Khao Soi Curry Paste Recipe (2024)

Published: Jan 10, 2014 · Modified: May 12, 2023 by Pailin Chongchitnant · This post may contain affiliate links

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Khao soi is an iconic dish of Northern Thailand. Egg noodles served in an aromatic curry broth, topped with crispy noodles. The heart of the dish is in the curry paste, and unfortunately, you can't buy khao soi curry paste at the store! The good news is it's relatively easy to make at home, and you can make a big batch of it and freeze!

VIDEO TUTORIAL: How to Make Khao Soi Curry Paste

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success, especially if it's your first time! If you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.

Dried chilies.Khao soi is not typically very spicy, so I stick with milder dried chilies such as guajillo or puya. If using spicier chilies, remove the seeds and pith to reduce the heat. If pounding everything by hand, you need to cut the cut the chilies into 1-inch chunks and soak them for an hour to rehydrate, or you can keep them dry and grind in a coffee/spice grinder.
Coarse salt,if pounding curry paste by hand. If using a coffee grinder any kind of salt will do.
Ginger, sliced into rounds
Fresh turmeric, sliced into rounds, or sub ground turmeric
Shallots,chopped
Coriander seeds
Black cardamom, this is the spice that will make this curry truly unique. It is not used in all variations of khao soi, but I think it does make it stand out from other kinds of Thai curries. Black cardamom (tsaoko) has an aroma that reminds me of leather and tobacco, and nothing else tastes quite like it. You can find it at Chinese or Indian stores. If you can't find it, substitute green cardamom, which isn't similar, but it'll still taste good.

How to Make Khao Soi Curry Paste

Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.

Remove the seeds from the black cardamom pods and place the seeds into a medium dry skillet. Add the coriander seeds and toast over high heat, moving them constantly, until the coriander seeds darken slightly. Set aside.
In the same skillet over high heat, place the ginger, shallots and turmeric slices down and let them sear until they're slightly charred. Then flip and char the other side and remove from the pan. You can further chop the ginger pieces to make them a little easier to grind in the mortar and pestle.
If using a coffee grinder for the dry ingredients,grind the toasted black cardamom and coriander seeds into a powder, remove and set aside. Grind the dried chilies into a powder. Then, in a mortar and pestle, pound the ginger, shallots, and turmeric into a fine paste, then add the dry spices and pound to a fine paste.
If using a mortar and pestle for the dry ingredients,grind the black cardamom and coriander into a powder, remove them, then add the rehydrated chilies and the coarse salt and grind until the chilies are fine. Add the ginger, shallots, and turmeric and pound into a fine paste. Add the dry spices and pound to mix.