Massaman curry paste
Quick ideas
Massaman curry paste
Obviously you can buy massaman curry paste, but if you're starting from scratch here's how to do it. Makes 1 jar.
Ingredients
- 12 dried red chillies
- 12 garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers removed and thinly sliced
- 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 3cm piece galangal or ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 whole cardamom pods
- 6 whole cloves
- 3cm piece cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 star anise
- stems from large bunch of coriander
- 50g salted dry-roasted peanuts
- ½ tsp each ground nutmeg, turmeric and salt
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Soak the chillies in warm water in a small bowl for 15 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Toss the chillies, garlic, lemongrass, shallot, and galangal/ginger with oil in a baking tray and roast for 4-5 minutes. Give the tray a good shake and return to the oven until the chillies are golden brown. Allow to cool.
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Step 2
Meanwhile, combine the 'Cs' (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, coriander and cumin) and star anise in a small frying pan and toast over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, until fragrant. Allow to cool.
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Step 3
Gently crush the cardamom pods to remove the seeds and discard as much pod as possible, then grind the spices in a spice mill, or with a mortar and pestle. Next, blitz everything to a coarse paste in a food processor and transfer to a clean jar. It will keep for several weeks in the fridge.
