Red Curry Paste

[Thursdaynight]

1 inch fresh turmeric, grate fine
2 inches fresh ginger root, scrape peel, grate fine
2 cloves garlic, cut off root, crack, peel, grate fine
2 Tbsp. garam masala
20 black pepper corns, grind fine in mortar and pestle
2 Tbsp. canola oil


Heat a small stainless steel frying pan over medium heat . Add oil. Add small bit of pepper. Heat until pepper sizzles. Add all ingredients. Stir and fry 3 to 5 minutes until aromatic and makes a dark paste.

[OahuAmateurChef]

So this is for an Indian red curry paste?

[boar_d_laze]

Looks pretty mild -- something you might classify as a "Madras" curry. Do you have any feel for how you'd fit it into the greater scheme of curries, other than as "red?"

Also, while a lot of us know how to turn curry paste into finished dishes a lot of us don't. If you don't want to get into that, I wouldn't mind giving it a go.

Let me know,
BDL

PS I think we might have traveled in slightly overlapping circles and actually be vague acquaintances from Berkeley.

[DC Sunshine]

Would like to try that, but there's nowhere here to get fresh Tumeric. Would it be worth trying with dried/powdered? And what would the quantity be for this recipe?

Thanks - DC

[boar_d_laze]

DC -- 1/2 tsp dry powder per inch of fresh is the general rule.

Yeti Buddy -- Looks a lot like a mild Madras to me. No galangal, no lemon grass, no fish sauce, no etc., etc., so not Penang or Thai.

BDL

[teamfat]

This curry paste reminds me of something I haven't made in years, perhaps I'll have to try it, take notes and come up with an actual recipe. As I recall it was something like a pound or so of diced lamb meat, probably shoulder chops, browned in oil, then add maybe 2 tablespoons of a mild curry like this and a medium onion cut into cresent moon slices. When the onion starts to soften, after maybe 4 - 5 minutes, add a half cup of raisins and maybe a half cup of broth, simmer for another 10 minutes or so. I remember that there wasn't that much liquid left when it was served over a pile of rice, but enough so that there was some sauce, so maybe a cup of broth.

I'll have to whip up a batch and see what happens.

mjb.