RED CURRY PASTE (KRUENG GAENG PEHT)

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Red Curry Paste (Krueng Gaeng Peht) image

From Nancie McDermott's Real Thai: The Best of Thailand's Regional Cooking. If you want to save time you can grind the spices and combine the rest using a food processor instead of a mortar. I have been using this recipe lately and with the exception of the fresh lemongrass (you can substitute 4 tsp dried) all of the ingredients are easy to find. I sometimes also substitute a little lime juice for the peel and green onions for the shallot. You can also roast batches of seeds ahead of time--just don't grind them until you're ready to use them.

Provided by Renegade Chef

Categories     Thai

Time 30m

Yield 1 cup

Number Of Ingredients 12

1/2 cup small dried red chili
10 peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole coriander seed
1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
4 stalks fresh lemongrass
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh galangal or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced lime peel
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
1/4 cup coarsely chopped shallot
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 teaspoon salt

Steps:

  • Stem the chilies and shake out and discard most of the seeds. Chop them coarsely and place in a small bowl with warm water to cover. Soak 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, dry-fry the coriander and the cumin seeds 3 - 5 minutes each over medium heat.
  • Combine the roasted seeds with the peppercorns and grind to powder. Set aside.
  • Chop lemongrass stalks and add to mortar.
  • Add the cilantro, galanga/ginger, and lime peel. Pound. Add garlic and shallot and continue pounding until a paste forms.
  • Drain the chilies and add them to the mortar. After they are ground, add the spices, shrimp paste, and salt, and continue grinding until you achieve a smooth paste.
  • Refrigerate in a tightly covered glass jar; keeps up to one month.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 108.2, Fat 1.8, SaturatedFat 0.1, Sodium 2346, Carbohydrate 22.9, Fiber 3.9, Sugar 4.4, Protein 4.5

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