Country: Thailand Servings: Serves 4

Ingredients

• dried red chilies – 8 – deveined, seeds removed
• garlic – 6 cloves – roughly chopped
• shallots – 3 – roughly chopped
• lemongrass – 2 stalks – only tender part, thinly sliced
• galangal – 1-inch piece – peeled and sliced
• coriander seeds – 1 tbsp – toasted
• cumin seeds – 1 tsp – toasted
• cinnamon stick – 2-inch piece, broken
• cloves – 5 – toasted
• mace – 1 blade – toasted
• white peppercorns – 1 tsp – toasted
• shrimp paste – 1 tbsp
• palm sugar – 1 tbsp
• salt – 1 tsp
• vegetable oil – 2 tbsp

Instructions

1. Soak the chilies in warm water for 15 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside.
2. In a dry pan, toast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, mace, and peppercorns until aromatic. Cool and grind into a fine powder.
3. Blend the softened chilies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, galangal, shrimp paste, palm sugar, and salt into a coarse paste.
4. Incorporate the ground spices into the paste, adding vegetable oil to aid blending until smooth.
5. Store the paste in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Substitutions

• galangal -> ginger
• palm sugar -> brown sugar
• shrimp paste -> soy sauce for vegetarian option

Enhancements in the Next Evolution

• Use fresh herbs like coriander leaves to enhance freshness.
• Include a drop of Thai fish sauce for added umami if not vegetarian.
• Adjust the spice level by increasing or decreasing the dried red chilies.