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Thai Green Curry Paste

Next time you make Thai green curry, instead of going for dinky ol' flat-flavored jarred curry paste in the grocery store, try this simple vegan/vegetarian green curry recipe, packed with fresh aromatics garlic, ginger, and shallots, and customized to your spice tolerance.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender (Note 1)

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup cilantro stems and leaves, packed
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • a 1 1/2 inch piece ginger
  • 1 shallot
  • 4 5 inch stalks of lemongrass
  • 1 jalapeño deseeded if you don't want it spicy (Note 2 and 3)
  • 1-2 serrano peppers deseeded if you don't want it spicy (Note 2 and 3)
  • 5-20 green Thai chili peppers depending on spice tolerance (Note 2 and 3)
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil or similar neutral-tasting oil
  • zest of 1 lime
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1/2 tsp coriander, ground
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a food processor or blender, blend all ingredients together until mostly smooth. Use immediately (highly recommended) or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week (not recommended as the longer the paste goes unused, the more it degrades in flavor).

Notes

  1. Food processor or blender: You can also make this Thai green curry paste in a large mortar and pestle. Grind the dry ingredients first; then the chilies, garlic, shallot, and salt; then finish with the rest of the wet ingredients. You won't need to add the avocado oil, as it is added when using a food processor or blender to help the paste come together.
  2. Spiciness: Thai green curry paste is spicy. It's just how it is. For a more medium spice level, deseed the jalapeño and serrano peppers, and really taste as you go If your tolerance for spicy foods is low, deseed the jalapeño and serrano peppers and start with just 5 Thai green chili peppers. Taste and tweak from there.
  3. Taste as you go: When cooking any dish, it's important to taste as you go. It's even more important when preparing a Thai green chili paste because you should be tasting for spice. I like my green curry paste just a little beyond my upper limit because the coconut milk you'll add to make the actual curry cools it down enough to bring the spiciness level down to pleasant, warming kick. Be sure to taste for spiciness and salt as you go along.
Keyword curry, lemongrass, lime, small-batch, spicy
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