prepare curry pastes with a mortar and pestle. Don’t be deterred. This pungent, aromatic curry paste can also be prepared in a mini–food processor. The result will be a smoother paste, but the flavors won’t suffer in the least. Use as a seasoning for any Thai curry using beef, pork, dark-meat chicken, or lamb.
Yield :
Makes ¾ cup
Ingredients
- 20 small dried red hot chiles, seeded and chopped
- 2 stalks lemongrass, tender inner bulb from the bottom 5 inches, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (leaves, stems, and roots, if attached)
- One 2-inch piece fresh galangal or ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tablespoon shrimp paste
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
- Zest of 1 lime, removed in strips with a peeler
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons peanut or other mild-flavored vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons water
Directions
In a mortar using a pestle or in a food processor, combine all the ingredients except the oil and water and pound or process until coarsely pureed. Add the oil and pound or process until a fairly smooth paste forms. Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time if the paste is too dry to process. Will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Tips for Using Curry Sauces:
• Sauté meats (like cut-up chicken parts, beef, lamb, goat, or pork cut into 1-inch pieces) in a light-flavored oil over medium-high heat until well browned, then reduce the heat to medium-low and add the curry sauce. Simmer until the meat is tender.
• Pork, dark-meat chicken, lamb or goat shoulder, or shin meat works best for Caribbean-style curries, because the longer it takes to cook, the more flavorful the stew.
• Light-meat chicken, seafood, or pork tenderloin works best in Thai curries, because the sauce is already flavorful and doesn’t need to cook for very long.
• Lean meats, such as boneless chicken breast, pork tenderloin, pork loin, or beef sirloin (which I don’t recommend) require little simmering; remove the meat after browning, then add the sauce. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes, then add the meat and cook briefly to avoid overcooking.
© 2005 Grace Parisi
Nutritional Information
Nutrients per serving (% daily value)
Nutritional information is based on 12 servings.
32kcal (2%)
12mg (1%)
2mg (3%)
27mcg RAE (1%)
56mg
6mg
0g
0g
1g
2g
0mg (0%)
971mg (40%)
0g (1%)
3g (4%)
1mg (3%)
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