Thai Massaman Curry Paste – Kruang Gang Massaman

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin
• 8 Pepper, red, long, hot
• 20 g galangal, fresh or frozen
• 20 g lemongrass, fresh or frozen
• 30 g onion(s), red, small
• 10 medium-sized garlic cloves
• 2 m.-large tomato(s), fully ripe
• 8 g shrimp paste (terasi udang)
• 3 tbsp palm oil, premium quality
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp clove powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp star anise, ground
• 1 tsp cardamom powder

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Wash the peppers, halve lengthwise, remove the stems and seeds, and cut the pods crosswise into approximately 5 mm wide pieces. Peel the galangal, cut crosswise into thin slices, gouge out the brown eyes, and discard them. Finely dice the slices. Weigh and thaw the frozen goods. Wash the fresh lemongrass. Remove the hard stalk at the bottom, discard the brown and wilted leaves, and use only the white to white-green parts. Cut these into thin slices. Remove the outer, green leaves if necessary. Weigh and thaw the frozen goods. Trim both ends of the onions and garlic cloves, peel, and roughly chop. Remove the stems from the tomatoes. Quarter the tomatoes lengthwise, remove the green stalks, and cut the fruit into thirds crosswise. Finely crumble the shrimp paste. Heat a wok or small frying pan without oil. Heat the coriander seeds and cumin seeds, stirring, until fragrant. Remove the spices and transfer them to a food processor. Return the wok to the heat with the palm oil and add the onions, garlic, and lemongrass. Stir-fry everything for 1 minute, then stir in the galangal and stir-fry for 1 minute. Then add the chili peppers, tomatoes, and shrimp paste and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove the wok from the heat and let the contents cool. Add the contents and spices to the food processor with the roasted seeds and process everything into a smooth paste. Season the paste with salt, pour it into a pan, and simmer slightly. Transfer some of the hot paste to a small, sterile jar, cover with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, and store in the refrigerator. Freeze the remaining paste in portions. Note: If the chili peppers are mild, add at least 4 red chili peppers, finely chopped crosswise with the seeds.