Red Curry Paste — 2

3 large dried red California chilies, seeded and chopped

5 dried Thai bird or similar chilies, seeded and chopped

2 stalks lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed and discarded, inner core finely minced

1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

2 tablespoons ground turmeric

1. Place the chilies in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Let stand for at least 30 minutes. Drain the chilies, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid.
2. Place all the ingredients and 2–3 tablespoons of the soaking liquid in a food processor. Process to form a thick, smooth paste. Add additional liquid if necessary.

Red Curry Paste Applications

While green curry paste is usually used for specific purposes, red curry paste is often treated as a “general purpose” paste that can be added to almost any Thai recipe. Whenever you see a recipe call for “common” or “plain” curry paste, it is almost always referring to the red. And if not, you'll be safe using it!