Name: Massaman Curry Paste Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 12 bird chiles; 11 cloves garlic; 3 stalks lemongrass; 1 shallot; 1½ galangal; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 6 cardamom pods; 6 whole cloves; 1 cinnamon stick; 2 tbsp coriander seeds; 2 tsp cumin seeds; ½ cup cilantro root; ¼ cup peanuts; ½ tsp ground nutmeg; ½ tsp ground turmeric; ½ tsp kosher salt

How To Make Massaman Curry Paste

Mild and slightly sweet, whip up your own massaman curry paste and elevate your Thai recipes. It combines nuts, spices, and chilies.

Prep: 5 mins

Soak: 15 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 30 mins

Makes:

Ingredients

12 bird chiles, dried
11 cloves garlic, peeled
3 stalks lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, thinly sliced
1 shallot, medium, thinly sliced
1½ galangal, or ginger, peeled or thinly sliced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
6 cardamom pods, whole
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick, (1-inch)
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
½ cup cilantro root, and/or stems
¼ cup peanuts, salted, dry-roasted
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Soak chiles in warm water in a small bowl for 15 minutes; drain and pat dry.
Toss chiles, garlic, lemongrass, shallot, and galangal with oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, tossing once, for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant and chiles are golden brown. Let the chile mixture cool.
Meanwhile, combine cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, and cumin in a small dry skillet and toast over medium heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant; let cool. Gently crush pods and remove cardamom seeds from pods; discard pods. Grind spices in spice mill or with mortar and pestle.
Transfer spices to a food processor; add chile mixture, cilantro, peanuts, nutmeg, turmeric, and salt, and process to a smooth paste.
Cover and chill.