HYDE PARK, N.Y. — As bold and exotic flavors continue to become more mainstream, Thai cuisine has experienced a surge in popularity.
The unique flavor profiles of Thai cuisine include a number of ingredients that recur throughout its recipes; one of the most common is curry paste.
Curry pastes, found in the cuisines of the Near and Far East, are combinations of spices processed together to form smooth pastes with varying degrees of spiciness.
Thai red curry paste is a staple of Thai cookery. It consists of dried red chili peppers, whole cloves of garlic, sea salt, fresh lemon grass, shrimp paste and fresh turmeric. Many variations of this paste exist, but all include these basic ingredients.
Curry pastes are used to marinate meats before cooking, as well as being added to meat or vegetable dishes while they cook.
Specialty food stores, Asian food markets and grocery stores often carry curry pastes that range in spiciness. Add them in increments to your dishes to help determine a combination that meets your personal taste.
Ready-made paste can be stored in the refrigerator, once opened, for up to six weeks.
Curry paste can be conveniently frozen by spooning two to three tablespoons into plastic ice-cube trays. When cubes are firm, remove them from the tray and wrap tightly in plastic wrap for use as needed. Frozen curry paste can be stored for up to three months.
Thai Red Curry Chicken is among the 200 recipes in the new "Cooking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America."
Thai red curry chicken
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