What is Massaman curry paste made of?
In this brief guide, we will answer the question “What is Massaman curry paste made of?”, and tell you whether it is mild or not. We will also discuss how to use curry paste, how much of it you should use, and how to store it.
What is Massaman curry paste made of?
Massaman curry paste is made up of the following ingredients.
- Ground cumin
- Ground coriander
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Shallots
- Garlic and ginger
- Lemongrass
- Dried or fresh chillies
This is a list of ingredients that are mostly used in making Massaman curry paste. However every curry paste recipe differs and you can add or eliminate any ingredient as per your own needs and taste.
Is Massaman curry paste mild?
Massaman curry paste is believed to be the mildest curry paste because it does not use as many chilies as the other types of curries. It is basically a mix of Thai and Indian style curries. It is sweet, savory and very rich.
Even yellow curry paste is relatively mild as it does not have a lot of heat in it. The main flavor profile of yellow curry paste is turmeric. However, curry paste can be made spicy or mild by increasing or decreasing the amount of chilies used in making it.
Alternatively, the amount of cayenne pepper or chili powder used can be reduced to make the curry paste mild.
How do I use Thai curry paste?
You can use Thai curry paste for a bunch of dishes. Most common dish made with Thai curry paste is of course curry, as the name suggests.
In order to use Thai curry paste, it needs to be cooked first before adding other ingredients. Curry paste is a blend of raw aromatic spices mixed together with vegetable oil. In order for them to make a flavorful curry, they need to be cooked beforehand. If you eat raw curry paste, it may taste bad.
Fry the curry paste with a dash of oil in a pan before adding meat and vegetables. Or just simmer the curry paste in water or stock for a while before adding other ingredients. This ensures that the spices burst out their flavor.
In addition, you never know where the raw spices have been while they are being processed. They might as well contain some bacterial spores which need to be killed by heating them.
Some people also suggest microwaving the curry paste as it is over rice for example. If this works for you, go ahead.
Our suggestion is to properly cook the paste before you go ahead with adding other ingredients to it for best results.
How much curry paste do I use?
You should use 2 tablespoons of curry paste for one batch of curry if it’s too strong. You should use ¼ cup of curry paste for one batch of curry if the curry paste is too mild.
There are many different brands of curry paste available at the grocery store and they all differ in their flavor and heat. On the other hand, homemade curry paste will be different from store bought curry paste.
For example yellow curry paste is mild with more turmeric like flavor while red curry paste is very hot due to the red chilies. So the amount of curry paste you should use depends on which kind of curry paste you are using and how much heat you can handle.
If you are using red curry paste, do not add a lot of it if you can not handle the spiciness and vice versa.
Can I store curry paste in the refrigerator?
Yes of course you can store curry paste in the refrigerator once it has been opened but it will only stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. While it can last for about 2-3 months when kept in the freezer.
When the curry paste jar is unopened, you can keep it in the pantry in a cool, dark place.
You can also keep it in the freezer if you wish to store it for longer periods of time.
Learn how to properly store curry paste here.
Other FAQs about Curry that you may be interested in.
Is red curry paste good for you?
Is red curry paste the same as Gochujang?
What can I add to a jar of curry sauce?
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we will answer the question “What is Massaman curry paste made of?”, and tell you whether it is mild or not. We will also discuss how to use curry paste, how much of it you should use, and how to store it.
