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recipe thai chilli recipe ideas

Here are some basic recipes for Thai curry pastes if you don't have an Asian market nearby or just want to make them yourself. Galangal is a somewhat woody root that's related to turmeric and ginger but has a unique flavor. If you don't have an Asian market nearby, you can order it, kefir lime leaves, lemon grass and shrimp paste online. https://importfood.com/products/thai-spices
 
Thai Yellow Curry Paste
 
3 small fresh yellow or orange chiles, coarsely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
4 shallots, coarsely chopped
3 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
12-15 black peppercorns
1 stalk lemon grass (white part only), coarsely chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger, chopped
 
Process to a thick paste in a food processor or blender, scraping down the sides as necessary.
 
Thai Red Curry Paste
 
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp shrimp paste
12 dried or fresh red chiles, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1-inch piece of fresh galangal root, chopped
2 stalks lemon grass (white part only), chopped
4 kefir lime leaves, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro root
zest of one lime
1 tsp black peppercorns
 
Dry-fry the coriander and cumin seeds in a skillet, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until browned. Remove from heat and let cool, then grind to a powder with mortar and pestle or coffee grinder. Wrap the shrimp paste in a piece of foil and broil or dry-fry in a skillet for 2-3 minutes, turning over once or twice. Process shrimp paste, toasted spices and chiles in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides as necessary.
 
Thai Green Curry Paste
 
Follow the instructions for Thai Red Curry Paste but replace red chiles with 15 fresh green Thai chiles. Use only 6 garlic cloves, increase the number of kefir lime leaves to 6, and add a tsp of salt with the peppercorns.
 
Mussaman Curry Paste
 
4 large dried red chiles, stemmed
2 tsp shrimp paste
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-inch piece of fresh galangal, finely chopped
2 stalks lemon grass (white part only), finely chopped
2 whole cloves
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
seeds from 3 green cardamom pods
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp salt.
 
Soak chiles in a covered bowl with enough hot water to cover for 30-45 minutes. Wrap the shrimp paste in foil and broil or dry-fry in a skillet for 2-3 minutes turning once or twice. Remove from broiler or skillet. Dry-fry the shallots, garlic, galangal, lemon grass, cloves, cumin, coriander and cardamom seeds over low heat, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to a food processor or blender and process until finely ground. Add the chiles and their soaking water, Peppercorns and salt and process again. Add the shrimp paste and process again to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides as necessary.
 
Large jars of fried shallots and garlic are cheap at my market. They work great for curries and masalas. Mine also has fresh or frozen galangal cheap but the Kaffir lime leaves are insanely expensive. I grew Thai Giant Orange this year. Thai yellow paste sounds like a good use for them.
 
ShowMeDaSauce said:
Large jars of fried shallots and garlic are cheap at my market. They work great for curries and masalas. Mine also has fresh or frozen galangal cheap but the Kaffir lime leaves are insanely expensive. I grew Thai Giant Orange this year. Thai yellow paste sounds like a good use for them.
 

If you're gonna make yellow curry paste, you might like this recipe. It's seasonal right now too...
 
Carrot and Pumpkin Curry
 
2/3 cup of stock, vegetable or chicken
1-inch piece of fresh galangal, sliced
1 lemon grass stalk (white part only), finely chopped
2 fresh red chiles, chopped (and seeded for the folks with lower capsaicin tolerance)
4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
8 ounces of pumpkin or winter squash, seeded, peeled and cut into cubes
2 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 tbsp Thai yellow curry paste
1 can coconut milk
4-6 fresh basil sprigs (Thai basil if you can get it)
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds to garnish
 
Pour the stock in a large pan and bring to a boil. add the galangal, half the garlic, lemon grass, and chiles and simmer for 5 minutes. Add carrots and pumpkin and simmer for 5-6 minutes, or until tender.
     Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. add shallots and the remaining garlic and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the yellow curry paste and stir-fry an additional 1-2 minutes.
     Stir the shallot mixture into the pan containing the pumpkin and add the coconut milk and basil. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Serve hot, sprinkled with the pumpkin seeds along with lots of rice to soak up the sauce.
 
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