Thai Red Curry Paste.

Thai Red Curry Paste

       Spices.

In a frying pan, dry roast,

-3tbsp coriander seeds 

-3tbsp cumin seeds.

Finely ground using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar. Leave aside.

-15g dried chillies.

Soak in hot water for around 20 minutes, then drain and leave aside until needed.

In a food processor, put in

Roughly chopped,

-20g lime peel.

-150g Thai red chillies (adjust according to your taste, these Thai chillies are very hot)

-200g mild chillies (for colour)

-200g shallots.

-100g coriander roots (use coriander if you can't get these)

-100g galangal.

-100g ginger.

-100g garlic.

-100g lemongrass.

-ground spices.

-soaked and drained dried chillies.

Process to combine. This may take 5 minutes. Don't worry if you don't end up with a smooth paste, it will still taste delicious.

In a large wok, on low heat, fry

-curry paste, add

-2tbsp sea salt.

Stir fry on low heat for around 10 minutes. This helps to make the curry paste last longer. Turn off the heat, add

-200g shrimp paste. 

Stir  to thoroughly combine the mixture. (If you are brave, add the shrimp paste with other ingredients in the food processor and process everything together. The downside is that, when you fry, the smell of shrimp paste will be almost too strong to breathe .By cooking it in the residual heat the smell was very bearable)

Note: it's impossible to make curry paste in small batches so I make large amount as it keeps for months in the fridge and freezes well too.

You will need only 1-2tbsp of curry paste for 500g of meat + vegetables.