Green Curry Paste

[kirra]

Green Curry Paste
Thai Green Curry Paste

Ingredients:

4 dark green jalapeno or serrano peppers, chopped
15-20 green Thai chillies (prik kee noo), chopped
10 white peppercorns, finely ground
1 Tbs. coriander seeds, lightly toasted till aromatic, then ground
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
1 tsp. course sea salt
2 Tbs. chopped lemon grass (use the bottom end of stalk, sliced thinly in rounds before chopping)
1 tsp. chopped Thai galanga
1 tsp. grated zest of fresh kaffir lime; or substitute with finely chopped reconstituted dried kaffir lime peel
2 tsp. finely chopped cilantro roots, or substitute with 1 Tbs. chopped stems
3 shallots, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp. gkapi shrimp paste

Preparation:

Prepare the paste ingredients. If using dried kaffir lime peel, soak first to soften. For galanga, use the fuller-flavored, reddish brown root imported from Thailand. Grind the dry spices finely in a dry stone mortar or spice grinder.Set aside. Pound the herbs a little at a time, starting with the hardier ones, until each is reduced to a paste. Combine the pounded herbs and ground dry spices and pound together with the gkapi shrimp paste to form a fine, well-blended paste. Jar and place in fridge, or use immediately.