THAI CURRY PASTE

Curry paste is the combination of the fresh and dried ingredient mixed together and pounded or blended until it is turn to smooth paste if it is not smooth enough or lumpy, it will float on top of the curry. Curry paste are used in many curries and stir-fried of Thai dishes.

Thai curry paste are used the stone mortar and pestle to pound all the ingredients unit it is turn to smooth paste. If the stone mortar and pestle are not available you can be also used blender or liquidizer. You may find the paste is dry when used liquidizer you will need add a bit water to get the paste well combine.

The dried ingredient need to roasted in over a low heat until it is turn brown. It should not roasted all together in the same time, because some will burn before the another ingredient. You can keep in the jar with the tightly rid in the room temperature. It will last for a few month.

The fresh ingredient are need to finely chop that it will less pounding to the paste. If you are using a liquidizer the ingredients can be roughly chopped.

To make the curry paste, the dried ingredients need to be pound or grind them into the powder form before add the fresh ingredients otherwise it is not pounding properly.

Cumin seed (Yee-raa)
It has a thinly, small grains and brown in colour. The seed are look like Caraway and Fennel but taste quite different.

Cadamom (Loog Gra-Waan)
It has a small round shape and off white capsules. They are a plant native from India which is containing black seed inside used for making Thai curry pastes.

Coriander seed (Med Pak-Chee)
It has a small round shape same size as chilli seed. They come from the ripe flower of coriander plant. It can be also used in many marinade sauce for their aroma. Coriander powder can be used instead of the seed.

Black peppercorn (Prick Thai-Dom)
They are 3 types of pepper which has a green, white and black in colour. The black pepper corn has more nice aromatic aroma than white peppercorn and the green ones has a special taste all their own.

Cloves (Gaan- Ploo)
It has a small long brown which come from an evergreen tree. They are common in Western dishes and Thai curry pastes. The leaves are also used with Betel-Nut.

Mace (Dok-Junn)
It has an orange in colour which is from hard brown shell outside of nutmeg. They are used in some bakery and Thai curry pastes. The nut inside is crushed and used in Mussaman curry. It is native plant from Indonesia.

Chilli ( Prik)
There is the most important part for making hot and spicy paste. It is depending on the quantity of chilli in used. The fresh small and medium young green chillies are used in the green curry paste which is more hotter than the other kinds. Red dried chillies are in the red curry paste. Big red dried chillies are using for their colour but it is not spicy as a small size. Dried chillies need to soaked in water or drying in the son at least 2 hours before using it otherwise it is not pound or blended well.

Ginza or galangal (Kha)
It has a pale yellow root bigger than ginger and has very distinctive taste. The skin need to removed and finely chopped when used for making Thai curry pastes. They are also used in soup for their aroma.

Lemon grass (Takrai)
This is also known as citronella and has a long straw - like grass. It has a distinctive of lemony flavour. The best part is only the bottom of one third. They are used in soups, salad and Thai curry pastes.

Kaffir lime (Ma-krood)
It is a knobby lime and dark green fruit same size as a large lime. The skin are used in Thai curry pastes. Lemon peeling can be used as a substitute.

Shallot (Horm-dang)
They are a small red onion and more stronger flavour than the big ones. They are used in soup, salad and Thai curry pastes. The thinly skin outside need to removed before using.

Garlic (Katiem)
The small and big garlic can used in the curry paste. The big ones need to removed the skin before using it. The small garlic can be used along with the skin for stir-fried and Thai curry pastes.

Turmeric (Kha-min)
Turmeric are a small root and has a bright orange in colour. They are look similar as a ginger. The skin need to removed before using. They are used for their yellow in colour when making Thai curry pastes. It is always used in the fish dishes to take away the smell of the fish.

Coriander (Pak-shee)
Coriander has a nice aroma. The fresh coriander root are used in Thai curry pastes. The stem can be used instead of the root part if not available.

Sweet basil (Bai-horapra)
It has dark green leaves and aniseed flavour. It is containing in the green curry paste for their green in colour. The stem need to removed and used only the leave for making pastes.

Shrimp paste (Karpi)
They come from fermented of dried shrimp. It has a dark brown in colour and strong smell. It is used in Thai curry pastes and dipping sauce.

They are many types of Thai curry pastes and used different ingredients to added in. The fresh ingredient is the best in used. The dried ingredient is almost used for their aroma.

It is seem to be a good idea to making paste in the big quantity. Curry paste can keep longer by frying paste in the cooking oil ( 1 cup oil to 1 kg. curry paste ) in a low heat stirring occasionally until has an aroma and the paste will change a slightly colour. Then leave it cool and keep in the jar along with the oil that help the curry pastes keep a nicer colour and an aroma. It can in keep the room temperature for a month. It will last for a few month if stored in the refrigerator and it can be frozen.