---
title: Homemade Thai Green Curry Paste
servings: 4
source:
  name: Rainbow Plant Life
  author: Nisha Vora
  url: https://plans.rainbowplantlife.com/recipes/homemade-thai-green-curry-paste
image: https://imagedelivery.net/2iqVZVZ93QVmZXnzq-5uHA/test-image-72/500
tags: [basics, homemade, thai, green, vegan, meal-prep]
---

Prepare: @coriander seeds{1%tbsp}, @cumin seeds{0.5%tbsp}, @white peppercorns or ground white pepper{0.5%tsp}, @Thai chile peppers{4-12}(stems removed; see Note 1), @jalapeño peppers{1-3}(membranes and stems removed; see Note 1), @fresh lemongrass{4}(stalk | stalks), @galangal{1.5%inch}, @medium shallots{2}(peeled), @garlic cloves{8}(peeled), @chopped cilantro roots or stems{2%tbsp}, @fresh makrut lime leaves{4}(folded in half and middle rib removed; optional), @Thai basil leaves{20}(optional), @dried shiitake mushroom{1}(grated with a microplane for extra umami; omit if needed), @neutral-flavored oil{2%tbsp}(see Note 2), @kosher salt or sea salt{0.75-1%tsp}(more to taste), @white miso AKA shiro miso; use if omitting the dried shiitake{2%tsp}.

Toast the spices. Heat a small or medium frying pan over medium heat. Once warm, add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and white peppercorns (if using) and toast until darker in color and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl to stop cooking and cool. While the spices cool, prep your chiles, aromatics, and herbs.

For the smoothest texture: Grind the cooled whole spices using an electric spice grinder or mortar and pestle. NOTE: If you can't grind the spices before blending, the flavor is still great but the finished curry will have a less uniformly smooth texture.

Prep the lemongrass (see Note 3). Slice off the top green stalks, the tough bottom nub, and peel away several layers of papery peel until you reach the tender inner white core (it should be soft and bendy). If you have a rolling pin or mallet, use it to smash down on the lemongrass to release more aroma. For the stand blender option: Chop the lemongrass (no need to chop finely). For the immersion blender option or mortar & pestle: Mince the lemongrass or grate it using a grater or microplane.

Prep the galangal. Use a sharp knife and cut off any hard knobs. Angle your knife as needed so you don’t cut through the root. No need to peel. For the stand blender option: Slice or chop the galangal. For the immersion blender option or mortar & pestle:  Slice the galangal very thinly.

Blend the curry paste using either method below (see Note 4).

High-Powered Stand Blender Instructions (recommended method; see Note 5) Prep the lemongrass and galangal using the instructions above. Grate the dried shiitake mushroom. You can leave the other herbs and aromatics whole. First, add the oil to the blender so it coats the blades. Now add the remaining ingredients: chile peppers, toasted (ground) spices, lemongrass, galangal, shallots, garlic, cilantro roots or stems, lime leaves, Thai basil (if using), salt, miso, and grated shiitake mushroom. Start blending on low, using the blender’s tamper to push everything down (make sure the blender lid is on when using the tamper). Stop the machine and use a silicone spatula to scrape everything down a few times. Don’t stick your face right over the curry paste, as it’s spicy and can make your eyes water. Blend again, gradually increasing the speed to high, using the tamper to go up and down constantly. It should be smooth and look almost like pureed avocado (see photo here) by the end.

If you want to taste the curry paste when it's done blending, taste just a tiny amount because it will be spicy! Add a bit more salt, as needed (it should taste salty).

Store in an airtight jar and refrigerate for 1 to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months. After one week in the fridge, the color is less vibrant and the flavor is slightly muted, so for maximal flavor preservation, freeze if you don’t plan to use it in 1 week.

> Tailor the chiles to your heat level preference. You want to use a total of 1 1/2 oz of green chiles. Spicy! version: 8-12 Thai chile peppers + 1 jalapeño, membranes removed. Moderate heat: 4-6 Thai chile peppers + 2 jalapeños, membranes removed. Mild version: 2-3 jalapeños (most membranes removed) + 1/2 small green bell peppers.
> Oil is not traditional but necessary when using an electric machine. If using a mortar and pestle, skip it.
> Read the FAQ on my blog for tips on prepping lemongrass. It’s important that you only use only the tender inner core and no papery, tough pieces; otherwise, the paste will be a little gritty. The usable part will be quite small compared to the rest of stalk.
> Using a small-capacity high-powered blender is the quickest method. Using an immersion blender takes some more time since you have to finely chop the ingredients. Using a mortar and pestle is the traditional method and can take 1 to 2 hours to pound. If using a mortar & pestle, visit the instructions under "which tool is best for making curry paste?" in the blog post.
> You must have a high-powered blender with a small capacity container (32 ounces / 1L or smaller) to make this recipe scaled at 1x. If your container is 48 ounces (1.5 L), you need to scale this recipe to 2x; if it’s 64 ounces (2 L) or larger, make a 3x batch. See below for immersion blender instructions:
> Prep the lemongrass and galangal using the instructions in steps 3 and 4. Grate the dried shiitake mushroom.
> Finely chop the chile peppers, galangal shallots, garlic, cilantro roots or stems, and lime leaves. Tear the Thai basil leaves (if using).
> Add the above ingredients to a wide-mouth mason jar or similar jar large enough to fit your immersion blender. Add the toasted (ground spices), salt, and miso.
> Now pour the oil on top of the ingredients. Place the immersion blender on top of the ingredients and push down to the bottom. Lift up, and using a spatula, scrape all the ingredients together again.
> Repeat this process until smooth; it will take several rounds and several minutes, so keep going. Don’t stick your face right over the curry paste, as it’s spicy and can make your eyes water.