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Curry Paste Uses: 5 Non-Curry Recipe Ideas

Curry pastes are of course used in traditional curry recipes when it comes to Thai cuisine, however, Thai curry pastes don’t have to be limited to making your favourite green, red, massaman or panang curry. In fact in Thailand, curry pastes are readily incorporated into a variety of traditional recipes such as Thai Corn Fritters or Khao Soi and also local or family recipes. With that being said, these curry pastes don’t even have to be limited to Thai cuisine. There are plenty of ways to get creative and experiment with curry paste to add a rich kick of flavours to a range of dishes whether Asian, Western or from any other part of the world. In the west, Thai green and red curry paste are the most commonly used and recognised. So in this blog, we’ll be sharing recipes using Thai red curry paste and green curry paste.


Red Curry Cha Gio (Spring Rolls)

red curry cha gio

 

Add some red curry spice to a traditional Vietnamese Cha Gio, also known as Vietnamese fried spring rolls. Cha Gio is a little different from the other popular Vietnamese spring rolls, known as Gỏi cuốn or summer rolls. 

Summer rolls use mostly raw-vegetables and readily cooked prawns and optionally thread glass vermicelli. Cha Gio on the other hand uses minced meat (typically pork), which is combined with shallots, seasoning and glass noodles for a heavier spring roll. 

The standard way to season a Cha Gio is with fish sauce, salt, pepper, a little sugar and to serve with a dipping sauce which brings more flavour to this snack/appetizer. This red curry Cha Gio recipe on the other hand, packs each fried spring roll full with spice and flavour so a dip is totally optional! 

Ingredients:


Instructions:

  1. Prepare the filling by mixing the glass noodles, minced pork, shallots, curry paste, fish sauce, sugar, salt and pepper together in a bowl. 
  2. Add water to a large bowl for briefly soaking the rice paper and lay out a clean tea towel to soak up excess moisture. 
  3. To assemble the spring rolls, submerge the rice paper into the water for a couple of seconds (make sure all areas are covered) and place it onto the clean tea towel. 
  4. Next, start filling the bottom half of the rice paper with heaped tablespoons of the minced pork mix and proceed to fold the rice paper into a cylinder shape (folding the sides inwards too). Repeat this process until either the rice paper or minced pork mix is used up. 
  5. Put the spring rolls in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to set. 
  6. After this, heat a saucepan of vegetable oil to a medium high heat and deep fry the spring rolls until cooked through and golden.
  7. Serve with a dip of your choice or enjoy them alone! 

 


Thai Green Curry Noodle Soup 

Noodle soup is a commonly enjoyed light but filling dish across many east, south-east and south asian countries. In countries like Vietnam and China, the soup is thinner in consistency (think pho and ramen broth), while in south-east Asian countries such as Thailand and Malaysia noodle soups can be thicker and fuller bodied (typically using coconut milk). Noodle soup is also a great way to enjoy a milder blend of green curry paste spices in a healthier meal packed with nourishing vegetables of your choice. Our Thai Green Curry Noodle Soup keeps it simple with just Thai eggplant but feel free to pack it with extra greens like sugar snaps or broccolini! 

(Tip: If you want your noodle soup to have a lush green colour, we recommend optionally blitzing a 50g of spinach with 100ml of coconut milk and combining it to the soup base.)


Ingredients:

 

Instructions:

  1. Cook according to the packet directions.
  2. Heat oil over a medium heat in a large pot or deep pan and saute the shallots until golden and aromatic. Then add the green curry paste, and saute for a further 2 minutes. 
  3. Next make roughly 900ml of broth by combining the chicken stock with water and add this to the pan. Allow it to simmer and follow by adding the chicken breast and Thai eggplant. Continue to simmer on a medium/low heat until the chicken is cooked through.
  4. Next, pour in the coconut milk and stir through. To make the soup lush and green, blend the 100 ml of water with 50g of spinach. Sieve the liquid and pour this mixture into the soup as well. Season with salt to taste.
  5. To serve, pour the soup over a bowl containing the cooked rice noodles. Garnish with lime wedges or slices and kaffir lime leaves. 

Sweet and Spicy Jackfruit Balls

Got some spare red curry paste? Why not try a Thai twist on a delicious Indian dessert/snack with these jackfruit balls, also known as jackfruit fritters. Understandably when you think of red curry paste, you’re not thinking of something sweet and definitely not dessert! However, if you like sweet and sour Asian recipes, you will definitely enjoy this uncommon but delicious way to use red curry paste. These sweet and spicy jackfruit balls are the perfect balance of flavours for those who sit in the middle of having a sweet or savoury tooth. 

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. Blend the jackfruit pieces, curry paste, honey, palm sugar and ½ teaspoon of coconut oil into a thick puree.
  2. In a bowl, mix the jackfruit puree with coconut flour/powder to create a dough. Then make roughly 10-12 small balls from the dough. 
  3. Heat 60ml of coconut oil in a shallow pan and fry the jackfruit balls until they are evenly golden on all sides.
  4. Allow the jackfruit balls to cool down before enjoying them with a refreshing cup of tea!

Red Curry Rice

Another great way to make use of curry paste is to whip up some simple but delicious red curry rice. Rather than making a full blown curry with all the Thai trimmings, you can enjoy the fullness of flavour when it comes to Thai red curry through the paste without all the effort. This is ideal for when you’re craving curry and want something quicker, easier but just as delicious to make. This red curry rice is great to eat alone or served with grilled meats, fish or vegetables. Why not serve it as a side dish with other Thai recipes such as chicken satay or Thai sausages. 

Ingredients:


Instructions:

  1. In a sieve, clean the rice by running it under a tap of lukewarm water until the water runs clear.
  2. Next add the rice to a pot, along with the red curry paste, salt, coconut milk and water. Stir all the ingredients together and bring the pot to a boil and cover with a lid.
  3. Once boiling, reduce the heat and leave the rice to simmer and steam for roughly 20 minutes or until cooked.
  4. Next, leave the rice to stand in the pot for 10 minutes before stirring and fluffing.
  5. Finish by serving the rice alongside a main dish, optionally you can garnish it with spring onions. 

Spicy Tuna Avocado Salad

Tuna avocado salad is a simple but popular western recipe often eaten as a healthy balanced meal for lunch. The avocado was originally used to replace the creamy mayonnaise typically used when combining tuna with mayo to make a dairy free (and also gluten free) equivalent. While avocado is definitely a delicious replacement for mayonnaise, the creaminess certainly neutralises the flavour of typical tuna mayo salad. Adding Thai green curry paste to the mix is a great way to add a lovely spicy kick to tuna avocado salad to bring out more flavours in sandwiches and pasta!

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, mash together the avocado, green curry paste, lime juice and salt.
  2. Next, add the drained tuna pieces. Mix together until well combined. 
  3. Enjoy alone, in sandwiches, with pasta or as a side! Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 3 days.

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