Red Curry Paste (Prik Gaeng Dang)
A from-scratch Thai red curry paste. Makes about 1 cup (336 g). Listed under the book's French section but this is a classic Thai (TH) curry paste. In the book's photo spread, the red curry paste is on the right, in the white bowl with gray edging. No method was printed with the source ingredient list, so a faithful classic method is given below.
🍽️ Makes 1
Ingredients
| 3-4 | fresh red Fresno or jalapeño chilies, stemmed and finely chopped | |
| 4 | dried chilies de arbol or Japones chilies, soaked and finely chopped | |
| 2 stalks | lemongrass, base and 3 inches (8 cm) of the top removed and finely chopped | |
| 1-inch (3-cm) piece | galangal, skin on and finely chopped | |
| 3 cloves | garlic, finely chopped | |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | shallots, finely chopped |
| 2 tsp | 10 ml | shrimp paste |
| 2 | kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped | |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | ground black pepper |
| — | water, as needed |
Instructions
(reconstructed classic method)
- Soak the dried chilies in warm water until softened, then drain and finely chop; discard most seeds for less heat.
- Trim the lemongrass, keeping the tender base, and finely chop. Finely chop the galangal, garlic, shallots and kaffir lime leaves.
- Using a mortar and pestle (or a food processor), pound the fresh and dried chilies with a little salt into a paste.
- Add the lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots and kaffir lime leaves and pound until smooth, adding a little water as needed to keep it moving.
- Add the shrimp paste and ground black pepper and pound until fully combined into a smooth, deep-red paste.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.