Homemade Yellow Curry Paste Recipe (2024)

Making your own Thai Yellow Curry Paste is always ten times better than using store-bought. It lasts in your fridge, and you can add it to many one-pot dishes apart from curries and stews, ensuring you have a flavorful meal.

If you have ever tried making a curry at home and are like I was a couple of years ago, you most likely have been using store-bought paste. Making it from scratch is the next f-level!

We love making our sauces and preparations from scratch, as they deliver way more flavor, and you can keep them for months in the fridge.

🧾 Ingredients

Various ingredients are needed to make a Thai Yellow Curry Paste, but they are easily found in ethnic shops. Some of them are dry, and some are fresh.

• Fresh Galangal root (Thai ginger/alternatively regular ginger): Galangal root contributes a distinct, slightly citrusy and peppery flavor that is essential for authentic Thai cuisine. It also helps in digestion and adds a warming sensation to the dish.
• Lemongrass: Lemongrass imparts a tangy, fresh, and lemony flavor, a key taste component in many Southeast Asian dishes. It is also known for its invigorating aroma that can enhance the overall dining experience.
• Red shallots: Red shallots bring a slight sweetness and sharpness that is milder than regular onions, enriching the dish's flavor profile. They also give the dish a bit of texture and color.
• Garlic: Garlic is used for its strong and pungent flavor that becomes mellower and sweeter when cooked. It's also a common base for many dishes because it combines well with other ingredients and enhances their flavors.
• Fresh Coriander: Coriander provides a fresh and slightly citrusy flavor that balances out the heat from the spices. The herb also garners and enhances the dish's visual appeal.
• Chilies: Chilies add heat and depth of flavor to the dish, making it more savory and exciting. The spice level can be adjusted according to preference, thus catering to different palates.
• Lime: Lime is used for its tangy and sour flavor, which helps cut through the richness of other ingredients, making the dish feel more balanced and refreshing. Lime zest can also contribute to an aromatic component.
• Coconut palm sugar: Coconut palm sugar lends a mild caramel sweetness to the dish, balancing the spicy and tangy flavors. Its unrefined natural nature also imparts some minerals and nutrients.
• Miso paste (or powder): Miso paste enhances the dish's overall taste by adding umami, a savory flavor that brings depth and complexity. Its fermentative nature also contributes to better digestion.
• Cumin seeds: Cumin seeds contribute a warm and earthy flavor, enhancing the savory notes in the dish. They also provide a slight crunch when used whole, adding texture to the dish.
• Coriander seeds: Coriander seeds impart a warm, nutty, and spicy flavor with a hint of citrus, complementing the other spices in the dish. They also aid in digestion.
• Fresh Turmeric or Turmeric powder: Turmeric powder adds a vibrant yellow color to the dish, enhancing its visual appeal. Its mildly bitter and earthy flavor blends well with other spices and has well-known health benefits such as anti-inflammatory properties.
• Cloves: Cloves bring a sweet yet spicy flavor, providing warmth to the dish. They also have an aromatic quality that complements the other ingredients.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds a touch of sweet, warm, and slightly spicy flavor that complements the savory ingredients. It's also used for its inviting aroma that enhances the overall sensory experience of the dish.

The Galangal root, also called Thai Ginger, is probably the most difficult to find. I thought getting it was hard until I asked for it in China Town.

If you can't find Galangal, go for ginger root, don't let that stop you!

🔪 How to make yellow curry paste

So, how to make yellow curry paste? The answer is easy, most of the effort happens in the supermarket, amazon, or ethnic store, buying the ingredients, and the rest happens in only two steps.

1. Start grinding the dry spices in a coffee grinder or immersion blender. You can also use a mortar and pestle.
2. Secondly and lastly, add the rest of the ingredients and blend until you have a thick but smooth paste.

Hint: If you are using a jug blender, you may need to help adding some liquid. If you use the curry paste immediately, you can add some coconut milk to this recipe.

🫙 Storing

If you want to make a big batch, it does freeze well. Use a food processor, which will save you plenty of time.

👨🏻‍🍳 Using your Curry

You should be super proud now that you have made your Homemade Curry! You are ready to use it in a magnificent dish! See below how to use it in any Thai Curry recipe:

The perfect Veggie Yellow Thai Curry, and of course, don't forget to pair it with aromatic Jasmine Rice. If you like to add some extra textures and protein, I recommend using my Crispy Tofu Recipe, to make a high-protein vegan meal.

Check out both our Eggplant Green Thai Curry and the Massaman curry.

If you love curries, as we do, don't forget to try also our Indian curries, including a meltingly soft Eggplant Curry and a flavorful and light curried cauliflower, both made using curry masala.

We also love dhal, the red lentil Indian famous dish, made in minutes, delivering big flavor.

❓ FAQ

⭐ If you try this Thai curry paste recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

📋 Recipe

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