Thai Red Curry Paste

Thai Red Curry Paste

Ingredients

4-5 dried red hot whole chilis, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole black pepper
2 stalks of lemon grass, finely chopped with outer leaves discarded
2 tablespoons coriander stems, roughly chopped
1 1/2 inch piece of galangal or ginger root if galangal is not available
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup shallots/spring onions, roughly chopped
4-5 Kaffir lime leaves or basil leaves, roughly chopped
3 red serrano chillies, finely chopped
salt to taste (a little extra if you want to preserve for longer)

Method

Soak the dried red chillies in warm water until softened, about 20 minutes.
 Strain and set aside.
In a small skillet, roast the coriander seeds and whole pepper for a few minutes until frangrant.
Turn off the heat and allow it to cool.
In a mini food processor, finely grind all the ingredients into a smooth paste adding a few tablespoons of water whenever required. The paste should be thick and not watery. The paste stores well in the refrigerator for about a couple of weeks or in the freezer for about 6 months.