KTK Thai Red Curry Paste

Note: If you can't find coriander root, use fresh coriander leaves & stems. The root freezes well, so when you see it in the store, buy it, wash it very well, freeze it and save until needed.

I can't get fresh galanga, and can only occasionally find it frozen. Add more ginger if you can't get galanga.

Soak dried peppers in warm water until soft. Save the soaking water. Remove stems and seeds. (Depending on the size and state of the peppers, if may be easier to remove stem and seeds before they soak rather than later.)

Use only the bottom of the lemongrass stalks. Cut the very hard root part off and cut off the tops, leaving a stalk about 3 inches long. Remove the outer leaves which are very tough. Slice the stalks thinly, then mince.

Put lemongrass, coriander root, ginger, galanga, lime peel, garlic, cinnamon, anchovies and their oil, in a food processor and grind until it is a fairly smooth paste. Scrape the sides often. Drain the chilies (reserving the soaking water) and add them. Grind to a paste. If more liquid is needed to make a paste, use the reserved soaking water. (You could also pound the whole thing in a large mortar & pestle rather than a food processor.)

Toast the coriander seeds in a small dry frypan until they are fragrant, shaking the pan to prevent burning. Then do the same with the cumin seeds. It will only take 2 or 3 minutes. Be careful because they burn very quickly. (If the spices burn, throw them out & start over.) Grind the coriander, cumin, whole peppercorns in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.

Add the ground spices and continue grinding in the food processor until it is incorporated into the paste. Use whatever you need in a recipe and freeze the rest. I spread it in a thin (1/2 inch of less) layer in a flat-bottom plastic container & freeze it so I can break off as much as I need.

This curry paste is used in the KTK Thai Curried Eggplant & Hearts of Palm recipe.