Thai Red Curry Paste

Name: Thai Red Curry Paste
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 15 dried red chile peppers; 2 -3 shallots, minced; 12 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbs fresh galangal root (available at Asian markets. You may substitute ginger); 2 stalks lemon grass, thinly sliced, white parts only; 1 tsp white peppercorns; 1/2 tsp coriander seeds; 1 tbs fresh cilantro leaves, chopped; 1 and 1/2 tsp shrimp paste (available at Asian markets); 2 tsp fish sauce

Ingredients

15 dried red chile peppers
2 -3 shallots, minced
12 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs fresh galangal root (available at Asian markets. You may substitute ginger)
2 stalks lemon grass, thinly sliced, white parts only
1 tsp white peppercorns
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbs fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 and 1/2 tsp shrimp paste (available at Asian markets)
2 tsp fish sauce

Red curry paste is essential in Thai cooking and can be quite spicy.
You can add it to soups and sauces as well as a rub on chicken, pork or fish.

Add the chilies to hot water and let soak until soft. About 30 minutes.
Remove the chilies from the water and add to the bowl of a food processor, along with the shallots, garlic, glangal, lemongrass, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cilantro leaves, fish sauce and shrimp paste.
Run the food processor until the mixture is smooth. You may have to add a little water to reach the right consistency. The paste should be smooth but not wet.
You may store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
Makes about 1/2 cup. Recipe may be doubled or tripled.