Ingredients

• 10 - dry long red chillies
• 10 - small onions or shallots, peeled, chopped
• 1/2 bulb - garlic, flaked, peeled and crushed
• 4-5 sticks - lemon grass, peeled and chopped
• 2-inch piece - ginger, grated
• 12-15 - peppercorns
• 1 tsp - coriander seeds
• 1 tsp - lemon rind, grated (use kaffir lime if available)
• 1.5 tsp - salt or more to taste
• 1 tsp - oil
• 1/2 cup - boiling hot water

How to Make Red Curry Paste

• Pour boiling hot water over destalked, broken chillies.
• Cover and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
• Drain water from chillies and keep aside.
• Dry grind peppercorns and coriander seeds.
• Add soaked chillies, onions, garlic and ginger and grind again to a paste.
• Add drained chilli water if required.
• Add lemon grass, salt and lemon zest and blend again to a paste.
• Empty into clean, sterile jar, with a non-metallic lid.
• Heat and cool oil, then pour over paste.
• Stir gently with a wooden skewer, close lid.
• Refrigerate and use as required.