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Thai Red Curry Paste in a bowl with a serving spoon
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5 from 5 votes

Thai Red Curry Paste Recipe

Make authentic Thai red curry paste at home with fresh chilies, lemongrass, galangal, and shrimp paste. Huge flavor, easy to customize, ready in minutes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Main Course, sauce
Cuisine: American, Thai
Keyword: curry, curry paste, spicy, thai peppers
Servings: 16 tablespoons
Calories: 16kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

  • 6-8 dried red chilies, stems and seeds removed (about 1 ounce) (OR use 4 ounces fresh chilies - Thai red chilies are best; serrano, Fresno, cayenne, or red jalapeño for milder heat. Add a bit of red bell pepper for an even milder paste.)
  • 1 medium shallot chopped
  • 4-6 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped galangal chopped (or fresh ginger if unavailable)
  • 1 stalk lemongrass tender inner part only, thinly sliced (or 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro roots or stems
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon shrimp paste (kapi)
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil (optional but helps blending)
  • 1-2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon makrut lime zest (or use 1 teaspoon regular lime zest, or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice)

Instructions

  • Add the dried chilies to a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let steep for 20 minutes to rehydrate and soften. Drain and add to a food processor or blender.
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the blender. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
  • Alternatively (more authentic), you can grind down the solid ingredients and spices in a mortar and pestle, then slowly add in the liquid ingredients as you mix. Mix until a paste forms to your preferred consistency.
  • Taste and adjust to your personal tastes. Need more salt? More lime? A pinch of sugar? Adjust as needed.
  • Strain out excess liquid, if desired, or use as-is.

Notes

Makes about 1 cup.
Heat Factor: Mild-Medium. You can easily up the heat level by using hotter chili peppers, or adding either spicy chili flakes or powders.

Nutrition

Calories: 16kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 286IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg