Red curry paste (kruang kaeng dang)

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

10 md Red Fresh Or Dried Chillies
1/2 c Small Purple Shallots OR
2 sm Brown Onions Chopped
1 tb Garlic Chopped
1/4 c Finely Sliced Lemon Grass OR
1 md Thily Sliced Rind Of Lemon
1 tb Chopped Galangal Fresh Or -Frozen OR
3 ts Powdered Galangal
1 tb Chopped Fresh Coriander -(Cilantro/Chinese Parsley) Roots
1 tb Chopped Fresh Coriander -Stems
1 ts Finely Grated Kaffir Lime -Rind
4 md Kaffir Lime Leaves Mid Ribs -Removed
2 tb Vegetable Oil
2 ts Shrimp Paste
1 tb Coriander Seeds
2 ts Cummin Seeds
1 ts Black Peppercorns
2 ts Paprika
1 ts Ground Tumeric

Instructions:

Yield: 8 Fluid Ounces (1 Cup) In the container of an electric blender put the chillies shallots garlic lemon grass galangal coriander roots and stems lime rind and the lime leaves. Add the oil and blend to a smooth puree. Wrap the shrimp closely in foil flattening to make a small packet. Place under a hot griller (broiler) and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side. In a small saucepan toast the coriander seeds until golden and fragrant then turn onto a plate. Toast the cumin seeds until fragrant. Lightly toast the pepper corns also and grind all three to a powder in a mortar and pestle. Add to the blender with the paprika and ground turmeric and shrimp paste. Blend once more. Store in a clan dry bottle in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 weeks. Or divide into convenient portions and wrap and freeze. From Carmaine Solomon's Thai Cookbook By Charmaine Solomon