Making Red Curry Paste from Scratch
This is not a quick blend in a food processor. By working the ingredients by hand, you crush the cell walls of the lemongrass and galangal, releasing oils that a spinning blade simply shears.
Commit to the physical labor of the pestle
A granite mortar and pestle is the only tool that creates the correct texture; a processor will result in a wet, uneven chop that never quite emulsifies with coconut milk.
- Heavy granite mortar and pestle
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
What goes in.
- 15dried long red chilies, deseeded and soaked in warm water for 10 min
- 1 tspsea salt
- 3 tbsplemongrass, bottom 3 inches only, finely minced
- 1 tbspgalangal, minced
- 1 tbspkaffir lime zest, minced
- 1/4 cupshallots, minced
- 3 tbspgarlic, minced
- 1 tsptoasted coriander seeds, ground
- 1/2 tsptoasted cumin seeds, ground
- 1 tspshrimp paste
Use a heavy, dragging motion
Don't just pound straight down. Use a circular, dragging motion against the sides of the bowl to grind the fibers until the mixture becomes a cohesive, thick paste.
The method.
Pound the chilies and salt
Add the soaked chilies and salt to the mortar. Pound and drag until you have a smooth, deep red pulp with no large flakes remaining.
Incorporate the hard aromatics
Add the lemongrass, galangal, and lime zest. Work these into the chili paste until the mixture loses its grainy texture and becomes uniform.
Add the soft aromatics
Add the shallots and garlic. Continue the circular motion until the paste is thick and tacky.
Finish with spices and shrimp paste
Fold in the ground coriander, cumin, and shrimp paste. Pound for another three minutes until the paste is oily and deeply fragrant.
Other turns to take.
Extra Heat
Add 5-10 fresh Thai bird's eye chilies during the final pounding stage for a sharper, more immediate sting.
Vegetarian
Replace the shrimp paste with an equal amount of fermented soybean paste or double the amount of sea salt to compensate for the missing umami.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always toast your coriander and cumin seeds in a dry pan until they smell fragrant before grinding them.
If your paste is too dry to move, add a half-teaspoon of neutral oil to help the friction.
This paste keeps in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or frozen for three months.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use a food processor if I don't have a mortar?
You can, but the heat generated by the blades often cooks the shallots and garlic slightly, which dulls the brightness of the paste. If you must use one, use short pulses and add a tablespoon of coconut cream to help it blend.
How do I know when the paste is done?
The paste is ready when it clings to the pestle and looks like a uniform, thick clay rather than a collection of chopped vegetables.
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