Curry Paste

Name: Curry Paste
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; 12 teaspoon fennel powder; 12 teaspoon cardamom powder

11 ingredients

8 steps

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
12 teaspoon fennel powder
12 teaspoon cardamom powder

Directions

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!).
5

Stir constantly to make sure it doesn't burn!
6

Add 2 or 3 pounded or crushed candlenut for thickening.
7

Five minutes before ending your curry cooking, add 2 hand-torn kaffirlime leaves for a lovely fragrance (if you love it).
8

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.