# Mincer for curry pastes



## toufas (Oct 31, 2016)

So what's a reallygood mincer that won't struggle with fibrous vegetables that need to go in a Thai curry paste? Our current one blocks up all the time and it slow us down


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Oct 31, 2016)

Are you looking for an electric device or a suitable knife?

Commercial or home use?

I assume the mincing is a preparation step to using either a mortar or a stone wet grinder?


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## Kingkor (Oct 31, 2016)

Vitamix.....


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Oct 31, 2016)

NO. Curry pastes are supposed to be minced and mortared (be it manually or by appliance), NOT blended like a smoothie.


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## malexthekid (Oct 31, 2016)

Umm blender will do the same as a food processor, may just have to stop earlier.

If i am lazy, which i usually am, I will use my food processor to mince then transfer to a mortar and pestle.

Ultimately if you want the best consistency, you can't beat a motar and pestle and lots of elbow grease.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Oct 31, 2016)

Some blenders use very blunt blades at high speed, which is different from both food processor and mortar...


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## malexthekid (Oct 31, 2016)

If you say so.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Oct 31, 2016)

I don't. Vitamix is indeed sharp bladed (question is how sharp they stay at that usage), other high end blenders (Blendtec) aren't. Manufacturer info, not conjecture.


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## toufas (Oct 31, 2016)

I was thinking more of a meat mincer that won't clog up with fibrous vegetables like lemongrass


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Oct 31, 2016)

You mean, like a good old german Fleischwolf?

We don't wolf our fleisch with these much anymore, but they are often sold very cheap here in winter season because they are fantastic pastry extruders....

Problem is, they need a minimum amount of backfill to work. However, since the blade is accessible, one could likely easily improve the edge or even make a high quality replacement (maybe get Robin Dalman to make some honyaki Fleischwolf blades  )

If I wanted to make big amounts of curry paste, I'd probably get a very sturdy Yo-Deba or rocking cleaver for the pre-mincing and a Santha Spectra...


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## malexthekid (Oct 31, 2016)

Listen to Life.

As much as I disagree you can't beat the traditional way..

Learnt how to make thai pastes.. rough cut most things and into the motar and pestle and grind. Soak the chilies in hot water for 5 to 10 min then grab yourself two beater knives such as kiwi if you want to be traditional and an area and go to town on the chilies one knife im each hand and dont stop until it looks like a paste. Add to the motar and pestle and grind until smooth.

There are heaps of ways to short cut if real lazy i will just use a foos processor and let it go for ages. But if you want good smooth pastes it'll just take time in a motar and pestle


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Oct 31, 2016)

Somewhat rougher paste isn't always a bad thing if it has seen plenty of mortar action still ..

Most anything in curry paste can be fine sliced with non beaters if you really want the zen experience. Not the dried chilies unless you manage to remove all the seeds (you don't, and they are edge jammers on thin sharp edges).

However, cutting the lemongrass and galangal into something like 3mm sections should stop your food processor troubles anyway?

BTW, perfect lemongrass knife if you really want to mince it fine by hand: 56-58 HRC, thick behind the edge, good rocker. Not difficult to find 

BTW2, if you are shopping for curry paste ingredients: You sometimes find dried red chilies at asian grocers that look somewhat pale (paler than your normal dried rawit/thai chilies), small, pequin sized ... don't use them as the only chili type in your paste, unless you cook the curry for ages these just come out harsh. Oh, and look for small asian shallots, they are concentrated and you avoid swamping your mortar.

Oh, and while we are at handmade curry pastes: Vindaloo and Rasam pastes also come out really well with a mortar.


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## malexthekid (Oct 31, 2016)

LifeByA1000Cuts said:


> Somewhat rougher paste isn't always a bad thing if it has seen plenty of mortar action still ..
> 
> Most anything in curry paste can be fine sliced with non beaters if you really want the zen experience. Not the dried chilies unless you manage to remove all the seeds (you don't, and they are edge jammers on thin sharp edges).
> 
> ...



Of course you can fine slice with a good knife, even the chilies with seeds in. However you will be there for days trying to get it super fine to reduce time in the motar and pestle. Using two beaters at the time and just banging away is all about doing it quickly.


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## toufas (Nov 1, 2016)

Guys we are talking about 6 kg of ingredients every day, not the occasional curry here and there. I have already talked to our thai importer about a curry paste machine from Thailand but it's quite bulky and our space is limited. 
Our current mincer is struggling a lot, and overheats


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## malexthekid (Nov 1, 2016)

toufas said:


> Guys we are talking about 6 kg of ingredients every day, not the occasional curry here and there. I have already talked to our thai importer about a curry paste machine from Thailand but it's quite bulky and our space is limited.
> Our current mincer is struggling a lot, and overheats



Well why didn't you say that then! You made it sound like it was a larger than normal amount not a crazy amount.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 1, 2016)

"Our current mincer is struggling a lot, and overheats"

You never mentioned what or who your current mincer is....


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## Mucho Bocho (Nov 1, 2016)

Who minces or grinds lemongrass? Me thinks this is a Western not knowing how to treat a foreign ingredient. 

I just slice off the root and cut off tops up to where the white leaves stop. Cut through lengthwise and wack the hell out of the sticks with the spine of your yo deba to release the lemongrass favor while it steeps in the curry. No?


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (Nov 1, 2016)

@Mucho Bocho you know the way to use lemongrass in a Tom. You do not know how to use it in a Kaeng.


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## toufas (Nov 2, 2016)

LifeByA1000Cuts said:


> "Our current mincer is struggling a lot, and overheats"
> 
> You never mentioned what or who your current mincer is....


We have this: https://www.caterkwik.co.uk/cgi-bin/trolleyed_public.cgi?action=showprod_METCALFETS22


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## Mucho Bocho (Nov 2, 2016)

Look into a buffalo chopper.


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