THAI INSPIRED CURRY PASTE

Made with fresh ingredients, this flavourful paste is very versatile. Inspired from Thai flavours, use it for curries, marinade or even in a stir fry.

This basic paste is vegetarian, and as I mentioned before, very versatile so it can be taken forward in many different ways. My favourite is to make a chicken curry with jasmine rice.

Allow the paste to cook in oil for all the flavours to really come together. It will be fragrant and will take some time. The paste will reduce as you cook, so keep adding 1 table spoon of water at a time to bring it back to a paste like consistency and to avoid it from sizzling and burning.

I like to add the sugar and coconut after the paste has cooked through. Sugar, if added early, will caramelise and and change the flavour - and coconut , if overcooked, will change the texture. Sugar can be avoided altogether as well , or substituted with a healthier option.

Cashews add a lovely velvety texture to the paste, making it rich and creamy in taste.

Adjust the chillies for the level of spice. De-seed the chillies if you want to reduce it, and add one or two more if you prefer it hot!

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Recipe :

Ingredients :

5 - 6 green chillies - roughly cut

1 stalk of lemon grass (soft fleshy part)- broken and bruised.

2-3 green onions, with stalks - roughly cut

1-1/2" piece ginger - peeled and roughly cut

4 - 5 garlic cloves

juice of 1 lime

zest of 1 lime

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp salt

5 - 6 cashew nuts

1/4 cup coriander leaves

1/4 cup Thai basil leaves

2 - 3 kaffir leaves (soft and tender only)

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp palm sugar (optional) while cooking

Method :

In a blender, blend all the ingredients till smooth. Add water as required.

Use fresh, or store for upto 3 days in an airtight container.

To cook a curry:

Heat oil in a flat bottomed pan on medium . Add 5 - 6 tablespoons of curry paste and cook.

Add a few kaffir lime leaves (optional)

For a flavour of sea food, add 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)

Cook for 15-20 mins till fragrant and colour changes. If the curry paste looks to be drying out, add some water and allow to cook.

Add 2 cups coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of palm sugar (or regular will also do).

For a seafood curry, let the coconut milk cook, then add seafood.

For a chicken curry, cook the chicken in the paste before adding the coconut milk for the flavours to seep in.

For a vegetable curry, sauté the vegetables lightly before adding to the cooked curry (after coconut milk has cooked) This way the veggies will be fresh and al dente.

To use as a marinade:

Marinate chicken or fish in the paste for a few hours before grilling in a pan-

Add a little bit of sugar and grated coconut before cooking.

To use in a stir-fry:

Cook the paste till fragrant in coconut oil. Add a splash of coconut milk and continue to cook till the paste reduces. Add sugar and toss in vegetables and cook till tender.