Curry Paste

When in Thailand in November 2010 and attended a Thai cooking school in Koh Phi Phi, the first thing we learnt how to do was obviously curry paste. Here is the recipe for red curry paste. If you want to make a green curry paste, use the same recipe but use green peppers. As easy.
There they used a big pot and a wooden stick as mortar and pestle. Maybe one day, I can make one of those guys myself. In the meantime, I'll have to live with the little one I have. Very practical though with a larger one!

Ingredients
20 chillies
1 teaspoon galangal
3 tablespoon lemon grass
3 kafir lime leaves finely sliced
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 tablespoons thai shallot
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chilli oil

Instructions
Roughly chop the ingredients and then simply grind with pestle and mortar. Remember to add the oil last so that you do not splash hot curry paste in your eyes. There is no need to use an electric blender or get a very smooth paste.

Red curry paste

Use red chillies

Green curry paste

Use green chillies
Substitute the chilli oil with regular vegetable oil
Add 1 handful sweet thai basil

Panaeng curry paste

Add 3 tablespoons of ground peanuts to the red curry paste. Note though that I have never tried this recipe for Panaeng curry as I have used the one referred to in the Panaeng curry chicken recipe.