When I was living in California one ingredient I really missed was Thai Red Curry Paste.
Such an easy way to quickly whip up a tasty weeknight curry.
I love Thai curries and since there weren’t any Thai restaurants in my area, I had plenty of practice experimenting to find the best Thai Red Curry Paste substitutes.
What is Thai Red Curry Paste?
It’s a puree of red chilli peppers and other aromatic ingredients that is used as the flavour base for Thai curries.
Ingredients can include shallot, onion, lemon grass, neutral flavoured oil, ginger or galangal, garlic, shrimp paste, fish sauce and kaffir lime peel.
The flavour profile will be quite different, but if I’m in the mood for curry and I don’t have access to a good curry paste, a few teaspoons of curry powder can usually do the trick.
As a general rule of thumb substitute 1 teaspoon curry powder for 1 tablespoon curry paste.
If you prefer milder curries, start with less and add to taste. It’s easy to add more but difficult to fix a curry that’s too hot!
2. Other Curry Pastes
Thai red and green curry pastes can be used interchangeably. The flavour profile and intensity will be different but not necessarily in a bad way.
Other Thai / Malaysian curry pastes such as, yellow curry, laksa or Massaman also work well as substitutes.
Indian curry pastes including madras, korma and vindaloo can also be used. Just watch out as the intensity. Start with less than the recipe calls for and taste and add as needed.
3. Home Made Thai Red Curry Paste
By far the closest and best substitute is to make your own. It only takes a few minutes and apart from the lemongrass (which you can substitute with lemon zest) the ingredients are easy to find.
How to Make Thai Red Curry Paste
makes 4 to 5 tablespoons takes 5 minutes 6 large red chilli peppers, deseeded 3 stalks lemon grass or zest of 1 lemon, sliced 1 thumb sized piece ginger, chopped 4-6 garlic cloves, peeled 2 tablespoons neutral flavoured oil
1. Puree the chillies, lemon grass, ginger and garlic with 2 tablespoons of oil in a food processor until you have a chunky puree. Or pound in a mortar and pestle.
2. Keep in the fridge in an airtight container / jar for weeks or can be frozen.
Other Thai / Malaysian curry pastes such as, yellow curry, laksa or Massaman also work well as substitutes. Indian curry pastes including madras, korma and vindaloo can also be used. Just watch out as the intensity. Start with less than the recipe calls for and taste and add as needed.
Gochujang is thicker, fermented, and has a richer taste, while Thai red chili paste tends to be thinner and focuses on the heat. Substituting one for the other may alter the flavor profile of the dish.
Red curry paste is a versatile and flavorful base for a variety of Thai dishes. In its most basic form, it consists of red chili peppers, garlic, sea salt, lemongrass, turmeric, and shrimp paste (source).
Curry paste is not a substitute for curry powder or vice versa. Curry paste is ideal for Thai-style curries but the flavor profile does not match what is expected of an Indian-style curry.
Garam masala and curry powder are not interchangeable. Garam masala is a traditional Indian mix whereas curry powder is a blanket term British colonists used to describe all the spices found in Indian cuisine: it is often hotter, earthier and less aromatic.
Finally, if you want to go the store-bought route, but can't find canned panang curry paste, you can easily doctor up a can of store-bought red curry paste by pounding it in a mortar and pestle with one stalk of lemongrass (prepared following the recipe instructions below), along with the same quantity of peanuts, ...
In general, Thai yellow curry is the mildest, Thai red curry is medium-hot and Thai green curry is spicy, although it can sometimes vary depending on what region of Thailand you are in.
Green curry is considered the most popular curry in Thai cuisine. The green color of Thai green curry sauce has become more vibrant over the years with the addition of fresh coriander (cilantro), makrut lime leaf and peel, and basil.
Once the broth is at a mild simmer, add seasonings. Add brown sugar, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Gochujang, Sriracha, red curry paste and red curry powder. Cover and let simmer on low heat for 15 min.
The spiciest option, red curry paste is rich and fiery. Green curry paste is often considered the most popular of the three because it offers a mild, balanced flavor that is both rich and herbaceous. Yellow curry paste is heartwarming and slightly sweet and its spiciness can vary depending on the types of chilies used.
Other Thai / Malaysian curry pastes such as, yellow curry, laksa or Massaman also work well as substitutes. Indian curry pastes including madras, korma and vindaloo can also be used. Just watch out as the intensity. Start with less than the recipe calls for and taste and add as needed.
What is Thai curry paste? A mix of fresh herbs and spices, including chillies, lemongrass, coriander root, garlic, shallots and a root called galangal that comes from the same family as ginger. They're crushed with a pestle and mortar or blitzed in a blender until they come together in a smooth, spicy paste.
Red curry paste is a good alternative if you want to add some spice and complexity, but aren't necessarily looking for the burning heat of a chili paste. Remember that curry pastes are often complex blends of a lot of different spices, herbs, and aromatics, and have a very distinct flavor.
Curry pastes are just a combination of freshly ground curry powders, ginger, garlic, herbs and salt. Add all to a food processor or blender and you've got an easy homemade, thick curry pastes (in under 10 minutes!).
While it has similar ingredients, Panang curry is a bit stronger, richer, sweeter and thicker than Red Curry, as well as slightly nutty thanks to the addition of ground peanuts in the paste.
Introduction: My name is Allyn Kozey, I am a outstanding, colorful, adventurous, encouraging, zealous, tender, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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