Curry Pastes - Making My Own

[steveconst]

Hello,

I'm trying to experiment with curries to get them right to my liking. Unfortunately, I'm struggling to do so. I can make a pretty decent curry, but nothing spectacular... and I want to make it spectacular! I love full-on flavour when it comes to curry. A spicy red curry would be my favourite. But I just can't get that full flavour. It always seems to be missing something.

Anyhow, as it is the base for the curry, I figure my problem is with the curry paste. Ie. today I made a paste and a dinner of green curry, but it was missing something. Here is the recipe I used:

10 birdseye green chilies

2 stalks lemongrass

4 small shallots

4 cloves garlic

around 4cm of galangal

5 coriander roots

1 teapoon of coriander seeds

1 teapoon of cumin seeds (both of these roasted and ground)

1 teaspoon shrimp paste

zest of one lime

a small portion of coriander leaves for colour...

that's the paste. ground it up, processed it, nice and pasty.

the method: fried a fair bit of the paste in a little oil and coconut milk, then added more milk and some meat and veg. i usually throw in about 4 kaffir lime leaves for 400ml of coconut milk. add some fish sauce. let it cook for a few mins... done.

but when i was eating it, it was obvious that i'm missing something! it just doesn't taste that full-on like i'd like it to. last time i was in thailand (not 4 weeks ago), i brought back some paste from a bkk market, and that was just out of this world... exactly how i like it. now if only i could make it like that...!

does anyone have any tips/suggestions? i'm getting desperate as i like to eat curry every day and may ploy (uk bought pastes), for example, just doesn't cut it in my opinion.

thanks in advance if anyone can provide some assistance...

cheers,

stephen (an australian living in london)

Edited April 26, 2008 by steveconst

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

There could be a couple of things missing:

* 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, preferably ground from whole nutmeg

* 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

* 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

* 1 tsp. ground cardamon

[Niloc]

I had a similar problem with Indian curries, try a small spoonful of sugar, it might be all you need....

Colin

[suegha]

Try the fish sauce at the very end and squeeze in some lime juice. Again at the very end.

Having said this, making your own pastes is a thing I don't do as there are so many really good quality pastes available at really cheap prices.

[uptou]

I see you are in london sir.Are the ingredients definitely fresh.I here this can be a problem when making your own outside of thailand.

[Goinghomesoon]

Definately that slug of fish sauce added just before you sit down to eat makes all the difference. I also find if you don't use those little pea eggplants in the green curry it doesn't taste quite right...

[Beachbunny]

In the 30 years I've been cooking thai food I have never seen anyone use lime juice in curry paste. substituting regular lime zest for the zest of the magrood fruit may work, but in my opinion if you can't get it your better off finding a good pre-made paste that you like. There is a famous curry past shop in BKK if you are in Thailand, that makes very good curry pastes.

Another thing that you don't normally get when you go out to eat and order curry is the preserved garlic, very good to each with curry.

My husband would certainly make a big fuss if I were to put cinnamon, cloves, or nutmeg in his curry. That sounds more like some kind of Indian curry. Cardamom, cloves and cinnamon are used in Khao mok gai.

Steveconst...your basic recipe looks pretty good. try reducing your coriander roots to 3 and adding to long large green chilis and don't forget the fish sauce and

a smidge of sugar...preferably palm sugar.

I'd hold off adding the rest of your coconut milk until your meat and veg is almost cooked.....also if you are using oil to brown your curry paste add your meat and cook a bit before adding a little coconut milk, otherwise the real thai method is to cook fresh coconut cream until the oils start to separate and then put in your curry paste "brown" before adding your meat (chicken) and continue.

Beachbunny

[suegha]

Don't use the lime juice in the paste. Add it just after the fish sause and just before serving. ie in the last min of cooking.

[Beachbunny]

Don't use the lime juice in the paste. Add it just after the fish sause and just before serving. ie in the last min of cooking.

don't use it at all!

[suegha]

Don't use the lime juice in the paste. Add it just after the fish sause and just before serving. ie in the last min of cooking.

don't use it at all!

Well I like it. Added right at the end just after adding the fish sauce just before serving. Yummy!

[aussman]

Palm sugar seems to be essential. You need to experiment with quantity. This sweetness from the sugar and the saltiness from the fish sauce seem to bring out and intensify the flavors in the curry.

[WujouMao]

buy the Mae Ploy curry pastes. they are done by thai experts. i myself gave up trying to do the yellow curry one for my fish and mango curry till i bought one of the above. And the red curry, mmm, spicy!!!

[suegha]

buy the Mae Ploy curry pastes. they are done by thai experts. i myself gave up trying to do the yellow curry one for my fish and mango curry till i bought one of the above. And the red curry, mmm, spicy!!!

Agreed, Mae Ploy is the business! You can get it here in the UK and it's just perfect! Green, Red, Yellow, Massamum (sp) and of course Penang.

[siamesekitty]

Tip: The paste has more aroma if you pound it using a mortar and pestle rather than throwing everything into a blender. Though I understand you might have a problem with the neighbors in Farangland if you're living in an apartment.

[wmchen]

Tip: The paste has more aroma if you pound it using a mortar and pestle rather than throwing everything into a blender. Though I understand you might have a problem with the neighbors in Farangland if you're living in an apartment.

[wmchen]

Tip: The paste has more aroma if you pound it using a mortar and pestle rather than throwing everything into a blender. Though I understand you might have a problem with the neighbors in Farangland if you're living in an apartment.

ops, forget hpw to reply. hope l got it right.

i stay in an apartment and used to pound under the door where it is thickier there, with many layers of old megazines to absorb the

seismic shock. try using pillow if megazines are not available.

[wmchen]

ops, forget hpw to reply. hope l got it right.

i stay in an apartment and used to pound under the door where it is thickier there, with many layers of old megazines to absorb the

seismic shock. try using pillow if megazines are not available.

[phetchal]

you can try this

10 birdseye green chilies ================= 20 --30 birdseye green chilies

2 stalks lemongrass ================= 4 tablespoon

4 small shallots ================= 5 small shallots

4 cloves garlic ================= 10 cloves garlic

around 4cm of galangal ================= 2 teaspoon

5 coriander roots ================= just no need if you have coriander seeds

1 teapoon of coriander seeds =============== 2 teaspoon

1 teapoon of cumin seeds (both of these roasted and ground) 1 teaspoon

1 teaspoon shrimp paste 1 teaspoon

zest of one lime===============slideckaffir lime peel 1 teaspoon

a small portion of coriander leaves for colour... for colour = chillies leaves or basil leaves

[aircut]

to make a good curry one must puree the ingredient as finely as possible. releasing all flavor and eliminating the original texture of the ingredients. start pureeing from the harder/dryer ingredient to the softer/wet.

the finished paste must have a complete rounded smell, you should NOT be able to identify the smell of the original ingredients.

check my green Thai curry video presentation on youtube for more tips:

hth

thaifoodmaster

[sunisa]

i usually throw in about 4 kaffir lime leaves for 400ml of coconut milk.

Just try to add coconut milk 250ml or add more curry past

PS. do not add sugar in green curry

[sunisa]

i usually throw in about 4 kaffir lime leaves for 400ml of coconut milk.

try to add coconut milk just about 250ml or add more curry paste

PS. do not add sugar in green curry

[johnson36]

Hello,

I'm trying to experiment with curries to get them right to my liking. Unfortunately, I'm struggling to do so. I can make a pretty decent curry, but nothing spectacular... and I want to make it spectacular! I love full-on flavour when it comes to curry. A spicy red curry would be my favourite. But I just can't get that full flavour. It always seems to be missing something.

Anyhow, as it is the base for the curry, I figure my problem is with the curry paste. Ie. today I made a paste and a dinner of green curry, but it was missing something. Here is the recipe I used:

10 birdseye green chilies

2 stalks lemongrass

4 small shallots

4 cloves garlic

around 4cm of galangal

5 coriander roots

1 teapoon of coriander seeds

1 teapoon of cumin seeds (both of these roasted and ground)

1 teaspoon shrimp paste

zest of one lime

a small portion of coriander leaves for colour...

that's the paste. ground it up, processed it, nice and pasty.

the method: fried a fair bit of the paste in a little oil and coconut milk, then added more milk and some meat and veg. i usually throw in about 4 kaffir lime leaves for 400ml of coconut milk. add some fish sauce. let it cook for a few mins... done.

but when i was eating it, it was obvious that i'm missing something! it just doesn't taste that full-on like i'd like it to. last time i was in thailand (not 4 weeks ago), i brought back some paste from a bkk market, and that was just out of this world... exactly how i like it. now if only i could make it like that...!

does anyone have any tips/suggestions? i'm getting desperate as i like to eat curry every day and may ploy (uk bought pastes), for example, just doesn't cut it in my opinion.

thanks in advance if anyone can provide some assistance...

cheers,

stephen (an australian living in london)

You have forgot the Thai Sweet Basil leaves ( the aniseedy flavour ones ) I use a lot of these

[johnson36]

The Moy Ploy red curry paste is excellent if used correctley, You need plenty of Thai sweet basil and Kaffir lime leaves.

I use it like this:

50g of red curry paste for each can of coconut milk (400ml) use a good brand such as Chaokoh, ive tried some cheaper ones that have been no good.

1 table spoon of sugar for each can of coconut milk

1 table spoon of fish sauce for each can of coconut milk

About 5 kaffir lime leaves shredded for each can of coconut milk

½ cup of thai sweet basil leaves for each can of coconut milk

125ml of chicken stock for each can of coconut milk, half a Knorr chicken cube per 125ml is ok.

I make a batch of the curry sauce up every 3 or 4 weeks and freeze it in small plastic boxes ready for use, 8 cans of coconut milk + 400 grams curry paste + 8 table spoons of sugar + 8 table spoons fish sauce + about 40 Kaffir lime leaves + 1 litre of chicken stock (4 Knorr cubes) + lots of Thai sweet basil.

After cooking the sauce I let it cool down and then fill about 12 small plastic boxes and freeze it.

When I fancy a curry a defrost one of the boxes and simmer it in a pan, then just add any pre cooked meat, I prefer roast duck.

If you have some proper chicken or duck stock from roasting one then use that instead of the knorr cubes or as well as if you dont have enough, you need 1 litre of stock for 8 cans of coconut milk.

The sauce somehow improves with been frozen and recooked.

Edited September 2, 2008 by johnson36