Massaman Curry Paste Recipe

Note From Susie

Sawasdee Kha, and Hello.

The smell of all the spices together. That is the first memory. That is always the first memory with Massaman.

My mother and her sisters made this at our home in Thailand when I was still young, and the smell of it was something I understood before I understood the dish itself. Cardamom and cinnamon and cloves and cumin, all of them toasting together before anything else happened, before the mortar was even reached for. A small child in that kitchen did not need to know what each spice was called to know that something warm and deep and worth paying attention to was being made.

My mother tamed the spice level for me, turning the heat down so the flavors could find me properly without the chili overwhelm that would have pushed a young palate away. I learned to love this fairly early because she made it easy to love early. That is the kind of cook she was.

And then it followed us to Maryland. The same paste, the same spices, the same smell filling a completely different kitchen in a completely different country. That is the thing about Massaman. It carries. The spices travel. The smell arrives in whatever room the paste is being made in and it is the same smell it has always been, regardless of where the kitchen is.

I still smell it the moment the spices go into the dry pan. Thailand and Maryland both, in the same moment.

What Is Massaman Curry Paste?

Massaman curry paste (แกงมัสมั่น) is the most complex and the most historically layered of the Thai curry pastes. Where red curry paste is built on dried red chilies and fresh aromatics, and green curry paste on fresh green chilies and herbs, Massaman paste is built on both: dried chilies, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, shallots, and garlic, combined with a suite of warm whole spices that are found nowhere else in Thai curry making: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, coriander seed, and mace. These spices are what give Massaman its warmth, its depth, and its particular character, the flavor profile that is simultaneously Thai and something older and farther-reaching.

The name Massaman is derived from the Arabic Muslim. The curry has its roots in the Persian and Malay Muslim traders who traveled through Thailand centuries ago, bringing their spice traditions with them. The result is a curry paste that reflects the meeting point of Thai aromatic cooking and Middle Eastern spice culture, with lemongrass and galangal alongside cardamom and cinnamon, fish sauce and shrimp paste alongside the warm whole spices. According to the Oxford Companion to Food, Massaman curry is one of the most internationally recognized Thai dishes, described by food writers as among the most complex curries in the world.

The whole spices are toasted before the mortar. The smell of them toasting is where Massaman begins. It is a warm smell, deeper and more layered than any other Thai curry paste being made, and it fills the kitchen before any of the other ingredients have been reached for.

The spices travel. They always have.

Oxford Companion to Food

What You’ll Need

Dried red chilies, eight to ten, soaked in warm water for fifteen minutes until softened. These provide the heat and the color. Remove the seeds before soaking for a milder paste. Keep the seeds in for full heat. Massaman is the mildest of the main Thai curry pastes, but it should not be without heat. Start with six chilies and taste before adding more.

Lemongrass: two stalks, lower white portion only, sliced thin. Galangal: three to four thin slices. Kaffir lime zest: the zest of one kaffir lime, or two tablespoons of kaffir lime leaves very finely shredded if the fruit is not available. Shallots: three, roughly chopped. Garlic: four cloves. These are the Thai aromatics that form the base of the paste alongside the spices.

The whole spices are what make Massaman paste Massaman paste: cardamom pods, four, seeds only, pod discarded; cinnamon, one stick broken into pieces; cloves, four whole; cumin seed, one teaspoon; coriander seed, one tablespoon; mace, a small piece or a pinch of ground mace. All of these go into a dry pan together and are toasted over medium heat until fragrant, two to three minutes, stirring constantly. Then they are ground in the mortar or a spice grinder before joining the other ingredients. The toasting is not optional. Untoasted whole spices in a curry paste produce a flat, raw quality that no amount of cooking out can correct.

Shrimp paste: one teaspoon. Fish sauce: one tablespoon, added after the paste is ground. Salt: a pinch.

A mortar and pestle. The paste should be smooth, smoother than Nam Phrik Pao, smoother than Nam Phrik Num. Massaman paste is fully integrated, the spices ground completely into the aromatics, the finished paste uniform in color and texture. A food processor can be used with a small amount of water to help it move, producing a smoother result than most home mortars can achieve for this quantity of ingredients. Either method is correct.

VISUAL WALK THROUGH

Step 1. Toast the whole spices first. This is where Massaman begins.

The cardamom seeds, broken cinnamon, cloves, cumin seed, and coriander seed go into a dry pan over medium heat together. Stir constantly for two to three minutes, until the kitchen fills with the warm, layered smell that is specific to this moment in making Massaman. The spices should be fragrant and slightly darker but not burned, as burned spices are bitter and cannot be corrected. Remove from heat immediately when they are fragrant and let them cool completely before grinding. This is the smell my mother’s kitchen had before anything else happened.

Step 2. Soak the dried chilies. Prepare the fresh aromatics.

While the spices cool, soak the dried chilies in warm water for fifteen minutes until completely softened. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Slice the lemongrass thin. Prepare the galangal, shallots, and garlic. Having everything ready before the mortar work begins allows the paste to be built in stages without interruption. Each ingredient is added when the previous one is fully broken down.

★ Step 3. Build the paste in the mortar, hard aromatics first and spices last. This is What Makes the Difference.

Start with the lemongrass and galangal, the hardest, most fibrous ingredients. Pound until fully broken down, five to eight minutes of real work. Then the shallots and garlic. Then the soaked, drained chilies. Then the kaffir lime zest and shrimp paste. Work each addition in fully before the next one goes in. Finally, the toasted ground spices. They go in last because they are already ground and will integrate quickly. The finished paste should be smooth, deep reddish-brown, and uniformly fragrant. Taste it. The warmth of the spices should be present and layered, with cardamom and cinnamon identifiable, the heat of the chili behind them, everything working together.

Step 4. Season with fish sauce. Store or use immediately.

Stir the fish sauce into the finished paste and work it through. The paste is now ready. Use it immediately in Massaman curry, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or freeze in tablespoon portions for up to three months. The paste improves slightly over the first day as the flavors settle together. A paste made today and used tomorrow will be more cohesive than one used immediately. Make a full batch. The mortar work is the same whether you are making paste for one curry or four.

Massaman Curry Paste

Susie Thompson

My mother and her sisters made this at our home in Thailand when I was young, and the smell of the spices toasting was the first thing I noticed and the thing I remember most. Cardamom and cinnamon and cloves and cumin, all of them together in the dry pan before anything else happened. My mother tamed the heat for me so I could find the flavors properly. I learned to love this early because she made it easy. And then the paste followed us to Maryland, bringing the same spices, the same smell, a completely different kitchen. That is the thing about Massaman. It carries. Make this paste and keep it in your refrigerator. Everything that comes from it will be worth it.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Curry Paste

Cuisine Thai

Servings 4 servings

Calories 30 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 4 dried red chilies seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped galangal
• 2 teaspoons chopped lemongrass tender part only
• 1 teaspoon grated kaffir lime zest
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts optional, for a thicker, nuttier flavor
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste

Instructions

 

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• Soak the Chilies: Begin by soaking the dried red chilies in hot water for about 10 minutes to soften them.
• Prepare the Ingredients: While the chilies are soaking, chop the shallots, garlic, galangal, and lemongrass. Grate the zest from a kaffir lime.
• Blend the Ingredients: Drain the chilies and place them in a blender or food processor. Add the chopped shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime zest. Also add the ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, black pepper, and salt.
• Grind to a Paste: Blend the ingredients together until they form a paste. Depending on the power of your blender, you may need to add a little water to help the ingredients move and blend evenly.
• Add Final Ingredients: Once the ingredients are mostly smooth, add the roasted peanuts (if using), fish sauce, and tamarind paste. Continue to blend until the paste is completely smooth.
• Store or Use: Transfer the curry paste to a jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or use immediately in your favorite Massaman curry recipe.

Notes

Toast the whole spices before anything else happens. This is the step that everything else in this recipe depends on. Untoasted whole spices in a curry paste produce a flat, raw quality that long simmering cannot correct. Two to three minutes in a dry pan, stirring constantly, until the kitchen smells like what this paste is supposed to smell like. That smell is your signal that the spices are ready. Remove them from the heat the moment it arrives. Burned spices are bitter and the batch cannot be saved. Let them cool completely before grinding.

Build the paste in stages. The lemongrass and galangal need the most time, five to eight minutes of real pounding before they are broken down enough to accept the next ingredient. Add each component only when the previous one is fully incorporated. A paste built in stages has a different texture and a different depth than one built all at once. The mortar is not a mixing bowl. It is a tool that works ingredient by ingredient, and it produces something different from a machine for that reason.

The whole spice quantities in this recipe produce a Massaman paste that is warmly spiced and complex without being overwhelming. My mother reduced the heat for a young child by using fewer dried chilies rather than fewer spices. The spices are not what make this paste challenging for a young palate. The dried chili is. Start with six chilies, taste the finished paste, and add more in the next batch if you want more heat. The spices can stay exactly as written.

This paste keeps in the refrigerator for two weeks and in the freezer for three months. Make a full batch. The work is the same for a small amount as for a large one, and a jar of Massaman paste in the refrigerator is a Massaman curry on any weeknight with thirty minutes of additional work. My mother made the paste so the curry could follow. That is still the right reason to make it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tbsCalories: 30kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 0.8gFat: 1.4gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.8gSodium: 240mgFiber: 0.9gSugar: 1.5g

Keyword Massaman Curry

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LET’S GET THIS RIGHT

Why does my Massaman curry paste taste flat despite using all the ingredients?

The whole spices were not toasted, or were not toasted long enough. Untoasted cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and coriander in a curry paste produce a raw, flat spice flavor rather than the warm, layered depth that Massaman is built on. Toast until fragrant, until the kitchen smells of warm spice, and let cool completely before grinding. This step cannot be skipped or shortened.

Why is my Massaman paste grainy instead of smooth?

The fibrous ingredients, lemongrass and galangal, were not broken down enough before the other ingredients were added. These require five to eight minutes of sustained pounding in the mortar before they will integrate properly. Adding chilies or shallots before the lemongrass is fully broken down will produce a paste with fibrous threads throughout that further pounding cannot correct. Do the slow step completely before moving on.

Can I use pre-ground spices instead of whole spices for Massaman paste?

You can, but the result will be less complex and less fragrant. Pre-ground spices lose their essential oils over time and do not develop the same depth during toasting that whole spices do. If using pre-ground spices, reduce the quantity by half, as ground spices are more concentrated than whole, and still toast them briefly in the dry pan before adding to the paste. Whole spices are strongly preferred for Massaman paste.

What is the difference between Massaman curry paste and red curry paste?

Massaman curry paste contains all the ingredients of red curry paste: dried red chilies, lemongrass, galangal, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, plus a suite of warm whole spices: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and coriander. These spices are not present in standard red curry paste and are what give Massaman its distinctive warmth and depth. Massaman is generally milder in chili heat than red curry paste and significantly more complex in its overall flavor profile.

How much Massaman curry paste do I use per serving?

Two to three tablespoons of homemade paste per serving of curry is the starting point. Homemade Massaman paste is more concentrated and more aromatic than store-bought. Start with two tablespoons, fry it in the coconut cream, taste the broth, and add more if needed. The paste goes into the pan first, fried in the thick coconut cream before any liquid is added, which is the same method as every other Thai curry on this site.

FLAVOR PROFILE

The smell arrives before the paste is ever finished, with the whole spices in the dry pan releasing their oils as the heat works through them. Cardamom first, floral and slightly citrus. Then the cinnamon, warm and sweet. Then the cloves, sharper and more immediate. Then the cumin and coriander underneath all of it, earthy and roasted. All of them together producing something that is warmer and more layered than any other Thai curry paste being made.

In the mortar, as the aromatics join the ground spices, the smell deepens, with the lemongrass and galangal adding their sharpness to the warmth of the spices, the chilies bringing color and a slow building heat, the shrimp paste underneath everything adding the fermented depth that holds the whole paste together.

On the tongue, before it ever becomes a curry, the paste is complex and warm and slightly sharp. The cardamom is identifiable. The cinnamon is present. The chili heat is building from behind the spice warmth. The lemongrass is there at the edges, bright and specific. Every component is doing something and nothing is hiding.

In the finished curry, with coconut milk and beef or chicken and potatoes and roasted peanuts, the paste becomes something softer and richer, the spice warmth deepening further over the long slow simmer, the coconut milk rounding everything. It is the curry that takes the longest and produces the most.

My mother tamed the heat so the warmth could be found first. The warmth was always the point.

SUSIE’S KITCHEN NOTES

The cardamom pods should be opened and only the seeds used, as the green or black pod itself is too fibrous and too intensely flavored to go into the paste. Press the pods with the flat of a knife to split them open and extract the small dark seeds inside. These seeds are what carries the cardamom flavor. The pod goes in the discard pile.

Mace, the lacy outer covering of the nutmeg, adds a warm, slightly sweet, nutty quality that is distinct from both nutmeg and cinnamon. It is available at spice shops and online, sometimes as whole blades and sometimes pre-ground. A small amount goes a long way. If mace is genuinely unavailable, a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg is the closest substitute. The paste will still be correct without it but mace, when you can find it, is worth including.

My mother made Massaman paste in a mortar that was heavy and deep and had been used for years before I was born. A heavy granite mortar is the right tool. It does not tip during the sustained pounding that lemongrass and galangal require, and the weight of the pestle does work that a lighter mortar cannot. If you are making Thai curry pastes regularly, a heavy granite mortar is worth owning. The investment pays back every time you use it.

The spices in Massaman paste are what carried it from Thailand to Maryland. The same cardamom, the same cinnamon, the same cloves, all available in Maryland as they were in Thailand, the paste reproducible in any kitchen where the spices could be found. My mother understood this. She did not mourn what the new kitchen did not have. She found the spices and she made the paste and the curry smelled the same in Maryland as it had in Thailand. That is what spices do. They carry.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS

Massaman curry paste is the beginning of Massaman curry, the long-simmered, coconut milk-based curry with beef or chicken, potatoes, roasted peanuts, and pearl onions that is one of the most beloved Thai dishes in the world. The paste fried in coconut cream, the remaining coconut milk added, the protein simmered for an hour or more until tender, the potatoes and peanuts absorbing the spiced broth. Steamed jasmine rice alongside, always. For a table where the Massaman curry is one of several dishes, the Stir fried morning glory brings its bright, fast green vegetable dish alongside the slow, rich curry, the contrast between them making both more satisfying. The Thai iced tea is the drink alongside, its sweetness and cold temperature cutting through the richness of the Massaman in a way that makes both better. And for those who want to understand the paste that precedes this one in complexity, the Thai yellow curry paste shows how warm spices work in a simpler context before Massaman adds everything else. My mother made this paste in Thailand and in Maryland. The spices were available in both places. The curry smelled the same. That is still the whole point.

FAQ

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