I use this recipe for the Thai Curry Paste, but rather than use just a few spoons of it when it’s done, I use the entire batch. After making the paste I will chop a few cherry tomatoes and saute them in a pot with oil, and simmer them till they are reduced a bit, then I put in some chopped carrots and simmer that for a bit to soften them up, add some green/red peppers, and then dump all the paste in and simmer it till it cooks through and stops smelling like fresh paste. A smidge of water if needed. Then I’ll add coconut cream or milk to it and cook a bit longer, with some frozen peas added. Then for the protein (ahead of time) I chop tofu into cubes, dab each side in a mix of Corn Starch, Chilli Powder, Pepper, Cumin, Salt and pan fry them till each side is toasty. These go in at the end before serving so they retain their outer crispness.

Thai Red Curry Paste Ingredients (blend together)

• 5 dried red chilli peppers, or to taste

• 2 medium onions, cut into chunks

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or more as needed

• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

• 1 tablespoon ground coriander

• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 teaspoons shrimp paste

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

• 1 teaspoon lemon grass powder

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 1 teaspoon salt