Thai yellow curry paste
A mild, golden Thai paste with turmeric and sweet warm spices, perfect for gentle chicken and potato curries.
Make this once, then cook it into 12 different dishes.
- Time25 mins
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.12 a head
- Makesabout 180 g, enough for 2 curries for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Soak the dried chillies in hot water for 20 minutes, then drain, keeping 2 tbsp of the soaking water.
20 min - 2
Toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and white peppercorns in a dry pan for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Grind to a fine powder and stir in the cinnamon.
1 min 30 s - 3
Put the chillies, turmeric, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, ground spices, shrimp paste, salt and oil in a small food processor.
- 4
Blend, adding soaking water 1 tbsp at a time and scraping down the sides, until you have a thick, smooth golden paste.
3 min - 5
Taste a tiny bit for salt. Spoon into a clean jar. You should have about 180 g. Chill within 1 hour or freeze in 80 g portions.
About thai yellow curry paste
Thai yellow curry paste (nam prik gaeng kari) is a mild, golden paste of turmeric, dried chillies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal and warm spices such as coriander, cumin and cinnamon, used for yellow curry. It is the mildest of the common Thai pastes, with a rich, slightly sweet, aromatic flavour that reflects Indian influence on Thai cooking.
It is a good first Thai curry for people who find red and green too hot, and it suits chicken, potatoes, sweet potato, onions and prawns, simmered in coconut milk. Yellow curry usually has a creamy, thick sauce.
Making the paste gives you a bright golden colour from fresh turmeric, or from ground turmeric if you cannot find the root. It is free from gluten, dairy, egg and nuts if the shrimp paste is wheat free. Use about 80 g for a curry for 4 people.
Tips
- Use 20 g fresh turmeric if you can find it, or 2 teaspoons of ground turmeric. Wear gloves, as fresh turmeric stains.
- Use only 3 to 4 dried chillies for a mild paste. Deseed them for the gentlest heat.
- Add a pinch of ground cinnamon for the classic warm spice note.
- Yellow curry works well with potatoes. Add them with the coconut milk and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Fry the paste in oil or coconut cream before adding liquid so the spices bloom.
Storing and freezing
Chill within 1 hour and keep in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 5 days, because the paste contains raw garlic and shallots. For longer, freeze in 80 g portions or ice cube trays for up to 3 months. Always fry the paste in oil before adding coconut milk.
Dishes you can make with thai yellow curry paste
Thai Yellow Curry Chicken Drumsticks with Sweet Potato and Green Beans
GFDFEFPad Pong Karee Goong (Prawns Stir Fried in Yellow Curry with Egg)
GFDFNFGaeng Kari Pla (Thai Yellow Curry with Cod, Aubergine and Green Beans)
GFDFEFVegan Thai Yellow Curry with Sweet Potato and Chickpeas
GFDFEFKhao Mok Gai (Thai Chicken Biryani with Yellow Spices)
GFEFNFKhao Soi Gai (Northern Thai Chicken Curry Noodle Soup)
DFNFHPKhao Pad Gaeng Kari (Thai Yellow Curry Fried Rice with Prawns)
GFDFNFThai Yellow Curry Puffs (Karee Puff)
EFNFHPThai Yellow Curry Mussels with Coconut and Lime
GFDFEFGaeng Kari Moo Sapparot (Thai Yellow Curry Pork with Pineapple)
GFDFEFGai Satay (Turmeric Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce)
GFDFEFThai Yellow Curry Pumpkin Soup with Coconut
GFDFEFQuestions
Is yellow curry paste hot?
No, it is the mildest of the three common Thai pastes. It has a gentle chilli warmth and plenty of aroma. Add more dried chillies if you want more heat.
Can I use ground turmeric?
Yes. Use 2 teaspoons of ground turmeric in place of 20 g of fresh. The colour and flavour are slightly less fresh but still good.
How do I make it without shrimp paste?
Leave it out and add 1 tablespoon of gluten free tamari or an extra 1/2 teaspoon of salt. The paste then suits vegetarians and vegans but tastes slightly less deep. Shrimp paste is shellfish, so avoid it with a shellfish allergy.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, if the shrimp paste is wheat free. All other ingredients are naturally gluten free.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps for 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Freeze in 80 g portions.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.