Thai Curry from Scratch: It's Easier Than You Think

Thai curry is one of the world's perfect foods — rich, spicy, aromatic, and balanced between sweet, salty, sour, and umami. And while jarred curry paste is convenient, making your own is a revelation.

Red Curry Paste

In a food processor or mortar and pestle, blend: 10 dried red chilies (soaked in hot water for 20 minutes), 3 shallots, 4 garlic cloves, 1 stalk lemongrass (tender inner part only, sliced thin), 1 tablespoon galangal or ginger (sliced), 1 tablespoon cilantro roots or stems, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (toasted), 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (toasted), 1 teaspoon shrimp paste, zest of 1 lime, ½ teaspoon white pepper. Blend to a smooth paste, adding a splash of oil if needed.

This makes about ½ cup — enough for 2 curries. Store extra in the fridge for 2 weeks or freeze in ice cube trays for months.

Green Curry Paste

Same technique, but use fresh green chilies instead of dried red ones. Add extra cilantro, Thai basil, and a few kaffir lime leaves for that distinctly herbal, fragrant character. Green curry paste is brighter and more herbaceous than red.

Making the Curry

1. Crack the coconut cream: Open a can of full-fat coconut milk without shaking. Scoop the thick cream from the top into a hot pan. Cook over medium-high heat until it separates and oil pools — about 3 minutes.
2. Fry the paste: Add 2–3 tablespoons curry paste to the coconut oil. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until incredibly fragrant — this blooms the aromatics.
3. Add protein: Chicken thigh pieces, shrimp, or tofu. Cook until just seared.
4. Add remaining coconut milk and vegetables (bamboo shoots, Thai eggplant, bell peppers, green beans). Simmer 10–15 minutes.
5. Season: Fish sauce (for salt), palm sugar or brown sugar (for sweetness), lime juice (for acid). Taste and adjust — Thai cooking is about balance.
6. Finish: Tear in Thai basil leaves and kaffir lime leaves off the heat. Serve over jasmine rice.

Ingredient Substitutions

Can't find galangal? Use ginger. No lemongrass? Add lemon zest. No shrimp paste? Use fish sauce plus a tiny bit of miso. No kaffir lime leaves? Use lime zest. The result won't be 100% authentic, but it'll still be extraordinary compared to jarred paste.