Curry Paste

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• 80 -100 g shallots or 80 -100 g red onions, chopped roughly
• 1 garlic clove, chopped (optional)
• 1 inch gingerroot, chopped
• 1 inch galangal, chopped (if you can find it)
• 2 stalks lemongrass, sliced cross-section thinly
• 1 red fresh chili pepper, deseeded and sliced (2 if you like it spicy)
• 3 dried chilies, soaked in hot water and chopped roughly (double amount if you like it very spicy)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (better if you can find fresh turmeric root)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Recipe

• 1 puree it all in a blender, adding a bit of water or coconut milk to help the blades move.
• 2 the paste can be used to cook around 800g of meat or chicken or up to 1kg of vegetables.
• 3 add to the heated oil: spices such as star anise, cinnamon stick, several fenugreek seeds and a few whole cloves if you like.
• 4 then add the spice paste and cook on medium or medium-low heat for 4 or 5 minutes to ensure thorough cooking of spices (easier on sensitive stomachs!). stir constantly to make sure it doesn't burn!
• 5 add 2 or 3 pounded or crushed candlenut for thickening.
• 6 five minutes before ending your curry cooking, add 2 hand-torn kaffirlime leaves for a lovely fragrance (if you love it).
• 7 for fish, you might want to add a few slices of dried tamarind or a teaspoon of tamarind paste mixed with 2 tablespoons warm water.