Thai Yellow Curry Paste

I love having curry pastes frozen and ready to use from my freezer.  All homemade so I can adjust and personalize the heat, etc.  This recipe is based on one I found on a website- Hot Pepper Madness. com.  I have certainly made a few great curries using my version of this paste. 

Ingredients:

1           red pepper, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped

4           small red Thai chili peppers, roughly chopped (or use Cayenne or serrano) 

1           shallot, chopped

4           cloves garlic, chopped

1           lemongrass stalk (trimmed, woody parts removed)

6 stalks green onion, sliced

1 tbsp   fish sauce ( or substitute shrimp paste)

1 tbsp  fresh ginger

1 tbsp  fresh turmeric (ground is good, too)

1 tsp    ground cumin

1 tsp    ground coriander

½ tsp   sea salt

½ tsp   ground black pepper

2 tbsp  lemon juice

2 tbsp  lime juice

2 tbsp  grapeseed oil (or use a neutral oil)

1 tbsp  brown sugar 

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender.  Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Alternatively, you can grind down the solid ingredients and spices with a mortar and pestle, then slowly add in the liquid ingredients as you mix. Mix until a paste forms to your preferred consistency.

Taste and adjust to your personal tastes. Need more salt? More lime juice? A pinch of sugar? Adjust as needed.

Use as is or freeze.  I freeze in 250ml canning jars.  Just be sure not to fill the jar more that 3/4 full to allow for expansion during freezing.