Curry Paste is basically a wet blend of spices that is used in Indian cooking just like Curry Powder. The difference between the paste and the powder is that the spices in the paste are cooked AFTER you grind them and include oil and wine vinegar to help with preservation. The spices in the powder are cooked BEFORE you grind them to give them a beautiful, dry roasted flavor.
The paste is a bit more intense in flavor, so a little bit goes a long way.
CURRY PASTE
Servings: makes about 4 cups of paste
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of coriander seeds
- 1/2 cup of cumin seeds
- 1/4 cup of fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup of fenugreek seeds
- 12 dried red chilis
- 15 curry leaves
- 3 Tbsp of chili powder (cayenne)
- 3 Tbsp of turmeric powder
- 1 Tbsp of salt
- 1.5 cups of wine vinegar
- 2 cups of vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup of water
Instructions:
- In a large blender, add all of your dry spices and blend till fully incorporated and it becomes ground up entirely.
- Once everything has become a powder, add wine vinegar and about 5 Tbsp of water to begin making the spices into a paste. Continue adding a few more tablespoons of water until a loose paste has been formed.
- Heat up the vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan on medium-high heat.
- One hot, add your spiced paste into the pan and allow to cook for about 10-15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. You will know the paste is ready when the oil rises to the top of the pan during the cooking process and you begin to smell the cooked spices. It will be a dark red/burgandy color and the smell will become stronger.
- After 10-15 minutes, turn off stove and allow the paste to cool for about 5 minutes before handling.
- Spoon curry paste into an airtight jar or container and keep in refrigerator.
- Shelf life can be 2-3 months in cool, refrigerated area.
Let me know what you think by tagging me on IG @cmspiceculture or feel free to leave a comment below.
Enjoy!
