Easy Authentic Thai Yellow Curry Paste Recipe

Making your own Thai yellow curry paste is always ten times better than using store-bought. It lasts in your fridge, and you can add it to many one-pot dishes apart from curries and stews, ensuring you have a flavorful meal.

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If you have ever tried making a curry at home and are like I was a couple of years ago, you most likely have been using store-bought paste. Making it from scratch is the next f-level!

We love making our sauces and preparations from scratch, as they deliver way more flavor, and you can keep them for months in the fridge.

Jump to:

• 💚 Why you will love it
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 👨🏻‍🍳 How to use
• ❓ FAQ
• 🫙 Storage
• 📚 More curry recipes
• 🎥 Video
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews and Comments

🧾 Ingredients

Various ingredients are needed for this recipe, but they are easily found in ethnic shops. Some of them are dry, and some are fresh.

• Fresh Galangal root (Thai ginger/alternatively regular ginger): Galangal root contributes a distinct, slightly citrusy, peppery flavor essential for authentic Thai cuisine. It also helps in digestion and adds a warming sensation to the dish.
• Lemongrass: Lemongrass imparts a tangy, fresh, and lemony flavor, a key taste component in many Southeast Asian dishes. It is also known for its refreshing aroma that can enhance the overall dining experience.
• Red shallots: Red shallots have a slight sweetness and sharpness that is milder than regular onions, enriching the dish's flavor profile and adding texture and color.
• Garlic: Garlic is used for its strong and pungent flavor that becomes mellow and sweeter when cooked. It's also a common base for many dishes because it combines well with other ingredients and enhances their flavors.
• Fresh Coriander: Coriander provides a fresh and slightly citrusy flavor that balances out the heat from the spices. The herb also garners and enhances the dish's visual appeal.
• Chilies: Chilies add heat and depth of flavor to the dish, making it more savory and exciting. The spice level can be adjusted according to preference, thus catering to different palates.
• Lime: Lime is used for its tangy and sour flavor, which helps cut through the richness of other ingredients, making the dish feel more balanced and refreshing. Lime zest can also contribute to an aromatic component.
• Coconut palm sugar: Coconut palm sugar lends a mild caramel sweetness to the dish, balancing the spicy and tangy flavors. Its unrefined natural nature also imparts some minerals and nutrients.
• Miso paste (or powder): Miso paste enhances the dish's overall taste by adding umami, a savory flavor that brings depth and complexity. Its fermentative nature also contributes to better digestion.
• Cumin seeds: Cumin seeds contribute a warm and earthy flavor, enhancing the savory notes in the dish. They also provide a slight crunch when used whole, adding texture to the dish.
• Coriander seeds: Coriander seeds impart a warm, nutty, and spicy flavor with a hint of citrus, complementing the other spices in the dish. They also aid in digestion.
• Fresh Turmeric or Turmeric powder: Turmeric powder adds a vibrant yellow color to the dish, enhancing its visual appeal. Its mildly bitter and earthy flavor blends well with other spices and has well-known health benefits such as anti-inflammatory properties.
• Cloves: Cloves bring a sweet yet spicy flavor, providing warmth to the dish. They also have an aromatic quality that complements the other ingredients.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds a sweet, warm, and slightly spicy flavor that complements the savory ingredients. It's also used for its inviting aroma that enhances the overall sensory experience of the dish.

The Galangal root, also called Thai Ginger, is probably the most difficult to find. I thought getting it was hard until I asked for it in Chinatown.

If you can't find Galangal, go for ginger root; don't let that stop you!

🔪 Instructions

Most of the effort is spent buying the ingredients at the supermarket, Amazon, or ethnic store, and the rest is done in only two steps.

1. Start grinding the dry spices in a coffee grinder or immersion blender. You can also use a mortar and pestle.
2. Secondly and lastly, add the rest of the ingredients and blend until you have a thick but smooth paste.

Hint: If you are using a jug blender, you may need to help add some liquid. If you use the curry paste immediately, you can add some coconut milk to this recipe.

👨🏻‍🍳 How to use

You should be super proud now that you have made your Homemade Curry! You are ready to use it in a magnificent dish!

The perfect Vegetarian Thai Yellow Curry, and of course, don't forget to pair it with aromatic Jasmine Rice. If you like to add some extra textures and protein, I recommend using my Crispy Tofu Recipe, to make a high-protein vegan meal.

We also use it on our red lentil curry (often called dhal) and our spicy cauliflower soup.

❓ FAQ

🫙 Storage

If you want to make a big batch, it freezes well. Using a food processor will save you plenty of time.

📚 More curry recipes

If you love curries, as we do, don't forget to try our Indian curries, including an Indian eggplant curry and a flavorful and light Indian cauliflower curry, both made using curry masala.

Also, check out both our Eggplant Green Thai Curry and the Massaman curry.

⭐ If you try this recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

🎥 Video

📋 Recipe