Thai Curry Paste

Ingredients

• 7-10 dried red chillies for red curry
• 2 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp lemongrass, chopped
• 1 tsp galangal, chopped
• 2 tsp shallots, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic, chopped
• A bunch of basil and 2 tbsp coriander leaves for green curry

Method

1. Dry-roast the caraway and coriander seeds with no oil until fragrant, then cool and pound them.
2. Seed the chillies, soak them in cold water, then pound them fine with the salt.
3. Add lemongrass, galangal, shallots and garlic. Pound until it's a genuinely smooth paste — a rough paste makes a gritty curry.
4. Mix in the roasted powder last.
5. For green curry, use fresh green chillies with basil and coriander instead of the dried red ones.