Red Curry Paste: Original Thai Recipe by Yak Thai
Red Thai curry paste ("Gaeng Phet") is a true classic of Thai cuisine. Its deep red color, fiery heat, and complex flavors make it the perfect base for dishes with coconut milk, vegetables, meat, or tofu.

Ingredients for 2–3 curries
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Simply follow our instructions.
| Dried red Thai chilies - hot (Chinda) | 10 pieces |
| Dried red Thai chilies - mild (Chifa) | 5 pieces |
| Shallots or red onion | 2 tbsp |
| Garlic cloves | 2 tbsp |
| Galangal | 1/2 tsp |
| Lemongrass | 2 tbsp |
| Coriander seeds | 2 tsp |
| Coriander root | 1 tsp |
| Cumin | 1/2 tsp |
| Peppercorns (white) | 1 tsp |
| Coarse sea salt | 1/2 tsp |
| Shrimp paste (optional) | 1 tsp |
| Kaffir lime leaves | 1/2 tsp |
Preparing the red curry paste
- Prepare the chilies: Soak the dried chilies in warm water for about 15 minutes, then drain.
- Toast the spices: Toast the coriander seeds, cumin, and peppercorns in a pan without oil until fragrant.
- Chop the ingredients: Roughly chop the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, coriander root, and kaffir lime leaves.
- Pound in a mortar: First, finely pound the toasted spices, then gradually add the remaining ingredients and pound into a paste.
- Shrimp paste – optionally, you can add shrimp paste and pound it into the paste. This gives the paste even more depth of flavor
Is the paste ready? Then check out our authentic Thai recipe for red Thai curry

Authentic. Fresh. Uncompromising – Yak Thai
Want the taste of Thailand without the effort? Our Yak Thai curry pastes are made fresh in Bavaria – without preservatives, without flavor enhancers, only with real ingredients.
With our red curry paste, Thai curry tastes like it does in Bangkok – only right from your own kitchen.