Red Curry Paste

comments (0) May 29th, 2008

KitchenGardener Magazine, archive

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Photo: Kim Jaeckel

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Ingredients:
2 oz. dried, mild New Mexican chiles, such as ‘Pasilla’
1 to 10 dried hot chiles
2 tsp. coriander seed
1 tsp. shrimp paste (for vegetarian paste, substitute 1 Tbs. peanut butter)
1/3 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup garlic cloves, peeled
4 kaffir lime leaf lobes
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, sliced thin
1 tsp. galangal powder (or 1/2 Tbs. fresh ginger)

Makes 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups

This paste has a spicy, aromatic flavor that’s good in soups, stir-fries, and marinades. It goes well with meat, seafood, and tofu. The two types of peppers are important. The New Mexican chiles give texture, flavor, and a little heat, and the dried hot chiles give a lot more heat.

Remove the seeds and stems from the dried peppers and soak the peppers in warm water.

Heat a heavy pan over medium heat and toast the coriander seeds for about a minute, just until they become fragrant. Grind them to a powder, using a mortar and pestle.

Drain the chiles, reserving the liquid. Put all ingredients, except the chile soaking water, into the bowl of a food processor, and process, adding enough of the soaking water to make a moist paste. Store the paste in the refrigerator and use within two weeks or freeze for later use.

Recipe by Bich Nga Burrill
October 2000
from issue #29