How To Make Thai Yellow Curry Paste

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Photo shows a jar of Yellow curry paste
Yellow Curry Paste

Thai Yellow Curry Paste is a great starting ingredient for fish or vegetable curries. The Curry Paste keeps well in the refrigerator or freezer and makes it easy to whip up a fantastic meal after work when you are pressed for time.

This recipe is naturally gluten free.

This recipe requires the Curry Paste Base to already be made.

Watch a Video

Here is a video of 2 Cooks in the Kitchen making Curry Paste Base, Red Curry Paste and Yellow Curry Paste:

The Ingredients

To get our ingredients ready we will cut some ginger, galangal and shallot into fairly large pieces. We will also need green cardamom pods, black cardamom pods and yellow mustard seeds.

Photo shows the ingredients for yellow curry paste
Yellow Curry Paste Ingredients

Sweat the Ingredients

We will put these ingredients in a dry frying pan over medium heat and let them sweat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The mustard seeds should pop.

Photo shows the Ginger, shallot, galangal, mustard seeds and cardamom pods in a dry frying pan over medium heat
Sweat the Ingredients

Remove the Cardamom Seeds

When they are cooked we need to get the seeds out of the cardamom pods. The green cardamom pods usually open fairly easily but if they give you trouble you can smash them with the flat of a knife blade to get them open. The black cardamom pods can be cut to get at the seeds.

Photo shows a knife smashing a cardamom pod to get the seeds out
Smash the Cardamom Pods to get the seeds

Grind the Ingredients

Once we have the seeds we need to put them in a mortar and pestle. Then we will add all the other ingredients from the pan and grind them up.

Photo shows the cardamom seeds going into the mortar and pestle
Put the seeds In a Mortar and Pestle
Photo shows the other ingredients going into the mortar and pestle
Add everything from the pan

Cook the Curry Paste Base in Coconut Oil

Next we want to heat the coconut oil in a saucepan over a medium flame. Once the oil is hot we will add our curry paste base and stir it in well, cooking it for about a minute before we add our other ingredients.

Photo shows the Curry Paste Base in hot coconut oil in a saucepan
Cook the Curry Paste Base In hot oil

Add the Ground Ingredients

We will add our ground spices from the mortar and pestle and get those mixed in.

Photo shows the ground spices being added to the pot
Add the ground spices

Add Cumin, Turmeric and Pepper Flakes

Then we can add our cumin, turmeric and red pepper flakes and stir all that in.

Photo shows red pepper flakes being added to the pot
Add Cumin, Turmeric and Red Pepper Flakes

Add Coconut Milk and Fish Sauce

Lastly we add our coconut milk and fish sauce. We’ll stir this in well, turn down the heat and let our yellow curry paste simmer for ten minutes. This sauce tends to splatter out of the pan so you will want to have the lid handy.

Photo shows coconut milk being added to the pot
Add Coconut Milk

Storing Yellow Curry Paste

When it is all cooked you will have a nice, thick curry paste to use for many dishes. You can store this in a jar in the refrigerator or we like to freeze it in 2 tablespoon cubes in something like the Souper Cubes.

Yellow Curry Paste is cooked
Yellow Curry Paste Thickened

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Yellow Curry Paste

Thai Yellow Curry Paste is a great starting ingredient for fish or vegetable curries.

  • Author: 2 Cooks in the Kitchen
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 2 Cups 1x
  • Category: Curry
  • Cuisine: Thai
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 1/2 cup Curry Paste Base
  • 1 Shallot , sliced
  • 1 ” Ginger, sliced
  • 1Galangal, sliced
  • 4 Green Cardamom Pods
  • 2 Black Cardamom Pods
  • 1 tsp Mustard Seed
  • 1 Tbls Cumin
  • Pinch Red Pepper Flakes or more
  • 2 Tbls Turmeric
  • 2 Tbls Coconut Oil
  • 1/2 cup Coconut Milk
  • 1 Tbls Fish Sauce

Instructions

  1. Heat a dry skillet over medium flame. Add the shallot, ginger, galangal, green cardamom, black cardamom and mustard seeds to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
  2. Remove the green and black cardamom seeds from their pods and then put all the sweated ingredients into a mortar and pestle. Grind it all until it is fairly smooth.
  3. Heat the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the Curry Paste Base and stir until it is well mixed.
  4. Add the cumin, turmeric, red pepper flakes, coconut milk and fish sauce. Stir well, turn down the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
  5. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

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