We use to buy massaman curry paste in a jar from the supermarket and use to be a quick an easy dinner, but they stopped selling it so Paul thought he would like up how to make your own paste. Let’s put it this way we won’t be buying curry paste in a jar again. The great thing is you can make a batch and get about 4 curries from it. It stores in the fridge for up to 3 months and then you can freeze down the rest in portions and cook from frozen (if you have any left). It also isn’t as complicated as you think you just combine all the ingredients in a food processor. The curry itself is extremely quick and easy to make it is based on a ken hom recipe so I’m not surprised by how yummy it is.

Ingredients

For the Paste

• 15 dried red chillies
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, ground
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, ground
• 1 stick cinnamon, ground
• 3 cloves, ground
• 4 peppercorns, ground
• 4 tbsp garlic, chopped
• 4 tbsp shallots, chopped
• 1 heaped tsp shrimp paste
• 1 – 2 sticks lemongrass, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp fish sauce

For the Curry

• 1/2 a whole pork fillet
• 2 tbsp massaman curry paste
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 tin of coconut milk
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp of oil, for frying

Method

For the Curry Paste

1. Soak the chillies in water for 10 minutes and then deseed.

2. Dry-fry the dry spices in a wok to release the flavours and then grind to a powder in a pestle and mortar or in a processor/blender.

3. Add all the other ingredients and grind or blitz to a fine paste.

For the Curry

1. Slice the pork fillet into medium thick medallions.
2. Heat a wok over a medium heat and add the oil. Once hot add in the curry paste and fry off for about half a minute. Add in the pork slices turn up the heat and brown and coat with the paste for about a minute, remove the pork and set aside.
3. Add the tumeric to the wok, then add the coconut milk, sugar and lime leaves, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Return the pork into the curry and simmer for another 5 minutes or until pork is cooked and serve with the basil leaves over the top.