Curry paste (thailand)

6 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
*INGREDIENTS*
6Dried hot red chilies, 1 1/2 2 inches long
2tablespoonsMinced shallots or scallions (white part only)
1tablespoonMinced garlic
1tablespoonPaprika
1tablespoonPowdered sereh (powdered dried lemon grass)
1tablespoonTrassi (shrimp paste)
1teaspoonGround laos (ginger)
1teaspoonCaraway seed
1teaspoonCoriander seed
1teaspoonFinely grated fresh lemon peel
1teaspoonSalt

Directions

Source:Pacific and Southeast Asian Cooking - Time/Life *DIRECTIONS* Under cold running water, wash the chilies and remove their stems. Brush out any seeds that cling to the skin and break the pods into small pieces.

To make red curry paste: combine the chilies, shallots (or scallions), garlic, paprika, sereh, trassi, laso, caraway, coriander, lemon peel and salt in the jar of an electric blender and blend at high speed for 20 to 30 seconds. Turn off the machine, scrape down the sides of the jar and blend again until the mixture is a smooth paste. Tightly covered and refrigerated, the paste may be safely kept for a month or so.

To make green curry paste: substitute 6 fresh hot green chilies (about 2 inches long) for the dried red chilies and omit the paprika from the recipe. Then follow the above directions precisely. Green curry paste may be covered and refrigerated for about a month.

*VARIATIONS*

For a more fiery paste, include some seeds - the hottest part of the chili.

<< Joyce Monschein >>