Asian Recipes/ Condiments and Sauces/ Curry/ Recipes

Quick Thai Green Curry Paste – Gaeng Kiew Waan

01/12/2022

You can’t beat homemade curry paste from scratch. Blend together this fresh Thai green curry paste in minutes, and you’ll never buy it store bought again. It’s freezable and batchable!

A wooden spoon sits in a big bowl of fresh Thai green curry paste.

Why We Love This

Homemade Thai  green curry paste tastes so much better than store bought curry paste! 

You can easily control the quality, flavour and spice level by using the freshest natural ingredients. 

Make it yourself traditionally using a mortar and pestle, or cut out the time and effort by using a food processor. Then use it to add incredible flavour to your homemade curries and dipping sauces. 

This recipe is super adaptable to your preferences. For example, you can leave out the shallots or garlic, or leave out the shrimp paste for a vegan friendly version.

Related: Thai Panang Curry Paste / Balinese Base Genep Spice Paste

A big pile of fresh Thai green curry paste in a blue bowl.

What is Thai Green Curry Paste? 

Thai green curry paste (gaeng kiew waan / แกงเขียวหวาน) is a seasoning used primarily in Thai curry sauces, especially for Thai green curry with chicken

It’s made from a blend of long green chillies and small, spicy bird’s eye chillies, along with traditional Southeast Asian herbs and spices like galangal, turmeric, coriander and sweet basil.

Additional spices like cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black peppercorns are dry toasted, then crushed and blended into the paste to give it a more savoury, earthy flavour.

What You’ll Need

  • Chillies – Today we’re using equal amounts of long green chillies and extra spicy Thai green bird’s eye chillies. You can adjust the spice level by using more or less of either version, or adding in the seeds for a very, very spicy kick.
  • Fresh Herbs – Lemongrass stems (the white base, around 10 cm / 4 inches in length), galangal (sub with fresh ginger if it’s more easily accessible where you live), turmeric (sub with powdered), coriander / cilantro leaves and roots, as well as Thai basil leaves. Use fresh wherever possible, this gives the paste such a huge depth of flavour and colour.
  • Makrut / Kaffir Lime – You’ll need both the fresh leaves and fruit rind for this recipe. They may be labelled as kaffir lime, makrut or Thai lime, but the best name to use is makrut. If you can’t source them, just leave them out or add the zest of one regular lime. 
  • Shrimp Paste – An essential ingredient to bring that classic umami flavour to the curry paste. Sub with 1 tsp of salt to make it vegan or use fish sauce.
  • Other Ingredients – You’ll also need small red shallots and garlic cloves to add bite to your paste.
Ingredients laid out to make Thai green curry paste.

How to Make Homemade Green Curry Paste

First, gather your ingredients: See recipe card below for measurements.

  1. Dry toast the cumin seedscoriander seeds and black peppercorns in a small frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Move the spices around constantly for an even toast.
  2. Pour into a mortar and pestle and grind into powder.
  3. Start with the biggest ingredients first. Place your large green chilliessmall green chillies and shallots into the blender. Pulse until chopped fine for around 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides using a spoon or spatula.
  1. Next add the galangal (or ginger)lemongrassgarliccoriander roots and Thai makrut / kaffir lime leaves.
  2. Pulse for another 10 seconds and scrape down again.
  3. Now it’s time to add your vegetable oil to help it turn into paste.
  1. On top, add in the coriander leavesThai basil leavesThai makrut / kaffir lime zest and shrimp paste. Pulse and scrape down again, then blend until you see the paste start to churn itself and get smoother, around 10-15 seconds.
  2. To finish, pour in your turmeric powder and toasted and ground spices. Stir into the paste slightly to avoid it spraying everywhere. Blend for 5-10 seconds until completely mixed through your paste. Scrape down and blend one last time for 5 seconds and you’re ready to go!
  3. Use immediately as a base for your Thai green curry, or portion it out into 2 tbsp chunks and freeze, so you can grab them whenever you need. It’ll also last in the fridge in an airtight container for around two weeks.
A spoon takes a big heap of green curry paste, ready to make dinner.

Wandercook’s Tips

  • Control the Heat – If you love super spicy curry pastes, use double or even triple the amount of chillies listed in this recipe. Or to scale it back and make it milder, leave out the bird’s eye chillies completely. 
  • Storage – Homemade curry paste will last around two weeks in the fridge in an airtight container.
  • Toasting Spices Before Grinding – This helps release all the fragrant potential of the spices.

FAQs

Can I freeze my homemade green curry paste?

Yes, you can. An easy way to do this is to measure out 2 tbsp portions of paste onto a lined baking tray. Partially freeze for 30 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container. This will stop the portions sticking together, and keep them easily accessible for your next curry! Store for up to three months.

What are the best store bought brands?

We use Mae Ploy or Maesri brands for green curry paste if we don’t have any homemade curry paste on hand. May Ploy tends to come in larger containers, but it lasts for a long time so is handy to keep in the fridge. Maesri paste is available in convenient small size cans suitable for 1-2 batches of curry.

Can I make it suitable for vegetarians or vegans?

Yes you can, just leave out the shrimp paste and substitute with 1 tsp salt instead.

A small blue bowl piled high with Thai green curry paste.

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★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star rating below!

A wooden spoon sits in a big bowl of fresh green curry paste.

Quick Thai Green Curry Paste – Gaeng Kiew Waan

You can't beat homemade curry paste from scratch. Blend together this fresh Thai green curry paste in minutes, and you'll never buy it store bought again. It's freezable and batchable!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes
Course: Condiment, Curry
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 6 curry bases
Calories: 77kcal
Author: Wandercooks
Cost: $20

Ingredients

Instructions

For toasting the spices

  • Dry toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and black peppercorns in a small frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Move the spices around constantly for an even toast.
    2 tbsp coriander seeds, 2 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • Pour into a mortar and pestle and grind into powder.

For making the paste in a blender

  • Start with the biggest ingredients first. Place your large green chillies, small green chillies and shallots into the blender.
    5 large green chillies, 5 shallots, 5 small green chillies
  • Pulse until chopped fine for around 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides using a spoon or spatula.
  • Next add the galangal (or ginger), lemongrass, garlic, coriander roots and Thai makrut / kaffir lime leaves. Pulse for another 10 seconds and scrape down again.
    3 lemongrass, 2.5 cm galangal, 4 coriander root, 10 garlic, 6 Thai makrut / kaffir lime leaves
  • Now it’s time to add your vegetable oil to help it turn into paste. On top, add in the coriander leaves, Thai basil leaves, Thai makrut / kaffir lime zest and shrimp paste. Pulse and scrape down again, then blend until you see the paste start to churn itself and get smoother, around 10-15 seconds.
    2 tsp Thai makrut / kaffir lime zest, ¼ cup coriander leaves, ¼ cup Thai basil leaves, 2 tsp shrimp paste, 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • To finish, pour in your turmeric powder and toasted and ground spices. Stir into the paste slightly to avoid it spraying everywhere. Blend for 5-10 seconds until completely mixed through your paste. Scrape down and blend one last time for 5 seconds and you’re ready to go!
    3 cm turmeric
  • Use immediately as a base for your Thai green curry, or portion it out into 2 tbsp chunks and freeze, so you can grab them whenever you need. It’ll also last in the fridge in an airtight container for around two weeks.

Video

YouTube video

Recipe Notes

  • Control the Heat – If you love super spicy curry pastes, use double or even triple the amount of chillies listed in this recipe. Or to scale it back and make it milder, leave out the bird’s eye chillies completely. 
  • Storage – Homemade curry paste will last around two weeks in the fridge in an airtight container.
  • Toasting Spices Before Grinding – This helps release all the fragrant potential of the spices. 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Quick Thai Green Curry Paste – Gaeng Kiew Waan
Amount per Serving
Calories
77
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.1
g
1
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
19
mg
6
%
Sodium
 
195
mg
8
%
Potassium
 
336
mg
10
%
Carbohydrates
 
15
g
5
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
5
g
6
%
Protein
 
4
g
8
%
Vitamin A
 
491
IU
10
%
Vitamin C
 
63
mg
76
%
Calcium
 
76
mg
8
%
Iron
 
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Hey hey – Did you make this recipe?We’d love it if you could give a star rating below ★★★★★ and show us your creations on Instagram! Snap a pic and tag @wandercooks / #Wandercooks
Quick Thai Green Curry Paste - Gaeng Kiew Waan

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