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Yellow Curry Paste

A vibrant and aromatic blend of spices to create your own delicious yellow curry paste from scratch.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 1 cups
Course: Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: Southeast Asian, Thai
Calories: 25
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dried Spices
  • 0.7 oz mild dried chilies, cut into ½-inch chunks For that spicy kick—feel free to adjust depending on your taste!
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted Adds warmth and a subtle sweetness.
  • 1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted Gives a rich, earthy flavor.
  • 0.5 teaspoon white peppercorns Adds a gentle heat without the strong flavor of black pepper.
  • 1 teaspoon salt Enhances all the flavors.
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder For added complexity.
Fresh Ingredients
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, bottom half only, finely chopped Freshness at its best.
  • 2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped A zesty touch.
  • 2 tablespoons galangal, finely chopped Key in authentic flavor—can be substituted with ginger if necessary.
  • 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric, finely chopped For depth of flavor and that classic yellow color.
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped The aromatic base.
  • 0.5 cup shallots, finely chopped Sweet, aromatic enhancing the overall taste.
Optional Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons fermented shrimp paste Omit if vegetarian, can substitute with miso for umami flavor.

Method
 

Preparation of Chilies
  1. Add the chilies to a coffee or spice grinder and grind into a powder.
Grind Spices
  1. In a stone mortar and pestle, add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and white peppercorns; grind them into a powder. Remove and set aside in a bowl; add curry powder to this bowl.
Create the Base
  1. Add lemongrass, galangal, ginger, turmeric, and salt to the mortar and pound into a paste. If the mixture feels too wet, add the dry spices from the bowl to help absorb the liquid and continue pounding until you achieve a fine paste.
Mix in Aromatics
  1. Incorporate the ground chili powder, shallots, and garlic into the paste, pounding until well combined and smooth.
Final Mixing
  1. Add the shrimp paste (or miso) and pound once more to thoroughly mix.

Notes

For maximum flavor, source fresh spices and toast them before grinding. Store your paste in an airtight container and experiment with flavors as desired.