Penang curry paste (Nam Prik Gaeng Penang)
| 2 Tab | Dried red Spur chillies |
| 1 | Lemongrass, finely chopped |
| ¼ Tsp | Galangal ginger, finely chopped |
| 1-2 | Shallots, finely chopped |
| 1 slice | Kaffir lime rind, finely chopped |
| 1-2 | Cloves Garlic, chopped |
| 1 | Coriander root, chopped |
| 1 Tsp | White pepper |
| 1 Tsp | Roasted coriander seeds |
| ½ Tsp | Roasted cumin seeds |
| ¼ Tsp | Shrimp paste |
| ¼ Tsp | Salt |
| 3 Tbs | Roasted roughly ground peanuts |
In a stone mortar and pestle pound coriander seeds, cumin and peppers thoroughly until they are a fine dust.
Add lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and coriander root to mortar and pound until there isn’t any obvious sinew (quite a while, they say a good wife can do this quickly and for a while, not my words!!)
Add dried chillies and salt pound unit pieces of chilli cannot be made out from the rest of the matter (again not an easy task, right arm starting to feel it now).
Add shrimp paste and pound to mix in the paste.
NOTES:
To roast coriander seeds and cumin seeds you just put them on a flat tray in the oven. They are done when you can smell them roasting.
Soak the red spur chillies in warm salted water for 10 min before chopping them.
Only use the white part of the lemon grass. The green can be used to make a lemon grass tea.
Galangal ginger is not ginger and can’t really be substituted. It looks like ginger but doesn’t really have the same flavour
Kaffir lime is not lime. It has a skin like the outside of a brain. You only need about 2cm of a strip
Coriander root is literally that. You can get it from Coles where it is attached dirt and all to the fresh coriander. You chop off the root at the point where the green starts
To keep stir fry for a couple of minutes, let cool and put in a container in the fridge. It will keep for a few months