*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                 Prik Kaeng Kiao Wan (Green Curry Paste)

Recipe By     : 
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Muoi                             Spices And Pastes
                *Thai                            Curry

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1      cup           prik ki nu (green birdseye chilies)
   5      tablespoons   lemon grass, finely sliced
  10      tablespoons   shallots (purple onions), chopped
  10      tablespoons   garlic, minced
   5      tablespoons   galangal (kha) -- grated
   5      tablespoons   cilantro root -- chopped
   2      tablespoons   coriander seed
   1      tablespoon    cumin seed
   1      tablespoon    freshly ground black pepper
   2      tablespoons   shredded bai makroot (lime leaves)
   4      tablespoons   kapi (fermented shrimp paste)
   1      tablespoon    palm sugar

This is a paste for a green curry and the 'wan' indicates that it should
be slightly sweet as well as hot.

Ingredients:

If you can't get prik ki nu, you can use half a pound of serrano chilies
or one pound of jalapeno chilies. If you use the latter deseed them
before use. Note that if you use a substitute you will get a different
volume of paste, and that you will need to use different amounts in
subsequent recipes.

If you can't get kha use ginger. If you can't get bai makroot use lime
zest. If you can't get coriander root, use coriander leaves.

Method:

Coarsely chop the chilies. Toast the dry seeds in a heavy iron skillet
or wok, and grind them coarsely.

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and process to a smooth
paste.

Place in tightly stoppered jars, and keep in the fridge for at least a
week for the flavors to combine and develop before use.

The remaining three pastes are all made from dried red chilies: those
sold in Thailand are frankly stale. Those sold in Europe and America
are generally barely fit for human consumption. If you must use them
then break them up and shake out the seeds, and soak them in tepid
water for about 30 minutes before use.

Preferably dry fresh red chilies. All these recipes call for one cup of
fresh red chilies, or half a pound of red habaneros, or one pound of
red jalapenos, deseeded. Dry them in the sun, or if the climate doesn't
allow then dry them in a herb desiccator, or smoke them in a smoker or
over a barbeque.

The dried chilies (which need not be tinder dry - it is enough to
remove most of the water) are then toasted under a broiler until
*almost* burnt.

Treat this stage with extreme caution: if you overcook them a noxious
gas closely related to Mustard gas is released. This is quite dangerous
- at a minimum cook them in a very well ventilated room with a fan on
and have a damp cloth ready to cover your mouth and nose in case of
emergencies -- and disconnect your smoke detector/fire alarm!

Recipe By: Muoi Khuntilanont

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