Massaman Curry Paste for Curried Peanut Satay Sauce

As I mentioned in my earlier posts, I really love to go to all the ethnic grocery stores we have in my neighborhood.

Fresh lemon grass, coconut milk and shrimp paste will be need for this curry paste. I like the Pantai Norasingh brand made in Thailand. After you open the jar and use just a little bit. Close it up and stick it in your freezer.









This curry paste recipe is from the southern part of Thailand. The paste is used in Curried Peanut Satay Sauce and stew dishes.

To start making the paste you will need 1 ounce of dried red chilies seed and soaked in boiling water for thirty minutes. Then place the drained chilies in a blender. You will need to save the soaking water.

Now measure out 1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons of coriander, and three seeded green cardamom pods. You will keep the seeds and toss out the shell. Dry roast the spices until a light golden brown.

 Now place the seeds in a spice grinder and pulse. Add this to the blender. Now add 2 small shallots, 3 large garlic cloves and 1 stalk of lemon grass. The lemon grass should have the outer leaves removed and the lower tender portion placed in the blender. The new issue of Fine Cooking AUG/SEPT 2014 has a wonderful article on lemon grass. In fact the whole issue is wonderful ! Now add to the blender 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves and a rounded 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Now make a foil packet of 1 1/2 teaspoons of shrimp paste. Dry roast the shrimp paste until your home smells like the best Thai restaurant. Add to the blender the cooled shrimp paste and drained chilies. Save the soaking water from the chilies to use as needed for the paste to do its magic in the blender. Store in refrigerator.

If making the peanut sauce do not wash out your blender. Place a 14 ounce can of coconut milk into the blender along with 3/4 of a cup of chunky peanut butter, 7 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of Thai fish sauce and blend. Now add 1 tablespoon of Massaman Curry paste to the blender. Take a taste. Add more curry paste as you like.