Massaman curry has been a classic recipe on HTK and a favourite of so many, and now you can make the curry entirely from scratch! In this video I also show you my new favourite technique/tools for making curry paste WITHOUT a mortar and pestle—the immersion blender! It makes a perfect consistency paste without needing to add any extra liquid. If you make a lot of curry paste, it will come in super handy! It's also great for soups and smoothies as well.
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Massaman Curry Paste Recipe พริกแกงมัสมั่น
- Yield: Makes enough for 2 of my massaman curry recipe (serves 8)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon toasted coriander seeds
- 2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon white peppercorns
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground green or white cardamom
- 40g mild, dried red chilies, seeds removed
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped shallots
- ⅓ cup chopped lemongrass, use only the bottom half of the stalk
- ¼ cup chopped galangal
- 4 cilantro roots
- ¼ cup chopped garlic
- 2 teaspoon fermented shrimp paste (gapi)
Check out the immersion blender I use to make the curry paste here
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Instructions
Combine all dry spices in a coffee grinder and blitz until fine; remove from grinder and set aside. Grind the dried chilies in the coffee grinder until fine and set aside.
Using an immersion blender: Add all remaining ingredients into the blender jug and blend into a rough paste. Add all the ground dry ingredients and keep blending, scraping in between as needed, until smooth.
Using a mortar and pestle: Pound lemongrass, galangal and cilantro roots along with the salt until it becomes a fine paste. Add shallots and garlic and pound until fine, adding the dry spices as needed to help absorb moisture and increase friction. Once it is a fine paste, add any remaining dry spices and the shrimp paste and pound to mix well.
Ready to make the curry? Here's my massaman curry recipe!
Michael says
I live in a very rural area and have no easy access to galangal. Is it possible to substitute ginger root? (I have never tasted galangal so I do not know how it compares to ginger)
Thanks!
Gal says
Galangal tastes quite different. It kind of tastes herby pine tree ish. Ginger is more spicy, kinda sweet. Can you possibly get some dried Galangal online and then reconstitute it? Or a powder version online? That said, it'll still be yummy with ginger but it won't have the full flavor profile that real Massaman Curry has.
Keena says
Hello. Your recipe for the paste does contain roasted peanuts, whereas others do. Is there a reason for that or just personal preference or are the peanuts added when you make the curry.?
Thi says
Hi Pailin,
Do you use ground black or green cardamom? Thanks!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Green, I should specify, although as an FYI when black cardamom is used it is usually specified as such. So if it's not specified, simply "cardamom" is usually referring to green.
Rachael K Parks says
How long can this be stored in the fridge ?
Gal says
I don't what Pai would recommend but I would say about a week in the fridge. Otherwise, stick any leftover paste in a small plastic bag and it will last a long time in the freezer.
John says
Hi Pai,
A few months ago I fell in love with the massaman nuea dish from Kin Khao in San Francisco, and wanted to replicate it at home. Your curry paste recipe provided an great starting point for me, and I'm finally very happy with my massaman curry!
I use a total of around 60g of chili for my paste. About 25g guajillo, 25g pyua, and 10g arbol. This raises the spice a bit, and gives the final curry a much deeper red color which I find more appetizing. I do not use any shrimp paste, and rely on fish sauce for umami and seasoning while cooking.
I use the below recipe from chef Pim with minor modifications. The braising takes much longer, but IMO really enhances the taste and visual quality.
https://www.lecreuset.com/short-rib-massaman-curry/LCR-2627.html
Ann R says
I intended to give a 5 star rating, I don’t know what happened. I’ll check for shrimp paste in the Asian stores we have in Kingston. That’s the only thing holding me back from making this recipe, which looks wonderful. Darn it, so many Asian pastes and sauces contain wheat, and I’m gluten intolerant. I’m hoping to find one that I can use.
Giselle says
Hello! I wanted to make this paste but can i please do without the garlic, onions, and without the peppers? I have acid reflux so i cant consume these items. Can I still make the paste without these items??
Giselle says
I also wanted to ask how much dried already finely ground white pepper would I use? I dont intend to buy whole white peppercorn since i already have them ground so how much should i use if im using dried already ground white peppercorns?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi Giselle, I'm sorry to hear about the acid reflux! Unfortunately the peppers, garlic and shallots are main components of the curry. Without them, yes you can still make a paste, but your curry will not taste like a massaman curry but more like a spiced, coconut milk stew. It may still taste good, so given no other options it may be worth a try. Re white pepper you can use the same amount of ground as whole peppercorns.
Giselle says
i have acid reflux so can i do without the garlic, without the peppers, and without the onions please? I would end up puking if i had it but i still want t make massaman curry and the pasta for the curry.
Me says
That won't be Massaman then. And there is no pasta in the curry...
Anja Sadler says
Hi Pailin!
I have to confess that I had the same chilly problem like some others too. I made a Khao Soi paste before and it was way too spicy with the small dried chillies I have. So I bought some bigger ones (Thai) in the store, assuming these are the "right ones". But even since they were tagged with "large" and are about two to three times bigger than the bird eye chillies, they weren't less spicy. So I had to make a second portion of the Massaman paste, without chillies and mix the first and the second batch. The paste is still too spicy for my taste, but it will work I guess. Seems you can't get large, mild chillies somewhere else than in Thailand. The question is now how to substitute the mild ones. Maybe red peperoni?
Since I live in Germany the supply of chillies is limited...
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi! Sorry to hear that! Here in N. America, large, mild chilies are quite common in stores that sell Latin American products, so I would start there if you have access to such a store. I use guajillo peppers and they are totally mild. Will add this note to the recipe itself! Also, if you are working with new chilies that you've not worked with before, give it a little taste first to see how spicy it is so you don't go in completely blind. Cut it open and just lick the inside, and that should give you an idea how how spicy it is.
Alana says
Hello!
Is the Cilantro root absolutely necessary or is there a substitute? I’m in Sydney Australia and we call cilantro coriander and I can’t find anywhere that sells the root!
Thanks!
Bernie says
Ground Corriander is the root, which I am sure is available. B
Bernie says
Ground Corriander is the root, which I am sure is available. B However I could be totally wrong and Ground Corriander might just be the seads. B
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Ground coriander is made from coriander seeds 🙂
Pailin Chongchitnant says
You can substitute cilantro stems instead, 2 stems for each root 🙂
Tim says
Hi Alana, I'm Aussie too - it's not always the case but you can usually find the sleeved coriander with the root still attached at Coles and Woolies.
Jason says
Absolutely love your show. Quick question. Could this same technique of grinding the chilis dry be used for your red and Panang curry’s as well? Also would the guajillo/árbol ratio also work for those. I can’t seem to find dried Thai chilis anywhere in the Seattle area so I’ve been trying to figure out the chili subs. Thank you in advance.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Yes this ratio/technique would work with any curry pastes that use red dried chilies.
Michelle Chak says
Can I substitute red chillies with red chilli powder? If yes, how much powder in grams to use?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Theoretically yes, but you have to make sure it is mild. You'd probably use about 25-30g, removing 10-15g for the weight of the seeds and stem which the chili powder won't have. But this amount might be too much depending on how spicy your chili powder is (and your tolerance) so maybe start with less, and with chili powder it's easy to just add later if you need more.
Rachel says
Hello! Would a normal size cuisinart work too?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
I assume you're talking about a food processor? Food processors do not work well for curry pastes because it doesn't get it as fine, unfortunately.
Ann R says
I’ve used my coffee grinder occasionally to grind curry paste with fresh ginger. It needs a very good cleaning afterwards and I use a damp paper towel to remove the gunk from around the blades. Of course it’s unplugged. It might work for this recipe.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
I'm sorry to hear! But yes 40g is accurate. I've not had any issues or any complaints from others about the spiciness. But chilies vary greatly, so if the type you're using is too hot for you, then use less or choose another kind. You don't want to reduce the amount too much because chilies don't just give heat, they also give flavour, so without enough chilies you won't have the right flavour.
Amy says
How long can you store the curry paste for in the fridge?
Adam The HTK Intern says
Hi Amy! You can keep curry paste in the fridge for about a week - otherwise I'd just freeze it 🙂 Cheers!
Terri Harris says
Can anchovies-paste, or any other form be substituted for the shrimp paste?
Adam The HTK Intern says
Hi Terri! I just asked and she said "yeah that works" 🙂 Cheers! Adam
Chris B. says
Is the 40g of peppers the whole weight or the weight after cutting off the stems and deseeding?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
It is trimmed weight, and that applies to all weights of vegetables in my recipes because it's the only way I know how much you'll end up with 🙂