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Thai Green Curry Paste

Amongst my favorite of all Thai flavors is that of a "green" curry. Frankly, there isn't a huge difference between a green and red curry paste. Most of the ingredients overlap, but there are some key differences:
  1. It's green. It uses green chilies, instead of red ones.
  2. It tends to be MUCH fresher, with fresh chilies (rather than dried) and fresh herbs.
  3. It's got less of a shelf life ... use it quickly!
  4. It also tends to be a little bit sweet!
If I were being truly honest with myself, I think I tend to lean towards green curries BECAUSE they are a bit on the sweeter side. The tongue really only has 5 senses, and as various ones raise and become more pronounced, the overall sensation is enhanced. I could almost go so far as to say ... the flavor is better! I do believe all humans seek out sweeter things (not JUST humans, but us "too"). Adding a little sweet tends to enhance and improve flavors, up to a point. There does come a point where sweet becomes sickening, or it becomes "dessert". In the case of green curries, we're talking about something with a slightly sweet taste profile, with a very fresh flavor, wild aromas and a good amount of heat.

I LOVE green curry. This is the paste that starts it all!

Storage Tip: This has a lot of fresh ingredients in it, so it's perishable. It's got some acid in it, which helps it to last a little longer, but I wouldn't leave it in the fridge for more than a week. I have mine in series of tiny freezer safe containers ... in the freezer. They hold up well, in there!

Serving Size: Recipe makes about 1 cup of paste. Serving size is roughly 1 tbsp.
Prep Time15 mins
Total Time15 mins
Servings: 16 Servings
Calories: 12.795kcal
Author: DJ Foodie

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp coriander seed ground
  • 1 tsp white peppercorns
  • 1 each lime
  • 15 each fresh green thai chilies seeds removed (substitution = jalepeno or serrano chilies)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh galangal chopped (substitution = 1 tbsp. ginger)
  • 4 each shallots chopped
  • 1 tbsp shrimp paste (substitution = 1 tbsp fish sauce)
  • 8 each kaffir lime leaves chopped (substitution = 1 tsp. lime zest)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass white part only, sliced thin
  • 1/4 bunch cilantro washed (use cilantro stems, too!)
  • 16 leaves thai basil (substitution = regular basil)
  • 1 tbsp 'Swerve' or other sugar replacement
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Toast your coriander and white peppercorns. Place a sauté pan or skillet on the stove over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add your spices. Toast for about 3 minutes. The mixture should be quite aromatic, but do NOT let them burn. Remove them from the pan and allow to cool.
  • Once your spices are cool, grind them. This can be done in a mortar and pestle. I use an old beat up coffee grinder. Alternately, you can also purchase pre-ground spices and toast them, but blend them together before toasting. Then, toast in a hot dry pan for maybe 30 seconds to a minute, or until aromatic.
  • With a zester, or a peeler, peel the very outer layer of the lime. DO NOT get any of the white part. You really only need about 6 good strips, for a total of about 1 tsp chopped. Chop the zest and set aside. Juice the lime and set aside. Discard the rest of the lime.
  • In a food processor (or mortar and pestle for the real deal), combine all ingredients and process, until the consistency of a paste.

Nutrition

Serving: 16g | Calories: 12.795kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.051875g | Protein: 0.444375g | Fat: 0.125g | Fiber: 0.463125g