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I have made green curry paste several times. I use both a mortar & pestle and food processor. The mortar -- to bruise and break down woody fibers -- and the food processor to bring it all together. Works great. It is better than canned and worth the effort. Canned pastes lack the fresh notes and aroma of homemade.

I haven't made it (I use the jarred green paste from taste of thai). But Chez Pim had a post about curry paste that I have been meaning to try: http://chezpim.typepad.com/blogs/2007/08/the-green-curry.html

Green Chili Curry Paste
adapted from True Thai, The Modern Art of Thai Cooking, Victor Sodsook

1/2 tbl whole coriander seed
1/2 tsp whole anise seed
1 1/2 tbl shrimp paste (kapi), wrapped in tin foil [No substitute for this. It can be mail-ordered if you cannot find it.]
12 whole white peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp minced Kaffir lime leaves (sub: lime zest)
1/3 cup chopped cilantro stems
1 stalks lemongrass, trimmed to 3", sliced finely
1/3 cup finely chopped galangal (sub: ginger root)
1/4 cup chopped garlic
1 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup sliced serrano chiles (approx 16)
6 oz fresh lettuce leaves (good green colors), rinsed.

Dry roast the corriander and anise seeds, Set aside to cool.

In same pan, dry roast the foil wrapped shrimp paste for about 5 minutes, turning twice, until aromatic. Set aside to cool.

Grind the coriander, anise and white peppercorns (in coffee blender or mortar). Transfer to food processor.

Mix the lime peel (or leaves), cilantro stems, lemon grass and ginger in mortar. Pound to break down fibers. Transfer to food processor.

Repeat with garlic and shallots.

Add the cooled shrimp paste and lettuce leaves. Process until a smooth paste, scraping down sides occasionally.

Makes about 2 cups, can be stored in airtight container for a week, or frozen up to one month.

There are recipes for this green curry paste plus red, yellow and several variations in the book.

The flavors and aroma of homemade curry paste is hands down superior to canned paste. I've made green curry pastes many times and this green curry paste recipe (scroll down) is my favorite.

The recipe is from Kasma Loha-unchit, who teaches Thai cooking classes in the Bay Area. Here is her philosophy on making a curry paste from scratch. She prefers a mortar and pestle to crush the ingredients...

"A food processor mainly chops and shreds, and unless liquid is added, you end up with a coarsely chopped mixture, not a paste. Grinding and pounding with a heavy mortar and pestle, on the other hand, crush the fibers of herbs, releasing the essential oils that hold the flavors and aromas. That is why herbs that appear fibrous and dry become very moist when pounded. A pounded paste is immensely aromatic and has a breadth and depth of flavor lacking in a processed mixture."

While I understand her point, I only use a mortar and pestle to grind the peppercorn and seeds. I usually make a very large amount of paste and a food processor saves a lot of time. The curry paste still turns out great in the processor.

Here's my green curry with braised chicken using Kasma Loha-unchit's paste recipe. It was the best green curry I've made to date!

This is a recipe for Green Curry by my favorite Thai cookbook author, Keo Sananikone. Funny enough, when I googled this recipe, many links included the advice to use Mae Ploy pastes if one was going to purchase curry vs. making it.

Thai Green Curry Paste
15 to 20 fresh small Thai green chile peppers
4 stalks fresh lemongrass, coarsely chopped
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped kha
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped kra-chai
5 kaffir lime leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chopped kaffir lime rind
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground caraway seeds
1/2 to 1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon shrimp paste (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. If a mortar and pestle is used, then add oil after all other ingredients are ground. Refrigerate in a glass container. Paste keeps well for several months

As for "kha" and "kra-chai," I have no idea what these things are or where to get them!

gordon ramsay has done it quite a few times on his show the f word. he makes it look easy enough. i think the recipes might be on the f word website.