Red and Green Curry Paste (Kaeng Phet)

This is a Thai/Lao curry paste. I used my tiny food processor to make these, now that I have a better food processor, and a Vitamix blender I can get my curry paste a lot finer. Curry paste isn't hard to make if you have the ingredients and it tastes phenomenal if you make your own.
Fresh galangal root, kaffir leaves, onion, garlic cloves, onion (shallots if you have them on hand), lemongrass and depending on red, green or a yellow curry you add different spices. Process it in the food processor and freeze in an ice cube tray. Or use a mortar and pestle to pound it into a paste.
Pop them out into a zip top bag and you have fresh curry paste when needed.
Red- add red chilies, I also add paprika- for color not any other reason. (Not a smokey paprika)
Green- add cilantro, green chilies
Yellow- green chilies or yellow, turmeric.

 Red.

 Green.
To use this I take about a cup of coconut milk, 2-3 cubes of curry paste, nam pla to taste, protein- tofu, chicken, pork etc, and vegetables like onions, green beans, bamboo shoots etc, fresh sliced chilies, Holy basil, kaffir leaves, palm sugar/sugar and cook it up.
Heat 1/2 of the coconut milk. Add cubes of curry paste and cook until fragrant. Add protein and cook until almost done, if using tofu heat until warmed through. Add remaining coconut milk and vegetables- those that need the most cooking time first. Stir, season with nam pla and sugar to taste. Cook vegetables until crisp tender. Add kaffir, chilies and basil. Serve with rice.
More Curry posts on Give Peas A Chance
Crispy Duck Geang Phet
Coconut Curry Spaghetti Squash
Thai Curry One Pot Wonder