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Green Curry Paste
Green Curry Chicken Noodles
Grilled Green Curry–Marinated Salmon and
Eggplant Steaks
Green Curry Chicken Burger
Spicy Green Curry Rock Shrimp
“Gumbo”
TRY IT
Mix equal parts of the paste and
mayonnaise for a sandwich spread or crudité dip.
For a deliciously spicy dumpling
filling, blend 1⁄2 cup of paste per pound of ground pork. Or blend the paste
with beef in the same proportions to make burgers.
Want a quick, warming soup? Mix 3⁄4
cup of the paste with 1 quart of good chicken stock and rice noodles.
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GREEN CURRY PASTE
Curry pastes are some of the earliest convenience foods.
They were created centuries ago to provide lots of flavor in a
ready-to-use form: Just combine them with other aromatic ingredients,
meat, vegetables, or fish, and there’s your curry dish. In Thailand and
other Southeast Asian countries the color of the paste often indicates
the ingredients that dominate it; a green paste, like this one, is
usually herb-based. My example uses basil, cilantro, and mint (for a bit
of sweetness), so you know already how fragrant it is.
Yes, the paste calls for lots of ingredients, but the
actual preparation goes quickly. And think of all the possibilities once
you have it in the fridge.
Makes 4 cups
Lasts 2 weeks, refrigerated
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5 dried Thai chiles or 5 fresh serrano chiles
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2 tablespoons cumin seeds
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5 tablespoons coriander seeds
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2 tablespoons black peppercorns, plus freshly ground
black pepper to taste
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2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus additional for
blanching
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1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems
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1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
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1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
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1 teaspoon ground turmeric
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1⁄4 cup minced fresh galangal or ginger
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1⁄3 cup minced garlic
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3 lemongrass stalks, white parts only, minced
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8 kaffir lime leaves, stemmed, or the grated zest of 2
limes
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1⁄2 cup fresh lime juice
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1⁄2 cup Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
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1 cup medium shallots, sliced
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2 cups Asian peanut oil or canola oil
1. In a small, heavy skillet combine the chiles, cumin
seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns and heat over medium heat,
stirring occasionally, just until the spices start to smoke, about 6
minutes. Using a spice grinder, grind the spices fine and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with ice water. Bring a
small saucepan of salted water to a boil, add the cilantro, basil, and
mint, and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and transfer to the bowl of ice
water. Drain, squeeze to remove as much water as possible, and set
aside.
3. In a food processor, combine the turmeric, galangal,
garlic, lemongrass, lime leaves, lime juice, and fish sauce and process
to make a smooth purée. Add the shallots, reserved spices, the 2
tablespoons of salt, and the blanched herbs and purée again. With the
machine running, drizzle in the oil to make a paste. Season with salt
and pepper. Use or store.
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