Recipe for cooking Red Curry Paste

Recipes from Thailand :: Thai Sauces, Marinades and Condiments

Source: The Thai House Cooking School - Bangkok, Thailand

Curry paste is an essential ingredient in Thai curry dishes.

20 peppercorns
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
13 small dried red chiles, seeded and
    soaked in warm water for 15 mins.*
4 Tbsp. chopped garlic
3 Tbsp. chopped shallot
2 Tbsp. peeled, chopped lemon grass,
    using only bottom third of stalk
1 Tbsp. chopped galangal or ginger
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh coriander root
2 tsp. chopped lime peel (green part only)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. shrimp paste

In dry frying pan put peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Roast dry spices over low heat, stirring, about 3 to 5 mins. or until spices are fragrant. Cool. Grind into a powder in mortar with pestle or in clean coffee grinder.

Place spices, chiles, garlic, shallot, lemon grass, galangal, coriander, lime peel and salt in blender or small food processor and process until fine. Remove paste and put into mortar and continue to pound with pestle until ingredients are a very fine paste. Add shrimp paste.

Store in glass jar in refrigerator or freeze. Paste keeps about 1 week in refrigerator. Yields about 3/4 c..

* Wear gloves when handling fresh, canned, dried or pickled chiles; the oils can cause a burning sensation on your skin.