This weekend I am planning to make a dish with sea bass. One of the needed ingredients is red curry paste. I was looking for it in a local supermarket, but could not find it (most likely I have overlooked it).
So I did what I do mostly in such case, I called Miranda for advice. Her first reaction was right away that you don’t buy Red Curry Paste, but that you make it yourself (I should have known *grin*).
But her argument was very valid. Since I am looking after my weight, I am staying away from sauces and alike that you buy in supermarkets. This because of the added sugars and other additives (not all so called M-numbers are bad, but some are at least suspicious).
Apart from that when you make it yourself, you are fully in control of the taste. You can make it for example, as spicy as you want it.
And if Red Curry Paste would be very hard and difficult to make, she could understand that you would buy it, but it is not.
So I gathered all the ingredients I needed. Most I had already, I only needed to buy fresh red chilies, kardemom and fresh lemongrass. All the other ingredients I had already at home.
And so tonight I made my own Red Curry Paste.
So what is needed?
- 8 red chilies (more if you want it more spicy)
- 1 teaspoon ground kardemom
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1.5 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 8 teaspoons ground cumin
- 8 teaspoons ground coriander
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemongrass
- 2 grated cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 chopped shallots
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
Put all, except the olive oil, in a bowl and use a blender until everything is shredded and it becomes a nice equal mass.
Add the olive oil and stir it through the mass. Your red curry paste is done!
The recipe gives around 300 gram paste. When the paste is “covered” by a little olive oil, it can be kept well for quite some time when stored in a refrigerator .
All very easy to do. Chopping the shallots is the most work.
Very nice, Rob. Much more healthy and you can make it as spicy as you want (or less spicy in your case 🙂 ).
I will write that article on how to make Harissa yourself, as I promised you some time ago.