Homemade red and green curry paste recipes

These two recipes are staples of Thai cooking. You'll be surprised how often you'll find yourself reaching for these pastes to add a little exotic, exuberant flavour to your meals.

Stir this paste into poultry or vegetable dishes, or add to more delicately flavoured meat dishes. To really release the flavours, sauté the paste in a little vegetable oil before using it.

Makes about 175 grams (3/4 cup)

• 4 shallots, chopped
• 5 ml (1 tsp) shrimp or anchovy paste
• 3 garlic cloves, quartered
• 2 dried kaffir lime leaves, crushed, or 5 ml (1 tsp) lime zest
• A 10 cm (4 in) piece fresh lemongrass, inner stalk chopped
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) coriander seeds
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) sliced fresh ginger
• 5 ml (1 tsp) freshly grated nutmeg
• 5 ml (1 tsp) cumin seeds
• 5 ml (1 tsp) white peppercorns
• 6 green chilis, seeded and quartered
• 45 to 60 ml (3 to 4 tbsp) coconut cream1. In the container of a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients. Whirl until all the ingredients are well blended and the mixture is smooth.
  2. Use the paste at once or place in an airtight container, cover with vegetable oil and store in the refrigerator for up to four days. Or pack the paste into an ice-cube tray, freeze, pop out the paste cubes and store in a self-sealing, freezer-safe plastic bag in the freezer, and use the cubes as needed in recipes.

Keep a cooling glass of milk handy when you dine on this spicy Thai delight — though you can adjust the heat by adding or subtracting the fresh red chilis. (Milk puts out chili fires better than water.) As with the green curry paste, sautéing the paste in a little oil before using it allows the flavours to be fully released.

Makes about 250 grams (1 cup)

• 3 to 6 fresh red chilis, stemmed but not seeded
• 4 shallots, quartered
• 1 red onion, cut into eighths
• 4 garlic cloves, quartered
• A 10 cm (4 in) piece lemongrass, inner stalk chopped
• 50 g (1/4 c) fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, minced
• Zest of 2 limes
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) toasted coriander seeds
• 5 ml (1 tsp) grated nutmeg
• 5 ml (1 tsp) cumin seeds
• 5 ml (1 tsp) white peppercorns
• 10 ml (2 tsp) shrimp or anchovy paste1. In the container of a food processor or blender, combine the red chilis, shallots, red onion, garlic, lemongrass, cilantro, lime leaves and zest, coriander seeds, nutmeg, cumin seeds and white peppercorns. Whirl until all the ingredients are well blended and the mixture is smooth.
  2. In a skillet over medium-low heat, dry-roast the shrimp or anchovy paste for two to three minutes, stirring constantly. Add to the chili mixture and process to blend all the ingredients until smooth. Use the paste at once or place in a container with a tight-fitting lid, cover with vegetable oil and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

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