Red Curry Paste
1 tablespoon dried shrimp paste
5 to 6 dried red chillies (about 1/2 cup)
3 to 4 shallots
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons grated kaffir lime peel
4 stalks lemongrass, bottom thick part only, outer leaves discarded, sliced
1 coriander root and stem
5 cm (2 in) galangal root, sliced
To make the Red Curry Paste, roast shrimp paste over low flame using tongs or aluminium foil.
In a wok or frying-pan, dry-fry the dried chillies over low heat until dark and fragrant. When cool, remove stems, discard the seeds and cut the chillies into lengths.
In the same wok or frying-pan, dry-fry the shallots and garlic over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes until soft and blistered. When cool, slice and set aside.
Grind the lime peel, lemongrass, coriander root and galangal root to a paste in a blender or spice grinder. Add
the roasted chillies, shallots, garlic and shrimp paste. Grind to a smooth paste. This makes about 250 ml (1 cup) of paste. The paste can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months.