Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dry Spices
- 6 g coriander seeds, whole
- 2 g cumin seeds, whole
- 3 g white peppercorns, whole
Fresh Aromatics
- 15 g green thai bird's eye chilies, stems removed
- 30 g large green mild chilies (spur chilies), seeded and chopped
- 5 g coarse sea salt
- 30 g lemongrass stalks, bottom third only, thinly sliced
- 15 g galangal, peeled and minced
- 5 g kaffir lime zest, finely grated
- 10 g cilantro roots, cleaned and chopped
- 40 g shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 25 g garlic cloves, peeled
- 15 g shrimp paste (gapi)
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and white peppercorns in a dry frying pan over low heat until fragrant (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat immediately to prevent burning.
Grind the toasted spices into a fine powder using a spice grinder or the mortar and pestle. Set the powder aside.
Begin pounding the paste. Add the green bird's eye chilies, spur chilies, and coarse salt to the mortar. Pound steadily until the chilies are completely broken down into a fine pulp.
Add the fibrous ingredients: lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, and cilantro roots. Pound vigorously until the fibers break down and merge with the chili paste.
Add the softer aromatics: shallots and garlic. Continue to pound until fully incorporated and smooth.
Add the reserved spice powder and the shrimp paste. Pound and mix gently to combine everything into a homogenous, dark green paste.
Chef's Notes
- The 'Green' in Green Curry comes primarily from the fresh green chilies. Using only small hot chilies makes it inedibly spicy; you must use the larger mild green chilies (Spur/Cayenne/Banana) to get the volume and color without blowing out your palate.
- Do not substitute Ginger for Galangal. Galangal has a piney, sharp, citrusy flavor, while ginger is warm and spicy. They are chemically distinct.
- If using a food processor instead of a mortar, chop ingredients very small first. You may need to add a tablespoon of oil or water to get the blades catching, but a mortar yields a superior oil extraction and shelf life.
- Wrap the shrimp paste (gapi) in a small piece of foil and roast it over a gas flame or in a dry pan for 2 minutes before adding. This reduces the 'fishy' smell and enhances the umami depth.
- Cilantro roots are the traditional flavor base. If you live in a region where cilantro is sold cut, use the bottom-most stems, which have more flavor than the leaves.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Store in an airtight jar with a thin layer of oil on top to prevent oxidation.
Freezer: 6 months — Freeze in ice cube trays for easy portioning.
