Red Curry Paste

Nam Prik Gacng Ped • Red Curry Paste

1 tablespoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seed

13 dried bird's-eye chilies, cut, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes and deseeded

3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

4 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon finely chopped galangal

2 tablespoons finely sliced lemongrass

2 teaspoons finely chopped kaffir lime rind 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

(coriander) root 20 black peppercorns

1 teaspoon shrimp paste

Dry fry the coriander and cumin seeds in a wok over low heat for about 5 minutes, then grind to a powder. Add the remaining ingredients, except the shrimp paste, and blend well. Add the ground spice mixture and shrimp paste and blend again to obtain about \ cup (180 ml) of fine-textured paste.