5organic red and/or yellow chilies, fresh or dried
1tbspshredded, unsweetened organic coconut
1stalkorganic lemongrass, fresh or dried
1 tsporganic lemon zest
2tsporganic garam masala
1tsporganic ground coriander
1tsporganic ground cumin
1tsporganic Ceylon "true" cinnamon
1inchorganic fresh turmeric or 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
1tsporganic cardamom
1tsporganic paprika
1/4tsporganic cayenne
1tbsporganic coconut oil
1tspsea salt
Instructions
If you're using whole coriander, cumin, and cardamom, toast the whole spices in a small skillet over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes or until fragrant with a slightly deeper colour. If using powdered spices, skip this step.
Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies. Place the chilies into a food processor or blender along with the rest of the ingredients. Blitz and reduce the ingredients into a fine paste, scraping down the sides as needed.
Use the paste immediately in your favourite recipes, or freeze portions of it for long term storage.
Notes
You can use fresh chilies like I did, but any kind of dried chilies are closer to authentic Thai red curry paste, and likely less spicy. Just soak the dried chilies in water for 5-10 minutes to soften them up, drain, then grind them in the food processor into a paste with the other ingredients.
Store the paste in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, or about 1 month in the freezer.
For long term storage, I recommend portioning out the paste onto a silicone ice cube tray or silicone molds and placing them in the freezer to solidify, then transferring the cubes to a freezer-safe glass container for up to 1 month.
Please don't use curry powder as a substitute for this paste. They do not produce the same results, and if you're going for a more authentic Thai red curry, it hinges on the bright, strong flavour of the curry paste. Trust me!