Red+Curry


 * Red Curry for Putt Pet**

//__Ingredients:__// //Garlic (4-6 cloves)// //Galangal (2-3 inch piece-peel & slice first)// //Krachai (1 inch piece)// //Lemongrass (2-3 lemongrass stalks...use the pale portion (approx 2-3 inches long), chopping the very bottom off first then slicing the remaining piece)// //Hot peppers (Thai bird chiles if available--you need fresh and dried...8 fresh & 4 dried or 10 fresh & 5 dried-spicier of the 2)// //Dried shrimp (a scant palm full of the tiny Thai kind from the Oriental market)// //Fish sauce-very little, mostly for moisture// //Sprinkled water--get your hand wet & then flick your water from your fingers as needed//

BE VERY CAREFUL AFTER YOU HAVE ADDED THE PEPPERS!

__Directions__: 1. You could use a food processor but the old-fashioned way (and more flavorful way) is to use the mortar and pestle. Start with dried shrimp (you could also cheat a little by using dried shrimp paste if you're in a hurry), garlic, lemongrass slices and galangal slices. 2. Pound & grind. The maceration of the grinding process yields more spicy, juicy yumminess. 3. When you start to add the hot chile peppers, you should carefully lay a paper towel over the mortar & pestle to keep the eye-rending, skin blistering droplets of hell's fury from splattering your person. 4. Sprinkle in a few drops of fish sauce. After that, if you need moisture, do the hand-wetting thing to flick in a bit of water. 5. Store in airtight container (glass jars if possible) in the fridge.

Everybody makes curry differently. From what I understand, the "curry" began with whatever spices and items a person would scavenge or find while walking home.

Other authentic ingredients in a red curry paste include: zest of Kaffir limes, Kaffir lime leaves, cilantro ROOTS, green peppercorns, and shallots (the small, red ones). Have fun!