Vegan & soyfree Thai green curry paste

Easy to make recipe for Thai green curry paste from scratch. By blending fresh ingredients like green chilies, lemongrass, galangal, ginger, turmeric, garlic, lime zest and juice and cilantro. A homemade curry not only enhances the authenticity of your Thai dishes but also ensures a fresher, more aromatic curry base. And this way you can customize the spicyness. And not least if all: no additives!

If you don’t have the time, energy or ingredients to make a paste yourself, this is a good store bought green curry paste.

Green curry paste in a bowl on a wooden board. Topped with some lemongrass and cilantro. Vertical orientation.

Fresh herbs and spices

Making Thai food is not difficult. It may seem like a lot of ingredients. But the base ingredients are always the same. So when you get the hang of using thode ingredients, you will be able to cook without a recipe real soon. Just create and improvise with what you have. Keep in mind one basic rule: Thai food is preferably fresh. In contrast to for example Indian, where you use a lot of ground, roasted spices.

Blender

Traditionally, you make a Thai green curry paste by pounding the fresh ingredients in a mortar. But personally I use a food processor: it’s easier and quicker. can achieve similar results with less effort, making it accessible for home cooks. A foodprocessor with S- blades is less suitable to create a smooth paste.

Don’t add to much extra fluid

First start blending with just the lime juice and the spices and herbs (especially the cilantro) in small bits at a time. In a good blender this should do the trick. If not add some water or cucumber juice.

Storage

Its easiest to make more servings at once, otherwise it’s harder to blend. I usually make icecubes for 4 servings and store them up to 2 months. Two servings I use immediately and 2 servings I store for a maximum of 2 days.

Ingredients

A green curry is spicy but also fresh and light than a basic red curry. Especially lime, ginger and cilantro give it its specific taste that is slightly different than the more sturdy taste of a red curry. I tried to use ingredients you probably will be able to buy even without Asian stores nearby. So I tried to use ingredients you probably will be able to buy even without Asian stores nearby. And feel free to adjust ANYTHING to taste!

  • Cilantro – I love the taste and it’s great to get a paste with a vibrant green colour.
  • Thai basil – If you don’t like the taste of cilantro, try to find some Thai basil and mix with some mint and a hint of parsley. I can’t buy Thai basil easily, and I expect it’s hard for others as well, so I won’t use it in my recipe.
  • Shallots – $ed or yellow onions will do as well.
  • Garlic – Adjust the amount to taste.
  • Lime – Preferably you use fresh kaffir limes, but I don’t have those near me so I always use regular limes. You will use the juice ánd the zest, so buy organic and wash thoroughly (with baking soda if you wish).
  • Lemongrass – Fresh stalks, you use the inside and you can cook the outer leaves with your curry (fish them out before serving).
  • Ginger – flFreshly grated, you can also cook some slices with your curry (fish them out later).
  • Galangal – Freshly grated or cut into small chunks. If you can’t get your hands on it, use ground powder.
  • Turmeric – Use fresh if you can get it, but ground powder will do just fine. When using fresh it might be a good idea to wear gloves or you’ll have yellow fingers for a week.
  • Chili pepper – Preferably use different kinds, I usually take regular green chili’s and small Thai green chili’s for a green curry. But if you just don’t have a lot of choice, any kind will do. How much you use is very personal. Just remember you can always add extra, but making it less spicy is harder! When it got easy too spicy anyway: add sugar and citrus juice.
  • Coconut flower sugar – To taste.

Fish sauce and shrimp paste

An authentic Thai curry paste is not vegan but contains fermented shrimp paste or fish sauce. Although I love those strong umami flavours and I’m not eating completely vegan, I don’t use fish sauce and shrimp paste any more. Shrimp are not the healthiest seafood and especially not since most shrimp used for paste are cultivated. Fish sauce sadly contains highly concentrated heavy metals.

Optional ingredients

Below are some of the most used condiments ingredients in Thai cuisine. Not all are used in the paste, but if you are just starting with Thai cuisine this list may come in handy.

  • Coconut aminos – If you just eat vegan, you would probably use soy sauce. But since I don’t eat soy either I need to replace that as well. I use just about half a teaspoon per serving to get the same umami taste. I don’t use it in the paste, but I usually add it to my curry at the end so I can taste.
  • Sesame oil – I use it in my curry, at the end, just to get a little bit of different taste. Use just a few drops per serving.
  • Kaffir lime leaves – Those are mostly dried, so I don’t use them in the paste but add them separately to the curry and fish them out later.
  • Scallions or green spring onions – Great to get a wider base for your oniony- garlicy taste.
  • Cucumber juice – To be added when your paste doesn’t blend all to well. Water will do fine as well.
  • Coconut milk, tomato paste, broth – Used as a sauce base to cook your other ingredients in.

FAQ’s

Is this paste AIP paleo?

No, not AIP: chili’s are nightshades. Some people do eat peppers on a paleo diet though, but don’t add them when you’re still in the AIP elimination phase.

Is this paste vegan?

Yes, I is made from just slices and herbs. I don’t use shrimp paste or fish sauce.

Is this paste Medical Medium?

Yes, the paste is fatfree and contains just lots of fresh herbs. If you eat fermented foods you can add some coconut aminos. But note that when you prepare your curry in coconut milk it will no longer be fatfree. The same goes when you bake in coco ut oil or add sesame oil.

Thai green curry paste

Marjolein

This recipe may contain

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Quick and easy recipe for making your own Thai green curry paste with fresh ingredients that can be found in most supermarkets. Just blend everything together and it's ready within minutes. Vegan and soyfree.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 33
Cuisine Asian, Thai

Equipment

  • blender
  • or mortar
  • icecube tray + freezer to keep what you don't use right away

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups fresh cilantro from which about ½ cup of nice leaves used as topping on your curry (80 to 100 grams)
  • 6 limes zest and juice
  • 4 to 6 stalks lemongrass
  • 2 to 3 shallots
  • 4 stalks scallions, green or spring onions
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 4 tablespoons fresh ginger
  • 2 tablespoons fresh galangal
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground turmeric or fresh
  • ½ tablespoons cumin
  • 2 to 4 tbsp cucumber juice or water
Low to full spice
  • 2 to 6 green chili peppers 'normal' peppers
  • 2 to 6 Thai green chili small, spicy peppers
Optional

Instructions

  • Cut the peppers in small chunks. Grate or cut the ginger and galangal (and turmeric if you have fresh).
  • Slice open the lemongrass, peel off the outer leaves and finely dice the softer middle part.
  • Press the garlic, chop the shallots (or green onions).
  • Wash and grate the lemon. Squeeze the juice out.
  • Add everything to the blender and mix. If it's not working add just a little bit if fluid. This can be extra lime juice, some cucumber juice or water.
  • Add in the cilantro in small portions.
  • Add in the dry spices.

Notes

The paste can be kept in the fridge foor 2 maybe 3 days. Freeze the rest into icecubes. One icecube equals a generous tablespoon. I use about 4 icecubes for 2 servings (or 1 large): just let it melt into your sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

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