Favourite Thai Curry Paste Available Locally?

[Sam Salmon]

Anyone have a favourite tasty Thai Curry paste available locally that they'd like to share?

Just had a Red Curry from Mae Ploy and I'm sure the meal exceeded my monthly salt intake-this has to change.

TIA

[Sam Salmon]

Well research and shoe leather have triumphed found J-Lek @ that place on Broadway & Bayswater in Kits.

Manufactured by KRS Spicy Food Ltd Thailand for Olympic Distributors in deepest darkest Burnaby.

Lemongrass, Palm Oil, Shallot, Garlic and Yes Salt as well as Galangal, Dried Red Chili & the usual suspects.

Good bite, tang of Salt but not overpowering and Not Cheap!

They have other pastes as well-worth checking out.

[Philx]

Hey Sam: do you have the name of the store or will it be obvious if I just go to Broadway & Bayswater?

Thanks
Phil

[LotusRapper]

+1.

That green grocer (beside Finn's) long closed.

The salsa place ? The Persian store ?

Sam ......

[Sam Salmon]

It's now called Kitsilano Natural Foods.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/kitsilano-nat...

Hardly the best run operation in the hood but a decent selection.

As to the paste in question it was spotted @ Sunrise Produce so local distributors are doing their job-I'd expect to see it in places like Asia Market on Hasting St and 88 Supermarket up on Victoria Drive as well.

[Philx]

Thanks for the info Sam

[LotusRapper]

Thanks Sam :-)

[grayelf]

I never would have thought of checking that place out for curry paste, good tip. I was also confused re location -- it's at Stephens which is one block east of MacDonald on Broadway. Used to be a big ol' Dan-D-Pak.

[LotusRapper]

Dan-D-Pack moved ???

[Sam Salmon]

Oops Sorry Yes Stephens St.

The Dan d Pak name is gone ownership changes and all that but the store remains the same.

[grayelf]

I quite like Namjai, though it may still be too salty (salt is the third ingredient). Not crazy hot and has a lot of flavour, including a solid hit of lemongrass. I get it at New Apple in the small packets.

[jcolvin]

They are all pretty damn salty unless home-made. I find the biggest hurdle in making home-made paste is finding coriander-root. These days it's all imported and they cut off the roots before they hit the border.

[peter.v]

I get my coriander root on Kingsway at Dong Thanh. I think a package was $1. It really does make a difference in the flavor.

[Jzone]

Are you ok with making your own? You pick the salt levels and can adjust the flavors in any direction you want. Pretty easy, just put everything in a blender or food processor and have at er. I've tried quite a few bought ones and haven't found one with salt levels I can use (high BP sigh), so I have to make it from scratch. I go a little light on the nam pla and soy as well.

Here's mine.
4 lemongrass stalks (hearts sliced finely)
6 green chilies (medium heat)
5 cloves garlic
5cm piece of ginger (or galangal)
2 shallots (chopped)
4 tbsp cilantro (fresh, chopped)
1 tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp lime zest
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp ground black pepper