How To Make Homemade Thai Yellow Curry Paste
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Make your own Thai yellow curry paste from scratch, boasting the freshest flavors and ideal texture. Perfect for soups, noodles, and marinating proteins like chicken, beef, and tofu.
Now that you've mastered Thai yellow curry paste, you can make my homemade Thai green curry paste and Thai red curry paste. To use your yellow curry paste, try these recipes- Thai yellow chicken curry, Thai curry noodle bowls (use yellow or red paste in these), and Thai yellow curry sweet potato soup.
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Quick and Simple: Skipping the roasting of garlic and shallots cuts prep time, perfect for busy weeknights or a quick, authentic curry paste.
- Versatile: Adaptable for vegetarians and gluten-free diets with alternatives like soy sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari instead of fish sauce.
- Great for Storage: Designed for freezing, making it convenient for future use in various dishes.
- Unique Flavor: This dish combines authentic Thai flavors with the distinct bite of raw garlic and shallots, which mellows during cooking for a unique taste profile.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Garlic and Shallots: Provide a sharp, pungent base flavor that mellows upon cooking.
- Lemongrass: Adds a citrusy, floral note, balancing the spices' heaviness.
- Ginger: Offers a warm, spicy kick that complements lemongrass and lime.
- Black Cumin Seeds: Provide an intense, earthy flavor for depth.
- Coriander Seeds: Add a slightly sweet, citrusy flavor, enhancing aroma.
- Turmeric: Gives the paste its yellow color and warm, bitter flavor.
- Mild Curry Powder: Adds complexity without overpowering other ingredients.
- Fenugreek Seeds: Contribute a slight bitterness and hint of sweetness.
- Kaffir Lime Leaves: Impart a unique citrusy fragrance, enhancing freshness.
- Fish Sauce, Soy Sauce, Tamari, or Coconut Aminos: Adjust saltiness and umami, suitable for various dietary needs.
- Lime Zest and Juice: Add zesty, acidic brightness, cutting through richness.
- Dried Red Chilies: Introduce adjustable heat, color, and a spicy undertone.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Homemade Thai yellow curry paste step-by-step
- Prepare Ingredients: Peel the garlic and shallots. If using dried red chilies, prepare them now. Adjust the number of chilies and remove seeds to control the heat.
- Measure and Combine: Measure ingredients as listed in the recipe. Place them in a food processor. This allows you to adjust the spiciness. Refer to the recipe notes for guidance.
- Blend to Desired Consistency: Pulse ingredients into a chunky paste for a rustic feel. This modern method saves time compared to traditional grinding without losing authentic flavors.
- Adjust Texture: For a smoother paste, continue blending. While a bit of texture is traditional, blend to your preferred consistency. This method offers flexibility for modern tastes and kitchens.
📖 Substitutions and variations
- Ginger instead of Galangal: Ginger is a convenient alternative to galangal. It provides a spicy warmth that closely matches the original citrusy flavor.
- Turmeric Powder Over Whole Turmeric: Substitute whole turmeric with turmeric powder to maintain the vibrant yellow hue and earthy taste, making the recipe more accessible.
- Vegetarian and Gluten-Free Options: Replace fish sauce with soy sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari to make the paste suitable for vegetarians and those with gluten sensitivities.
- Adjusting Spice Levels: Vary the number of dried red chilies to customize the heat. Remove the seeds or use fewer chilies for a milder paste.
- Texture Preferences: Blend the ingredients to your desired consistency. For a chunky paste with a rustic feel, pulse until chunky. For a smoother paste, continue blending.
- Storage-Friendly: Make a larger batch and freeze portions for future use, ensuring you always have fresh curry paste.
❓Recipe FAQ's
No. This recipe skips that step for speed and retains the bite and heat of raw shallots and garlic, which mellow when cooked. For a mellower paste, roast at 350ºF for 30 minutes wrapped in foil.
No, but it enhances flavor. Toasting spices like cumin and coriander in a dry pan for a few minutes deepens the taste of your paste.
Absolutely! Freeze in ice cube trays for individual servings or in a ziplock bag. Frozen curry paste lasts up to 3 months.
Up to two weeks in an airtight container. Cover the paste with a thin layer of oil to extend its shelf life.
It depends on the type and amount of chilies used. Adjust heat by adding more or fewer chilies or by removing the seeds and membranes.
Homemade paste might be more rustic due to home blenders. For a smoother paste, strain through a fine mesh sieve or blend longer.
Try using Thai yellow curry paste in these recipes:
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Homemade Thai Yellow Curry Paste
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised with the back of a knife and thinly sliced
- 2 shallots, peeled and halved
- 4- inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
- 1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or dried
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce, soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos (choose based on dietary needs)
- Zest and juice of 2 limes
- 4-6 dried red chilies
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Start by prepping your ingredients as listed to ensure a smooth blending process. This includes peeling the garlic and ginger, bruising and slicing the lemongrass, peeling and halving the shallots, and chopping the ginger.
- Combine Ingredients: Place all prepared ingredients into the bowl of a food processor.
- Blend to Desired Consistency: Pulse and then blend continuously until you achieve a chunky paste. For a smoother paste, blend for a longer period.
- Storage: Transfer the paste into a ziplock bag or a reusable container suitable for freezing. Flatten the bag to spread the paste evenly, making it easier to break off what you need later.
- Freeze: Freeze the curry paste. When needed, break or cut off the required amount for your recipe, and return the rest to the freezer.
Notes
- Black Cumin Seeds: These are distinct from regular cumin seeds and have a more complex flavor. Regular cumin can be substituted if unavailable, but start with a slightly smaller amount and adjust to taste.
- Lemongrass Preparation: Bruising the lemongrass before slicing helps release more of its oils and flavors.
- Adjusting Heat: The number of dried red chilies can be adjusted based on your heat preference. Remember, the seeds contribute significantly to the heat, so remove them if you prefer a milder paste.
- Usage: This versatile paste can be used immediately in recipes or frozen for future use.
Nutrition
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs. Cordon Bleu trained chef and recipe developer. I help you get incredible dinners on the table fast with fool-proof recipes and step-by-step instructions along with tips and tricks that I've learned over a 10-year career in professional kitchens.
Great recipe! Really has a great fresh lime flavour. Instead of using bags to store the paste I use an icecube form. Easy to use as one or two cubes is about enough for 1 person. 🙂