Red Curry Paste (Krueang Kaeng Phed)

Thai Translation – Krueang = Paste, Gaeng = Curry ; Phed = Spicy

This simple curry paste is so easy to make and is so fresh and fragrant. It can be made in advance and stored with a layer of oil to preserve it. Red curry paste is the basis of other curries and other dishes including penang curry, khao soi (a northern noodle soup dish) and thai fish cakes. This recipe does not contain shrimp paste and makes it a suitable dish for vegetarians.

Ingredients 

5-10 of seedless dry chili peppers 

1 inch piece of galangal

1 inch piece thai ginseng

4 garlic cloves

2 spring onions

1 1/3 tsp dry coriander seeds

1/2 inch piece tumeric

1 kaffir lime leaf

1 piece lemongrass

Method

1. Soak the dry chilli's in water until they are tender. This will take approximately 10-30 minutes. Slice open the chilli's and remove the seeds. Chop roughly.
2. Peel the galangal, ginseng, garlic, tumeric, lemongrass and spring onions. Chop roughly and set aside. Rip the hard stem of the kaffir lime leaf out and set leaf aside. 
3. In a mortar and pestle, crush the coriander seeds til they begin to turn to a powder. Add the chilli's and crush well so they begin to turn to a paste. 
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and crush well to make a paste, ensuring that you crush all the ingredients well. Use a spoon to mix the paste around so that it has a regular consistency.