Easy Recipe for Making Thai Red Curry Paste at Home

Thai red curry paste is a staple in many Thai dishes, known for its rich, aromatic flavour. While you can buy pre-made cooking paste, making your own at home is a fun and rewarding experience. Plus, it's easier than you might think. In this blog, we'll guide you through a simple red curry paste recipe that you can use to make your favourite dishes.

What is Red Curry Paste?

In Thai cuisine, a curry paste combines ground herbs and spices. There are many types of curry pastes, each with its own special combination of ingredients. For example, massaman curry paste is quite complex, while sour curry paste is simpler.

Red curry paste is considered one of the most basic varieties. Unlike some other curry pastes that have special ingredients, red curry paste uses common components that are also found in other pastes. Think of it like a basic tomato sauce in Italian cooking. Because of its flavour, red curry paste is used in various dishes such as stir-fries and fish cakes.

Benefits of Making Homemade Thai Red Curry Paste

Better Flavour Control

When you make your own red curry paste, you have full control over the flavours. You can adjust the level of spiciness, sweetness, and other elements. This means your curry will taste just the way you like it.

Fresh and Adjustable Ingredients

Homemade curry paste uses fresh ingredients like chillies, garlic, and lemongrass. These ingredients bring out the flavour and authentic taste of your dish. Store-bought pastes can often contain preservatives and may use dried or less fresh ingredients. Also, making your own paste allows you to customise the ingredients based on what you have at home or any dietary restrictions. If you need a milder paste, you can use fewer chillies, or If you prefer it to be more aromatic, you can add extra lemongrass or herbs.

Cost-Effective

While buying fresh spices and herbs might initially seem expensive, making your paste can be more cost-effective in the long run. You can buy spices in bulk and use them for various recipes.

Making Your Thai Red Curry Paste

Ingredients

Before we start, make sure you have these ingredients to hand:

• 3-4 dried red chillies
• 2-3 fresh red chillies
• 1 small onion
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
• 1 stalk of lemongrass
• 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon of shrimp paste (optional, but adds great flavour)
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

These ingredients are the core of your curry paste recipe, but you might also include additional items like shallots, coriander roots, and shrimp paste for a more authentic taste.

Preparing the Ingredients

• Start by soaking the dried red chillies in warm water for 15-20 minutes. This will soften them and make them easier to blend.
• While the dried chillies are soaking, start preparing the fresh ingredients. Peel and chop the onion, garlic, and ginger. Remove the outer layer of the lemongrass and slice it into smaller pieces.
• Finally, toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Once done, let them cool slightly before grinding them into a fine powder.

Making the Paste

• Drain the soaked dried chillies and add them to a blender or food processor. Then add the fresh red chillies as well.
• Next, add the chopped onion, lemongrass pieces, garlic, and ginger to the blender. 
• Include the ground coriander and cumin seeds, paprika, and shrimp paste (if using).
• The next step is to add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to help the blending process. Blend everything until you get a smooth paste. If the paste is too thick, you can add a bit more oil or a small amount of water.
• Taste the paste and add salt as needed. Blend again to mix the salt evenly.

Storage Tips

To store it effectively, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep well for about two weeks. For longer storage, freeze the paste in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a zip-lock bag. This way, you can use just the amount you need for each recipe.

Explore Other Curry Paste Recipes

If you're interested in exploring other types of curry paste, here’s a simple Thai green curry paste recipe.

Ingredients

• 3-4 green chillies (deseeded and chopped)
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2-3 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Method

• Toast the Spices: Toast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and white peppercorns in a dry pan. Cool and grind.
• Blend Ingredients: Combine green chillies, ground spices, onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, shrimp paste (if using), turmeric, and kaffir lime leaves with vegetable oil. Blend until smooth.
• Store: Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

Discover Exotic Food Thailand’s Cooking Pastes

Ready to spice up your cooking? Try making your own Thai red curry paste with our easy recipe and enjoy the fresh, vibrant flavours at home. Or, if you’re looking for convenience without compromising taste, check out our range of cooking pastes to make delicious Thai dishes effortlessly.