It is too easy to buy a ready-made curry paste for that Thai evening you and your friends have been planning now for a while. A perfect paste is the most important ingredient for any good curry and if you buy the paste you are not actually making the curry yourself.

What is the difference between a green and yellow curry paste?

  • I called this particular paste yellow as I happened to have too many yellow pepper chilies in my fridge. So the chili type will definitely affect your curry color and taste.
  • The only other difference from a normal green curry paste and a yellow curry paste is the fact that you add turmeric to a yellow curry.
  • You can use the recipe below for a green curry paste as well. Just remember to use a green chili and to leave out the turmeric.

Why is turmeric one of my favorite ingredients?     

Turmeric has natural anti-inflammatory effects, so it is perfect for cold winter muscles after a good workout session. It is also a very strong antioxidant.

A few tips;  

  • The paste recipe below can be used for a beef, venison, fish or chicken curry.
  • You can also use it for a stew and you can mix it with mince when you are making Boboti.
  • Make the curry paste in bulk, this way you save on money and you always have a paste ready to use.
  • This paste will last up to 10 days in your fridge and you can definitely freeze the paste if you want to.

Key ingredients every good curry insists on;

  • An obvious good quality pepper chili (I prefer a medium hot chili type, which is also usually a medium size)
  • Fresh garlic gloves
  • Fresh squeezed lime juice
  • Coconut palm sugar
  • Lemongrass – this is by far my favorite ingredient when it comes to any curry paste

Ingredients and recipe;

  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • 2 small / 1 large yellow chili pepper
  • 2 large garlic gloves
  • 1 lemongrass stick, finely chopped
  • ½ cup fresh coriander leaves
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp ginger (fresh or ground)
  • 1 fresh squeezed lime
  • 1 tsp coconut palm sugar
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil / coconut oil

Directions to make the paste;

It is as easy as placing all the ingredients in a blender and then to blend and mix it until it is a smooth paste. If you are going to use the paste immediately or if the mixture is not blending well you can add a bit of water to get the blending going. Don’t add more than ¼ cup of water to this particular recipe.

THAI YELLOW CHICKEN CURRY RECIPE;

Serving 4-6 people

You will need;

  • The above curry paste
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil / coconut oil
  • Fresh red onion, sliced
  • 8 chicken pieces, +- 600 grams (boneless or not)
  • 1 can / 250ml coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • Fresh coriander leaves and plain Greek yogurt to serve with

Directions;

Heat the oil in a pot or in a stir-fry pan. Add the onions and stir for 30 seconds. Firstly add the paste to the onions and stir well until it becomes a thick mixture. On a medium heat add the chicken to the mixture and cook it until it is light brown. Lastly add the coconut milk and the fish sauce. Heat for 5-10 minutes and then simmer it for 15 – 20 minutes.

Serve it with rice, fresh coriander leaves and original plain Greek yogurt – ENJOY!