Panang Curry Paste

I've written enough curry paste recipes to be merit being lazy about the method for this one. You just whizz all the ingredients together in a food processor, except for the oil, which you add, a little at a time to the blending mix to make a paste. Make it as smooth as you possibly can.

Ingredients

10-15 dried thai chillies, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes

5 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped

2 stalks lemongrass, tough outer stalks removed and chopped up.

8-10 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1 thumb galangal or ginger, peeled and chopped roughly

Handful coriander roots

4 kaffir lime leaves

Pinch ground cloves

Pinch ground white pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp shrimp paste

Flavourless oil, such as vegetable or sunflower oil- enough to make a paste