Put the chiles in a small bowl and cover with very warm water. In a small skillet, toast the coriander seed and cumin seed over medium heat, stirring constantly, until aromatic; don't let the spices burn or they will be bitter. Pour the spices into an electric spice grinder or coffee grinder with the peppercorns, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Grind to form a fine powder.
In the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, put the shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime zest, cilantro, shrimp paste, if used, and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Drain the chiles well and add them to the work bowl along with the ground spices. Process the mixture until it is very smooth. Wipe down the sides of bowl occasionally and be careful not to breathe in potent chile fumes.
Scrape the mixture into an electric blender, cover and process until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Stop the machine and add the remaining oil, as needed, to facilitate blending. Scrape the bowl. Store in a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate up to 1 month or freeze for longer periods.
This recipe yields about 1/2 cup.
Comments: This highly-flavored curry paste adds distinctive flavor to Red Curry Sauce (see recipe). There are almost as many variations of curry paste in Thailand as there are cooks to blend them.
The traditional method of blending the herbs and spices requires one to energetically pound the ingredients with a mortar and pestle, adding them one by one until a silky paste is formed. This method is intensely laborious. By using an electric spice grinder, a food processor and a blender, the paste can be reduced by stages, ending up with a respectably smooth blend.
The fresh, lively flavors of this spice blend will allow you to capture the real essence of Thai cooking right on your own dinner table. Add it to curries, sauces, fried seafood dishes or soups. Stir a little into your favorite barbecue sauce or dip recipe. Add small amounts at first: this curry paste is a fire eaters delight! |
