Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dry Spices
- 6 g coriander seeds, whole
- 2 g cumin seeds, whole
- 3 g white peppercorns, whole
Fresh Aromatics
- 15 g green thai bird's eye chilies, stems removed
- 30 g large green mild chilies (spur chilies), seeded and chopped
- 5 g coarse sea salt
- 30 g lemongrass stalks, bottom third only, thinly sliced
- 15 g galangal, peeled and minced
- 5 g kaffir lime zest, finely grated
- 10 g cilantro roots, cleaned and chopped
- 40 g shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 25 g garlic cloves, peeled
- 15 g shrimp paste (gapi)
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 23 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 284 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 113 mg
- Calcium
- 60 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 11 mg
- Phosphorus
- 20 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 34 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 16 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 13 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and white peppercorns in a dry frying pan over low heat until fragrant (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat immediately to prevent burning.
Grind the toasted spices into a fine powder using a spice grinder or the mortar and pestle. Set the powder aside.
Begin pounding the paste. Add the green bird's eye chilies, spur chilies, and coarse salt to the mortar. Pound steadily until the chilies are completely broken down into a fine pulp.
Add the fibrous ingredients: lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, and cilantro roots. Pound vigorously until the fibers break down and merge with the chili paste.
Add the softer aromatics: shallots and garlic. Continue to pound until fully incorporated and smooth.
Add the reserved spice powder and the shrimp paste. Pound and mix gently to combine everything into a homogenous, dark green paste.
Chef's Notes
- The 'Green' in Green Curry comes primarily from the fresh green chilies. Using only small hot chilies makes it inedibly spicy; you must use the larger mild green chilies (Spur/Cayenne/Banana) to get the volume and color without blowing out your palate.
- Do not substitute Ginger for Galangal. Galangal has a piney, sharp, citrusy flavor, while ginger is warm and spicy. They are chemically distinct.
- If using a food processor instead of a mortar, chop ingredients very small first. You may need to add a tablespoon of oil or water to get the blades catching, but a mortar yields a superior oil extraction and shelf life.
- Wrap the shrimp paste (gapi) in a small piece of foil and roast it over a gas flame or in a dry pan for 2 minutes before adding. This reduces the 'fishy' smell and enhances the umami depth.
- Cilantro roots are the traditional flavor base. If you live in a region where cilantro is sold cut, use the bottom-most stems, which have more flavor than the leaves.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Store in an airtight jar with a thin layer of oil on top to prevent oxidation.
Freezer: 6 months — Freeze in ice cube trays for easy portioning.
Troubleshooting
Paste is too fibrous or chunky
Cause: Ingredients were not chopped finely enough before pounding or insufficient pounding time
Fix: Transfer to a food processor with a teaspoon of water and blitz to finish the texture
Prevention: Slice lemongrass and galangal paper-thin before adding to the mortar
Paste lacks vibrant green color
Cause: Too many red/brown spices or insufficient green chilies
Fix: Cannot be fixed naturally, but flavor will still be good
Prevention: Ensure you use the large mild green chilies (spur/cayenne) specifically for color
Cultural Context
Kaeng Khiao Wan (Green Curry) is one of the younger Thai curries, emerging in Central Thailand during the early 20th century. The name literally translates to 'Sweet Green Curry', referring not just to the sugar added later, but the mellow, distinct, non-burning green hue. It is unique among Thai curries for relying heavily on fresh green chilies rather than dried red ones.
