Authentic Thai Red Curry Paste Recipe 🇹🇭

Thai Red Curry Paste Recipe is one of the most common ingredients for Thai Cuisines 🇹🇭. Obviously, being one of the key components of Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup, and Thai Red Coconut Chicken Curry.

Traditionally Thai Red Curry Paste is blended in a mortar pestle. But these days not all of us have mortar pestle in our homes. 😔

But, that won't stop us from making an Authentic Thai Red Curry Paste. 😀

After spending hours in the kitchen trying to understand each ingredient, learn about its role in the paste, and innumerable taste tests I have finally decoded the Authentic recipe for Thai Red Curry Paste.

Jump to:

• Thai Red Curry Paste Recipe
• Thai red curry paste near me
• Authentic Thai red curry paste recipe 🇹🇭
• Is Thai red curry paste hot?
• Ingredients
• How to Make Thai Red Curry Paste
• Blend until smooth
• Is Thai Red Curry Sauce same as Paste?
• What is the difference between Thai red curry paste and Thai red chili paste?
• Can you substitute red curry paste for curry powder?
• Can I use Harissa Paste instead of Red Curry Paste?
• Recipe Card
• Authentic Thai Red Curry Paste Recipe

Thai red curry paste near me

I know what you are thinking. Why would you spend on so many ingredients and invest so much time when you can buy it in a click or just look for Thai red curry paste in Walmart or Kroger or Publix.

Well, you can definitely buy Thai red curry paste. But, A there is a LOT of difference between a Freshly made curry paste and store bought curry paste.

When you make Fresh Thai Red Curry Paste at home, not only does it makes you feel good about yourself but also makes you feel so accomplished.

Replicating the authentic taste of a particular country is not easy. But, it's not that hard as well.

Authentic Thai red curry paste recipe 🇹🇭

Basically what we are going to do is soak dried red chilies in hot water for about 10-minutes.

Dried Red Chilies soaked in hot water for about 10-minutes becomes soft and leaves its flavor in the water.

Then it is chopped, and blended along with galangal, garlic, red onions, lemongrass, coriander roots, Kaffir lime leaves, shrimp paste, ground cumin, and ground coriander.

Is Thai red curry paste hot?

Let's answer this question which MOST of us might be thinking in the back of our minds but aren't able to ask.

So, for the record - red curry paste is not hot. It's mildly spicy. And these days restaurants try to dial down the heat as much as possible.

Ingredients

So, let's answer the question - What is Thai red curry paste made of?

Dried Red Chilies - Chilies something that we often associate with Thai cuisines.

A short note on the kinds of Thai Chili 📝 - Basically there are 9 kinds of Thai chili. As per Food Republic some are green, some are yellow. Some are light orange. While some are dark red in color. Some of them are exceptionally spicy. Whereas some of them are lightly spicy but contributes to the color of the paste or curry. In this Thai Red Curry Paste, we are going to use Prik chee fah or Chili which is pointing towards the sky. Basically this chili comes in both red and green color. But, in this recipe, we are going to use the red ones (obviously) since we are making Thai red curry paste.

Galangal - Brings in a citrusy, forest-y, nutty aroma to the recipe. In this recipe, we are first going to peel the Galangal and then we are going to chop it finely.

Garlic - for that garlicky kick!

Red Onions - adds a mild sweetness to the paste.

Lemongrass - Juicy, Fragrant Lemongrass brings that fresh aroma to the thai red curry paste. But to use lemongrass first you have to bruise it since the outer layer is really tough and fibrous. Then, peel off the outer layer and chop them up finely.

Coriander roots - Coriander roots is an important part of Thai food. Used for so many curry pastes and a variety of Thai dipping sauce including Peanut Sauce.

Kaffir Lime Leaves - Fragrant kaffir lime leaves cannot be far when we are cooking something as Thai as Thai Red Curry Paste. To use them, just discard the stem, and roll them up. Now use a sharp knife to chop them up finely.

Shrimp Paste - I know you might cringe thinking about its smell. But, don't worry. It'll just stay in the background doing nothing but adding more Umami flavor to your Thai red curry paste.

Ground Cumin - for that earthy and balanced flavor

Ground Coriander - to get that citrusy, floral, fresh aroma in our paste. If you don't have ground coriander you can simply leave it out. I personally don't think you can replace it with garam masala or curry powder.

You might also like these Thai recipes:

• Thai Green Curry Chicken
• Thai Sweet and Sour Salmon
• Peanut Shrimp Pad Thai

How to Make Thai Red Curry Paste

Soak Dried Red Chilies in water

• Soak dried red chilies in a bowl of hot water for 10-minutes and then chop them up finely and place them in a blender.

Add all other ingredients

• Add all other ingredients in the blender.

Blend until smooth

• At this stage you can add in some chili water. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Your red curry paste is ready.

Is Thai Red Curry Sauce same as Paste?

NO. As you can understand from the name - a sauce is saucy/liquidy.

Whereas a paste is rather thick since it is just a combination of dry herbs and spices.

Therefore to make sauce out of paste, just add more liquid.

What is the difference between Thai red curry paste and Thai red chili paste?

Chili Paste means more chili. That's the basic difference between curry paste and chili paste.

Besides that, chili paste has sesame seeds and light garlicky kick.

Can you substitute red curry paste for curry powder?

Yes. You definitely can substitute 1 teaspoon of curry powder for 1 tablespoon of red curry paste. Although the flavors won't be same. But, if you are looking for a mild curry like taste and you have no other options then curry powder will do the job.

Can I use Harissa Paste instead of Red Curry Paste?

Good Question. Harissa Paste is equally spicy and one of the most common ingredients in North African cuisines. See this - Easy Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken Recipe (step by step photo) + video served with Mediterranean Saffron Rice

Although there will be some difference - since you don't have galangal or coriander roots or kaffir lime leaves or lemongrass.

But, the heat level is almost similar. In fact, I personally think Harissa is spicier.

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