In a world where authenticity in food is highly valued (and for good reason), many home cooks want to work with real flavors and real ingredients, avoiding shortcuts and workarounds. But sometimes that desire butts up against reality: We don’t always have access to grocery stores with wide selections, time to simmer and braise for hours, or money to buy another round of spices.
So when it comes to making Thai curry paste, a time-consuming process that requires ingredients that aren’t always easy to find, it’s okay to give yourself a break: As an avid Thai cook myself, I’ve asked Thai chefs and other Thai home cooks about curry paste—and they assured me that it’s okay to use a store-bought version. If you’re selective about the brand you use and the other ingredients you’re putting into the final dish, you can almost replicate a meal from the Thai restaurant down the street (yes, they’re likely making it from scratch, but in big batches that they can dip into every time a new order comes in).
Bạn đang xem: As an Avid Thai Cook, I Had to Know: Is Store-Bought Curry Paste Ever Okay?
The times I’ve made curry paste from scratch, I’ve had to mentally prepare myself for the long road ahead. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll do: Gather 8-10 ingredients, which typically include items like galangal, Thai chile, makrut lime leaves, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, shrimp paste, cilantro root, and spices like coriander and peppercorns. Then pound them until they’ve formed a paste. If you want to do this the traditional way, you’ll need to use whole spices (no spice grinders allowed) and a mortar and pestle, which preserves the natural moisture and flavors in a way a blender cannot. All of this happens before you even begin cooking the curry itself.
Xem thêm : Can Bearded Dragons Eat Basil? Nutritional Facts & Info
And, in addition to the time, fresh Thai ingredients can be difficult to source depending on where you live. While I grew up just 30 minutes away from Los Angeles Thai Town, many people are not blessed with the convenience of finding lemongrass and makrut lime leaves just down the street. Although it’s certainly easier nowadays to source dry ingredients online, the intense aroma of Thai food dishes hinges on fresh herbs and spices that don’t ship well.
The care that goes into curry paste makes sense when you think about the importance in Thai cooking of knowing what goes into your food. Chef Hong Thaimee is a Thai chef and culinary expert who is working on a line of made-to-order curry pastes under her brand Thaimee LOVE. She explains that curry paste was created by women who had the time to thoughtfully prepare dishes: “[Historically,] a Thai woman in the kitchen had to be pra-nee, or refined,” she says. “You had to pay attention to know what you put in your food,” she says. Hong also emphasizes that a curry paste was a family’s “secret weapon,” and that it took patience and time to prepare the perfect one.
Nguồn: https://buycookiesonline.eu
Danh mục: Info
