Kroeung Paste (Cambodian Aromatic Spice Paste)

About This Recipe

Kroeung is to Cambodian cooking what mole paste is to Mexican or garam masala is to Indian cuisine — the foundational aromatic preparation that defines the flavor identity of a cuisine. Unlike Thai curry pastes which lean spicy and shrimpy, kroeung is predominantly aromatic and fragrant, built on lemongrass, galangal, fresh turmeric, kaffir lime leaf and rind, shallots, and garlic. Different versions exist for different applications: yellow kroeung (for amok and mild dishes), green kroeung (using fresh herbs and green chilies, for grilled meats), and red kroeung (with dried chilies, for richer braises). The traditional method is the stone mortar — pounding the fibrous aromatics for 20-30 minutes into a smooth, almost elastic paste. Modern cooks use blenders, but many argue the stone-ground version releases more oil from the lemongrass cells, resulting in a more fragrant paste. Kroeung can be made in large batches and frozen in portion-sized amounts.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 4 stalkslemongrass, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 5 cmfresh galangal, peeled and sliced
• 3 cmfresh turmeric, peeled and sliced (or 1.5 tsp turmeric powder)
• 6shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 clovesgarlic, peeled
• 4kaffir lime leaves, stems removed
• zest of 1kaffir lime (or regular lime)
• 2dried red chilies, soaked (for red kroeung) or 2 fresh green chilies (for green kroeung)
• 1 tspshrimp paste (optional, for most applications)
• 1 tbspneutral oil (if using blender)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the aromatics

   Slice all fibrous ingredients (lemongrass, galangal, turmeric) very thinly — this reduces blending or pounding time significantly.

2. 2

   Pound method (traditional)

   Add ingredients to a stone mortar in order from hardest to softest: lemongrass first, then galangal, then turmeric, then shallots, garlic, and kaffir lime. Pound each ingredient until broken down before adding the next. Work for 20-30 minutes until a very smooth, fibrous-free paste forms.

   Patience is the key to a stone mortar — rushing produces a paste with fibrous lemongrass strands that ruin amok's texture.

3. 3

   Blender method (practical)

   Add all ingredients and oil to a high-powered blender. Blend 3-4 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides, until as smooth as possible. The paste will be slightly less refined than the mortar version.

4. 4

   Taste and adjust

   The finished kroeung should smell intensely fragrant — citrusy from kaffir lime, earthy from galangal, bright from lemongrass. If the paste smells raw, it needs more pounding.

5. 5

   Store or use

   Use immediately in amok, samlor korko, or any Cambodian curry, or portion into ice cube trays and freeze.

Variations

• •

  Green kroeung: use fresh green chilies and increase fresh herbs (lemon basil, mint) for grilled meat applications.

• •

  Red kroeung: use 4-6 soaked dried chilies for a richer, darker paste used in braised dishes.

• •

  Prahok kroeung: add 1 tablespoon prahok to the paste for the foundation used in samlor korko.

Storage

Refrigerate in a sealed jar up to 1 week. Freeze in ice cube trays up to 3 months. Cover the surface with a thin layer of oil to prevent oxidation in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions