So this is one of my secret weapons for when I need a special lunch quickly. Some days I straight up don’t feel like left overs.
I don’t purchase premade curry pastes, because I haven’t found one that is guaranteed to be peanut free. Most are made in a facility that also makes peanut sauce. And we can’t have peanuts in our house. Not that I would buy it – when I can make it myself.
Some pastes have soy sauce in in, which unless it’s labeled as non GMO – is GMO. Again another reason I make my own. My recipe doesn’t use soy sauce. There are some clean looking pastes out there in fairness but they are preserved somehow to live on a shelf for years without expiring. No thanks.
Making Thai curry paste is so easy. You can tailor it to your tastes. I love herbs, so I have upped the herbage. I freeze the paste in my old baby food silicone molds or an ice cube try to be pulled out when needed. Once frozen I store the cubes in a ziplock bag. Pop these bad boys into fresh bone broth with some green onions, left over chicken and dash of coconut milk and you’re in flavour town. If you really want to show off can add zucchini spiraled noodles.
If you don’t have a high powered blender you might want to chop your lemon grass and ginger into smaller pieces. If you’ve never worked with lemon grass, it can be really tough to chop. Be sure you have fresh lemongrass. It should be green and bendable, not woody or brittle.
Galangal is Thai ginger and has a unique flavour. It’s hard to come by as it is impossible to grow in North America. If you can find it – perhaps in an Asian market, awesome! I use fresh ginger instead because I always have some in the fridge. And this recipe is a great way to use up herbs while they are fresh.
Ingredients:
Lemon Grass
- 3 stocks of lemon grass, bruised and chopped into pieces
- one thumb sized piece of ginger (or Galangal if you can find it)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cup cilantro (stems and all)
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- 1 shallot
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp coconut amios
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 green Thai chilies (more if you like heat)
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ cup coconut milk or more if you think you need it
Instructions:
Throw everything into the blender and go! I need to use my plunger thingy to push the herbs down to the blades.
Boom! Curry paste!
Food Uncomplicated 