Green Thai Curry Paste

This is from the book Keo's Thai Cuisine, written by Keo Sananikone and published in 1986.  It's one of our favorite curry pastes.

Green Curry Paste

15-20 fresh small Thai green chili peppers

4 stalks fresh lemon grass, coarseley chopped

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon coarseley chopped kha (kha is Thai ginger - we use the fresh common ginger you can get in the produce section of the grocery store)

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped kra-chai (kra-chai is "Lesser Ginger" - again, we use common ginger here)

5 kaffir lime leaves, choped (you can get these in Asian markets.  The flavor is unique and very much a part of Thai cuising)

1/2 teaspoon chopped kaffir lime rind (if we don't have kaffir limes, we use regular limes)

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground caraway seeds

1/2 to 1 tablespoon fish sauce or 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon shrimp paste (you can find this in asian markets)

2 tablespoons oil.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.  If a mortar and pestle are used, then add oil after all other ingredients are ground.  Refrigerate in a glass container.  Paste keeps well for several months.

(Bill put the mixture in ice cube trays to freeze it, instead of in the fridge, and then popped out the cubes when they were frozen and kept them in ziploc bags in the freezer.)

Thai curry sauces are made by adding coconut milk to the curry paste.  The amount of paste determines how hot and spicy your sauce will be.