• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
PantsDownApronsOn
  • About
  • Shop
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Shop
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Shop
    • Recipes
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Asian

    Thai Massaman Curry Paste

    Published: Sep 15, 2021 by Charlé Visser · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment · 682 words. · About 4 minutes to read this article.

    jump to recipe

    Making your own massaman curry paste at home is a very rewarding process and very easy to make.

    It's a must-have if you're planning to make a prawn massaman curry and can also be used to make Thai spiced cashew nuts, Thai beef koftas or added to something like a spicy lentil soup.

    pounding massaman curry paste in black pestle and mortar.
    Jump to:
    • Why make your own curry paste?
    • Useful equipment
    • Ingredients
    • Cooking instructions
    • Storage instructions
    • How to use it
    • Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Massaman curry paste is a very unique paste in the sense that it uses unusual ingredients compared to other Thai curry pastes.

    It's heavily spiced and extremely fragrant because of the Indian and Persian influence that stems back to its origin in the 17th Century although it has little to do with Indian curry paste.

    It's also not as spicy as other Thai pastes and the resulting massaman curry made form it is very mild and easily enjoyed by everyone.

    Why make your own curry paste?

    Homemade curry paste has a much fresher flavour than store-bought and the best thing is you can control the spiciness. Something often problematic with store-bought versions.

    By making your own curry paste you get to roast your own spices and select the freshest ingredients.

    Storing it is simple and making a big batch for future use is advised.

    Useful equipment

    mortar and pestle

    Mortar & Pestle

    BUY NOW
    Cast iron skillet.

    Cast Iron Skillet

    BUY NOW
    kitchen scales

    Electronic Kitchen Scales

    BUY NOW
    kilner jars

    Small Kilner jars

    BUY NOW

    Ingredients

    massaman curry paste ingredients on marble background.
    • Spices - Get good quality whole spices that's been sealed aitight for the best intensity and flavour.
    • Aromatics - These make up the base of most Thai curry pastes. Galangal is extremely important but if you can not find it use fresh ginger instead.

    Cooking instructions

    picture steps to make massaman curry paste.
    1. Start by roasting the spices in a dry pan apart from the turmeric powder.
    2. Once fragrant and starting to smoke transfer the spices to a pestle and mortar and grind until fine.
    3. Next, add the rest of the ingredients and pound it until you have a smooth paste.
    4. Use straight away or store until later.

    I use a mortar and pestle for this paste but a Nutri-Bullet blender works perfectly and much faster too.

    Always buy the best quality spices and raw ingredients you can find and afford when making your own curry pastes. It shows in the final result.

    Storage instructions

    Once made seal it airtight in a vacuum bag or sealable small food safe jars.

    • Fridge - Will last for up to a week.
    • Freezer - Will last very long but recommended to use within 6 months.

    How to use it

    • Curry - Massaman curry is not the only curry you can make with this. Use it as a base and then get creative rom there. Add any protein or vegetable, cream or coconut milk follows.
    • Soup - Use as you would for a curry base but more liquid in the form of chicken or vegetable stock.
    • Marinade - You can marinade pork or chicken before grilling in some curry paste mixed with a touch of yogurt or coconut milk for great results.
    • Condiment - Cook out the paste then add to mayonnaise flavoured condiment.

    Related recipes

    • Indian Red Curry Paste
    • Kerala Coconut Chicken Curry
    • Flaxseed Meal Sourdough Bread
    • Massaman Curry | แกงมัสมั่น |Kaeng Matsaman
    • Homemade Sriracha
    • Thai Beef And Pork Jerky (Video)
    • Authentic Thai Jungle Curry | Kaeng Pa | แกงป่า (Video)
    • Authentic Thai Red Curry Paste (Video)
    • Garlic And Ginger Paste

    This site contains affiliate links. I may earn a tiny commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. By bookmarking these links you help support the upkeep of this site.

    If you found this post helpful or have learned something, comment, subscribe, and follow me on social platforms for more tasty recipes.

    Recipe

    pounding massaman curry paste in black pestle and mortar.
    5 from 1 vote
    Pin Recipe Print

    Thai Massaman Curry Paste

    This is an authentic recipe for making massaman curry paste used in making the famous Thai massaman curry.
    Author Charlé Visser
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Servings 10 portions
    Course Condiments, Dinner
    Cuisine Asian, Thai
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 90 g (⅗ cups) chilli - whole bird's eye or 20 grams dried flakes
    • 2 g (1 teaspoon) coriander seeds
    • 2 g (1 teaspoon) aniseed
    • 2 g (1 teaspoon) cloves
    • 2 g (1 teaspoon) cumin seeds
    • 1 g (½ teaspoon) cardamom - seeds from the 6 pods
    • 2 g (1 teaspoon) turmeric powder
    • 50 g (5 tablespoon) shallots - finely chopped
    • 20 g (2 ½ tablespoon) garlic - finely chopped
    • 20 g (2 ½ tablespoon) galangal - finely chopped
    • 1 (1 ) lemongrass stick - finely chopped
    • 10 g (½ cups) cilantro root or stalks - washed and finely chopped
    • 4 g (1 teaspoon) salt

    Instructions

    • Start by roasting the spices in a dry pan apart from the turmeric powder.
    • Once fragrant and starting to smoke transfer the spices to a pestle and mortar and grind until fine
    • Next, add the rest of the ingredients and pound it until you have a smooth paste
    • Use straight away or store until later.

    Notes

    • For the most authentic result pound the paste in a pestle and mortar.
    • For speed blend it in a high-speed blender like a Nutri bullet.
    • Store in the fridge sealed airtight for up to a week or store for up to 6 months in the freezer.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 20g Calories: 16kcal Carbohydrates: 3g Protein: 1g Fat: 1g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 1g Sodium: 158mg Potassium: 80mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 157IU Vitamin C: 14mg Calcium: 14mg Iron: 1mg
    Keywords:how to make massaman curry paste, massaman recipe
    Save RecipeSaved!
    Did you make this?Tag @pantsdownapronson or hashtag #pantsdownapronson so I can see your hot skills!

    More The Best Asian Recipes

    • Homemade Apricot Chilli Chutney
    • Homemade Authentic Indian Madras Curry Masala Powder
    • Spicy Thai Spiced Cashew Nuts
    • Authentic Indian Butter Chicken Recipe (Murgh Makhani)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Derek

      at

      5 stars
      Fantastic curry paste recipe. I made a big batch and now having a great time trying it out with different curry recipes. Your massaman is spot on!

      Reply

    Have your say Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    black and white picture of chef standing against wall

    Hi, I'm Charlé!

    I'm a Professional Chef.

    I believe eating and cooking well attributes majorly to a happy life.

    I am here to teach you how to.

    The best thing is.

    It's free.

    Forever.

    More about me →

    Latest recipes

    • Traditional Homemade Bread Kvass (Video)
    • Homemade Orange Marmalade With Pectin (Video)
    • Homemade English Muffins (Video)
    • Traditional Russian Pirozhki (Hand pies) - Complete Guide And Video
    • Traditional Cape Malay Bobotie (Video)
    • Homemade South African Droëwors - Beef, Venison And Pork (Video)

    Most popular recipes

    • Bavette Steak - What Is It And How To Cook It
    • Flaxseed Meal Sourdough Bread
    • Caesar Salad Recipe
    • Juicy Oven Baked Chicken Breast
    • Pork Belly Braai | Slow-Roasted Over The Fire
    • How To Make Koji (Video)
    • Burst Cherry Tomato, Mozzarella And Parsley Pasta
    • Red Lentil Soup
    • Adjika Paste | Authentic Georgian Spice Paste
    • Luxuriously Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Video)
    Subscribe

    Useful tools

    shop now page

    My favourite recipes

    • Ultimate Biltong Recipe - South African Beef Jerky (Video)
    • How To Cook A Ribeye Steak Perfectly In A Skillet
    • Perfect Fried Rice
    • Italian Salsa Verde - The Ultimate Green Sauce
    • Easy Thai Spiced Beef Koftas
    • Authentic Greek Salad Recipe
    • Semi Dried Cherry Tomatoes
    • Beef Adobo | Famous Filipino Streetfood
    • The Best Carrot Cake Recipe In The World Ever(Video)
    • How To Cook Rice On The Stove
    youtube subscribe link

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Legal stuff

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.