Homemade Curry Paste

I’m including my recipe for homemade red curry paste, and if you’ve never made curry paste before you will be blown away by the complex and amazing flavor. And pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to make. It relies on South Asian standards like lemongrass, chilis, galangal, and Kaffir lime leaves. It gets its heat from small dried chilis de arbol, which get soaked with dried shrimp in hot water to soften. Use less of the chilis if you want a more mild curry. Taste it once it’s blended; you can always add more. (If you want to use a commercial curry paste to make this recipe even faster, I like the ones from Maesri. They have the most authentic flavor and really, if you’re craving a quick dinner, this is it.)

If you’re thinking, this is quite a list of ingredients, I agree. But I will say that it’s kind of necessary. Each ingredient gives a little something that brings the most intense and heady flavor to the final dish. If you love Thai carryout, then this will send you to the moon, because the flavors of a Thai Red Curry Beef are so much more vibrant when made from scratch.

Thankfully, the curry paste can be made ahead of time, and kept in the fridge for up to two weeks. Alternately, you can freeze it in an ice cube tray, and then store in a ziplock bag in the freezer. That way you will always have incredible Thai red curry flavor ready to go. Try it in my Sweet Potato Curry Soup!

I start making the paste by toasting coriander seeds to release their flavor:

Then I add all the rest of the red curry paste ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor:

Then it all gets blender until it is a smooth paste:

Your homemade Thai red curry paste can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge, and it freezes beautifully:

Making the Thai Red Curry Beef

Once the paste is ready, Thai red curry beef is a snap to make. First stir the paste into the coconut milk to make the sauce. If you are concerned about the heat level, add less and taste first. We like it spicy so we use the whole 5 tablespoons. But, it should be a little more spicy than you think you’d like because it does get diluted in the sauce.

Nevertheless, it will still be delicious tamed down to your spice preference, if you decide to use less of the paste. Now its time to prep all the meat and veggies. This is a quick braise, so everything should be ready to get tossed into the pan to sear and then simmered slowly to blend the flavors.

As for the beef, at the restaurant we use skirt steak almost exclusively in all of our beef dishes. It has a robust flavor and I love the texture. With a large Latin customer base in Miami, we find it a good fit for our food. However, it can be difficult to find in the supermarkets, so in this recipe, we are using sirloin. You can also use whatever looks good at the market or what you prefer.

Whichever beef you choose, you’re going to want to start by slicing it against the grain:

And then cutting it into bite sized pieces:

Then it’s time to prep the vegetables. Start by dicing the red bell pepper:

Then cut the eggplant into rounds:

Prep the shiitakes by first removing the stem:

And then slicing the caps:

Stir Fry Time!

Now that all the ingredients are prepped, it’s time to turn them into this delectable Thai Red Curry Beef! Start by searing the beef on each side, just to give it a nice color, as it will finish cooking in the curry sauce:

When browned on both sides put the beef, and all its yummy juices in a bowl. Then we stir fry the veggies. The vegetables I use are my personal favorite. I love the color and textural combination. But you are more than welcome to get creative with your choices. Some suggestions include zucchini, cauliflower, bok choy, snow peas, or potatoes both savory and sweet. If you’re a vegetarian, you can switch the beef to tofu or a meat alternative or just double up on the veggies.

Stir fry the onions until softened and they start to brown:

Add the rest of the vegetables to the onions and cook for a couple minutes:

When the eggplant is tender and the sauce is thickened, add the lime leaves and beef back to the pot:

Then add the spinach and cook a couple more minutes, until the spinach is wilted:

By this point your kitchen is going to be smelling incredible, and it’s time to eat! Serve it with some perfectly cooked rice. Thai Red Curry Beef is a traditional favorite, and I know you’re going to love it too. Leave a comment and rate the recipe down below, and don’t forget to tag us @funkyasiankitchen in your colorful bowls of curry insta pics.

Love Thai food? We do too! Check out Thai Basil Chicken and Fried Fish Cakes for more delicious Thai flavor!

Thai Red Curry Beef

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Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: serves 4
Category: Main
Cuisine: Thai

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Ingredients

Scale

Sauce:

¼ cup fish sauce
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1– 13.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
5 tablespoons homemade or canned red curry paste (use less if you like less spice)

For the Beef:

3 tablespoon neutral oil
1 pound sirloin trimmed, and cut into bite sized pieces (you can also use skirt steak or rib eye)
1 onion, cut in half lengthwise and cut into ¼ inch slices
6 oz wild mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, or any combination)
3 oz baby spinach
1 Chinese eggplant
1 red pepper
6 kaffir lime leaves
1 small handful Thai basil leaves (you can substitute Italian basil)

Red Curry Paste:

20 pieces dried red de arbol chiles
1 tablespoon grated or minced very fine galangal
8 garlic cloves roughly chopped
1 tablespoon coriander seeds or ½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons cilantro stems chopped
1 tablespoon dried shrimp (you can substitute 1 tablespoon miso for vegetarians or leave it out)
1 stalk of lemongrass outer hard leaves removed, the bottom trimmed and the top half discarded, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 shallots minced
2 kaffir lime leaves
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
¼ cup oil

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Instructions

Make the Red Curry Paste:

Cover dried chilis and the dried shrimp with 2 cups of hot water and let sit for 1 hour. Drain and reserve ¼ cup of the soaking liquid.
If using whole coriander seeds, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes, moving the pan around to avoid burning the seeds. Add the cumin powder in the last couple of seconds to bring out the oils and flavor in the spices.
Remove the center rib from the back of the kaffir lime leaves and set aside.
Put the chilis and dried shrimp with ¼ cup soaking water, galangal, garlic, coriander seeds, lemongrass, cilantro stems, shallot, ground cumin, kaffir lime leaves, and ground white pepper into a blender.
Turn the blender on low and then slowly add the oil through the center opening.
Turn the blender on high and blend for 1 minute until smooth.
Keeps 2 weeks in the fridge or frozen.

Make the Sauce:

In a medium bowl mix the fish sauce, the red curry paste (reserve leftovers for another recipe or add more if you like your food spicier), light brown sugar, and coconut milk. Set aside.

Prep the Veggies:

Shave off the hard stem on the back of the kaffir lime leaves. Stack and roll the leaves tightly like a cigar. Then very finely slice the leaves and set them aside.
Cut the eggplant into thick rounds about 1 inch thick. Set aside.
Cut the pepper in half. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Then cut the pepper into a large dice. Set aside.
Wipe off the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Remove and discard the woody stem if using shiitakes. Cut the mushrooms in half or into thick slices if they are very large

Cook the Curry:

Heat a large pan over high heat. Add 1 ½ tablespoons oil and the beef, spreading it out on the pan in one layer.
Sear the beef on one side, 30 seconds to 1 minute and then flip the meat and stir- fry for a couple more seconds. Set the meat aside in a bowl (the meat will finish cooking in the sauce).
Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of oil plus the onions to the pan and continue to cook for 2-3 mins. until the onions have started to soften. Add the mushrooms, peppers, and eggplant. Stir to combine and continue cooking for a minute.
Add the sauce, and the kaffir lime leaves to the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium high heat. Lower the heat to medium, partially cover with a lid, and cook for 6-7 mins. until the sauce has reduced slightly and the eggplant is tender. Add the meat and the spinach and stir the mixture. Cook for one more minute to wilt the spinach and finish cooking the meat. Serve immediately.

Notes

*This dish has a good amount of heat which is offset by the sweetness of the sugar and richness of the coconut milk. You can adjust the heat by adding less of the red curry paste.

*If you are making the curry paste from scratch, take a small taste of the soaked chilies to get a sense of how hot they are before adding them to the paste. You can put in less if you find the heat overwhelming. Keep in mind that the flavor will be diluted in the paste and then again in the sauce.

*It is traditional to use cilantro roots in the curry paste but they can be extremely difficult to find in the US. However, if you can find cilantro with the roots, definitely use them instead. Make sure you wash the roots well to remove any clinging soil. Use 1 tablespoon of minced roots instead of the cilantro stems.

*You will only be using about ⅓ of the curry paste in the sauce. It is very difficult to make curry paste in a small amount when using the blender or food processor. Any extra paste can be frozen until you are ready to make more curry. It can also be used in marinades or as a flavoring in soups or stews.

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Japanese Cream Stew

Japanese Cream Stew — or kurīmu shichū — is a beloved Japanese home-style dish inspired by Western cream stews, but adapted to local tastes: lighter, adorned with colorful veggies, and beautifully balanced. Tender chicken, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli simmer in a silky white sauce that’s creamy without being heavy, rich without feeling over the top.

It’s the kind of everyday comfort food that shows up on family dinner tables, especially during cooler months — gentle, soothing, and deeply satisfying. In this recipe, you can take the convenient route with a classic and convenient Japanese cream stew roux mix, or go fully from-scratch with a homemade béchamel for a more luxe, old-school finish.

Either way, this is cozy, timeless comfort at its finest, so let’s get into it.

Japanese Cream Stew begins with prepping all the ingredients. It’s a small lesson in the economy and thoughtfulness of Japanese home cooking — vegetables are cut with care and consistency, not just for looks, but so they cook evenly and create a more balanced, satisfying bite in every spoonful.

Start by separating the broccoli florets off the stalks and cut them into bite sized pieces:

Then use a sharp knife to remove the tough outer skin on the stalks. If you think you don’t like broccoli stalks, peeling them can be a revelation:

Cut the stalks into pieces that are similarly sized to the florets:

Next I cut the carrots. I use a Japanese cut known as rangiri, or a rolling cut. This may seem like an extra step but the irregular shape helps the pieces cook evenly, absorb more flavor, and adds a bit of visual charm to the final dish.

Cut the carrots diagonally, turning them a quarter turn after each slice to create rolling, faceted pieces:

Cut the onion half, and then each half into 3 thick wedges:

Wash the potatoes well and then cut the potatoes into bite-sized, uniform chunks:

Trim off the stems of the mushrooms and slice the caps in half:

Once all the vegetables are cut it’s time to cut the chicken. I use thighs because their higher fat content means they don’t dry out in a long simmer. Just like with the vegetables, I take my time cutting them into consistent, uniform pieces.

When everything is prepped I quickly prep the broccoli. This helps it retain its bright green color and also gives it a pleasing crisp-tender texture. Bring a sauce pan of water to boil. Add the broccoli stems first and cook for a minute, and then add the florets and cook for another 2 minutes:

Then drain the broccoli and run cold water over it to stop the cooking:

Cooking Japanese Cream Stew

Now that everything is prepped it’s time to cook! Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I use a Dutch oven) and add the butter and oil. Butter gives the stew rich flavor and the oil helps keep the butter from burning:

Then add the chicken:

Sauté for a couple minutes:

Add all the veggies, except for the blanched broccoli:

Cook for another minute:

And add the bay leaves and stock. Of course a homemade one is always sensational, but a store bought one will work beautifully too, just make sure to get a low sodium one.

Bring to a simmer and then cover the pot:

Traditionally, Japanese cream stew is thickened with a simple béchamel made from butter, flour, and milk, which gives the stew a silky, from-scratch richness. If you love a DIY moment (or just want full control over flavor and seasoning), this is the way to go.

That said… there’s zero shame in reaching for Japanese cream stew roux blocks. They’re convenient, consistent, and honestly delicious—packed with seasoning and designed to create that classic creamy texture with minimal effort. Whether you go homemade or boxed, you’ll still end up with a cozy, luscious stew. I’ve had excellent results with both. Choose your own adventure; there are directions for either method in the recipe card.

This time around I went with a homemade white sauce, which I made while the stew was simmering. I start by bringing the milk to room temperature, either by zapping it briefly in the microwave or briefly heating in a sauce pan.

Then I get started on the roux. A roux is a simple mixture of fat and flour that thickens sauces and stews, giving them body and a silky texture that coats the back of a spoon. I really use to rue the day I had to make a roux from scratch, (see what I did there?) but it’s actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. Low heat, constant stirring, and equal parts fat and flour are the rules of the day.

Start by melting the butter, and then add the flour:

Whisk the butter and flour together:

Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. We want a light roux, not a dark brown one. A pale blond roux still thickens while keeping the flavor mild and the color light—perfect for a creamy, delicate stew. While continuing to stir add in the garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper:

Then remove the roux from the heat and slowly add the milk:

Put the sauce back on the heat and keep stirring until it thickens. One trick I like to use whenever I’m making a thickened sauce made with roux is to use room temperature liquid, not hot. This is because hot milk, stock, etc. will immediately cause the starch molecules to engage and if you’re not whisking like a demon, you’ll end up with the dreaded clumps in your sauce. Using room temperature liquid takes a little longer for the sauce to thicken, but you’ll never have clumpy sauce:

After a few minutes it should be thick enough to coat a spoon:

The final Japanese Cream Stew Stretch. You are going to take this master class level béchamel you made and slowly introduce it to your stew. Instead of dumping the white sauce straight into the stew, we first whisk in a few ladles of hot broth. This loosens the sauce, brings it up to temperature, and guarantees a silky, seamless finish.

Take a couple ladlefuls of the hot stew broth, and stir it into the white sauce:

Once the two sauces have mingled a bit and gotten to know each other, it’s time pour it all into the stew:

Now add in a touch of heavy cream (nothing bad ever happens after that sentence!):

Gently simmer the stew for a few minutes to help the flavors meld, and then add in the blanched broccoli and cook for one more minute, just until the broccoli is heated:

Serve with some rice or some bread for dipping:

This is a slightly longer recipe than I usually post, but the rewards are so worth it. A warming, filling bowl of creamy goodness is just what this time of year needs. I hope it warms up your home too. Let me know what you think and don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love seeing your creations!

For more warming bowls, check out my Lemongrass Shrimp Noodle Soup or this quick and easy Hot and Sour Soup.