Curry paste is the combination of the
fresh and dried ingredient mixed together and pounded or blended until it is
turn to smooth paste if it is not smooth enough or lumpy, it will float
on top of the curry. Curry paste are used in many curries and stir-fried
of Thai dishes.
Thai curry paste are used the stone
mortar and pestle to pound all the ingredients unit it is turn to
smooth paste. If the stone mortar and pestle are not available you
can be also used blender or liquidizer. You may find the paste is dry
when used liquidizer you will need add a bit water to get the paste well
combine.
The dried ingredient need to roasted in
over a low heat until it is turn brown. It should not roasted all
together in the
same time, because some will burn before the another
ingredient. You can keep in the jar with the tightly rid in the room temperature.
It will last for a few month.
The fresh ingredient are need to finely
chop that it will less pounding to the paste. If you are using a
liquidizer the ingredients can be roughly chopped.
To make the curry paste, the dried
ingredients need to be pound or grind them into the powder form before add the fresh
ingredients otherwise it is not pounding properly.
THE MAIN INGREDIENT OF
THAI CURRY PASTE
Dried ingredients:
Cumin seed (Yee-raa)
It has a thinly, small grains and brown in colour. The seed are look
like Caraway and Fennel but taste quite different.
Cadamom
(Loog Gra-Waan)
It has a small round shape and off white capsules. They are a plant native
from India which is containing black seed inside used for making Thai curry
pastes.
Coriander seed (Med Pak-Chee)
It has a small round shape same size as chilli seed. They come from the
ripe flower of coriander plant. It can be also used in many marinade
sauce for their aroma. Coriander powder can be used instead of the seed.
Black peppercorn (Prick Thai-Dom)
They are 3 types of pepper which has a green, white and black in colour.
The black pepper corn has more nice aromatic aroma than white peppercorn and
the green ones has a special taste all their
own.
Cloves (Gaan- Ploo)
It has a small long brown which come from an evergreen tree. They are
common in Western dishes and Thai curry pastes. The leaves are also used with
Betel-Nut.
Mace (Dok-Junn)
It has an orange in colour which is from hard brown shell outside of
nutmeg. They are used in some bakery and Thai curry pastes. The nut
inside is crushed and used in Mussaman curry. It is native plant
from Indonesia.
The
fresh ingredients
Chilli
( Prik)
There is the most important part for making hot and spicy paste. It is
depending on the quantity of chilli in used. The fresh small and medium young
green chillies are used in the green curry paste which is more hotter than the
other kinds. Red dried chillies are in the red curry paste. Big red
dried chillies are using for their colour but it is not spicy as a small size. Dried chillies need to soaked in water
or drying in the son at least 2 hours before using it otherwise
it is not pound or blended well.
Ginza
or galangal (Kha)
It has a pale yellow root bigger than ginger and has very distinctive taste. The skin need to
removed and finely chopped when used for making Thai curry pastes. They are
also used in soup for their aroma.
Lemon
grass (Takrai)
This is also known as
citronella and has a long straw - like grass. It has a distinctive of lemony
flavour. The best part is only the bottom of one third. They are used in soups, salad and
Thai curry pastes.
Kaffir lime (Ma-krood)
It is a knobby lime and dark green fruit same size as a large lime. The skin are
used in Thai curry pastes. Lemon peeling can be
used as a substitute.
Shallot (Horm-dang)
They are a small red onion and more stronger flavour than the big ones. They
are used in soup, salad and Thai curry pastes. The thinly skin outside need to
removed before using.
Garlic (Katiem)
The small and big garlic can used in the curry paste. The big ones need
to removed the skin before using it. The small garlic can be used along with
the skin for stir-fried and Thai curry pastes.
Turmeric (Kha-min)
Turmeric are a small root and has a bright
orange in colour. They are look similar as a ginger. The
skin need to removed before using. They are used for their yellow in colour when making
Thai curry pastes. It is always used in the fish dishes to take away the smell of the fish.
Coriander (Pak-shee)
Coriander has a nice aroma. The fresh coriander root are used in Thai
curry pastes. The stem can be used instead of the root part if not
available.
Sweet basil (Bai-horapra)
It has dark green leaves and aniseed flavour. It is containing in the
green curry paste for their green in colour. The stem need to removed
and used only the leave for making pastes.
Seasoning
Shrimp paste (Karpi)
They come from fermented of dried shrimp. It has a dark brown in colour
and strong smell. It is used in Thai curry pastes and dipping sauce.
Salt
Salt is used a small amount in Thai dishes and curry pastes. White
powder salt is the best for using.
TYPES OF THAI CURRY PASTES
They are many types of Thai curry
pastes and used different ingredients to added in. The fresh ingredient is the best in used. The dried
ingredient is almost used for their aroma.
It is seem to be a good idea to making paste in the big quantity. Curry
paste can keep longer by frying paste in the cooking oil ( 1 cup oil to 1 kg. curry
paste ) in a low heat stirring occasionally until has an aroma and the paste
will change a slightly colour. Then leave it cool and keep in the jar along
with the oil that help the curry pastes keep a nicer colour and an
aroma. It can in keep the room temperature for a month. It will
last for a few month if stored in the refrigerator and it can be frozen.
This
is the popular Thai curry pastes.