Spring Green: Thai Green Curry Paste
- A very special box of 120 Crayola Crayons
It’s only just turned March, but I am determined for Spring to come early this year – in my head, at least. Yesterday I bought seeds to plant flat leaf parsley and salad greens to get me in the mood. Everywhere I look there are little signs of Spring: tiny buds beginning to burgeon on trees and bushes; snowdrops and crocus blossoming; pussy willow shining silvery in the still too sparse sunlight.
As a child in America I spent vast amounts of time coloring (get that spelling there? OR not OUR) with Crayola Crayons. I was such a crayon consumer that every few Christmases Mom and Dad (I mean Santa Claus, of course) would have to give me a brand new box because I had used up the previous crayons down to the nub. Most years I was the grateful recipient of a box of 64 Crayola Crayons and their classic colors, but one special Christmas morning my eyes opened wide with excitement as I tore off the paper to discover the most wonderful box of 120 Crayola Crayons. It was huge! It held every color under the sun and it was in this box that my affinity for Spring Green blossomed and grew.
In the midst of New England’s long, cold winters I would color images with Spring Green, hoping subconsciously to conjure up the warm weather that was sure to come. “Snow, snow go away, Little Janie wants to play.” Come on, Spring Green, do your thing!
Perhaps in an attempt to once again conjure up Spring and its renaissance of color and beauty, last night I made a delicious Thai Spring Green – oops! a delicious Thai Green Curry Paste in my trusty Thermomix. The blending power of the Thermomix is so strong, it processes lemongrass beautifully and with all the other ingredients combined it makes a wonderful paste.
This recipe includes variants for vegetarians and vegans, so go to town everyone, go on and have yourselves a fragrant meal that will conjure up your own thoughts of Spring and renewed life. For my Down Under readers approaching the Southern Hemisphere’s Fall, you can think back upon last Spring for courage and inspiration to make it through your winter season. Wherever you are, enjoy!
Thai Green Curry Paste
Adapted for Thermomix from a recipe by Darlene Schmidt on the About.com Guide
Makes enough for 1 large curry. Can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for later use. Doubles beautifully.
Ingredients
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. ground coriander
4 – 5 cloves garlic
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 2 cm lengths or 3 Tbsp. prepared frozen, dried or bottled lemongrass (available at Asian stores)
1 thumb-size piece of galangal or ginger, cut into 3 mm “coins” along the lines of the skin
25 g fresh coriander/cilantro, leaves & stems
25 g fresh basil, leaves & stems
½ tsp. ground white pepper (available in most supermarket spice aisles)
1 – 3 green chillies, cut in half and seeded if desired (add more chilli for more heat!)
1 shallot, peeled and quartered
3 Tbsp. fish sauce; Vegetarians: substitute 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
The juice of 1 ½ limes (about 2 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian stores); Vegetarians: substitute ½ tsp. salt and 1 tsp. lime juice (use the remaining half lime)
1 tsp. brown sugar/palm sugar (available at Asian stores or in the UK via Waitrose Cooks’ Ingredients)
50 – 75 g coconut milk (just enough to blend ingredients together)
Method
- If required, grind the coriander and cumin on Speed 10 until fine, placing a piece of paper towel between the lid and the measuring cup to keep the spice powder from billowing out of the bowl. Tip out and reserve.
- Peel the garlic! 3-4 seconds/Speed 4 ½/Reverse Blade Direction. Leave in bowl; cancel reverse direction – I sometimes forget this ;-).
- Drop the lemongrass pieces, the ginger “coins,” the basil, and then the coriander onto the running blades set at Speed 7 to chop. Turn off immediately. Scrape sides of Thermomix bowl with spatula.
- Place all remaining ingredients in the Thermomix bowl. Process 5 seconds/Speed 5 to chop. Scrape sides of Thermomix bowl with spatula. Blend 30 seconds/Speed 6; scrape sides of bowl. Blend 1 minute/Speed 10 to form a fragrant Thai green curry paste. Scrape sides and lid of bowl.
- Blend again 1 minute/Speed 6. Check consistency and blend further to suit your palate.
Madame Thermomix’s Note:
This curry paste has what seems to be an inordinate amount of Fish sauce in it which gives it a rather salty taste. However, once cooked with the rest of the tin/can of coconut milk and vegetables and chicken or shrimp/prawns, for instance, it is really delicious. My husband says it’s the best he’s ever tasted!
For Vegetarian/Vegan Paste: Instead of fish sauce and shrimp paste, add 1 Tbsp. soy sauce plus ½ tsp. salt and 1 tsp. lime juice, as stated in the ingredients list. Alternatively, you could add 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, but this tends to turn the paste brownish-green instead of bright green.
Darlene Schmidt says, “Thai green curry paste is surprisingly easy to make, and it’s so much healthier & fresher-tasting than the store-bought variety. Added to your favourite meats or seafood, noodles, vegetables, tofu, or wheat gluten, this paste will create sumptuous curries. Or use it to make delicious soups or noodle dishes. Cook with the paste right away, or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and use it as you need it. The paste can also be frozen for future use. Enjoy!”
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Bon appétit !
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