curry paste

                                               

A guide to curry paste

    
    Ingredients

    125ml (1/2 cup) white vinegar
    80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
    2 long fresh red chillies, deseeded, finely chopped
    4 garlic cloves, crushed
    1 tbs finely grated fresh ginger
    1/4 cup ground cumin
    1/4 cup ground coriander
    1 tbs freshly ground black pepper
    1 tbs garam masala
    1 tbs black mustard seeds
    1 tbs ground turmeric
    1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method
    

Place the vinegar, oil, chilli, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, pepper, garam masala, mustard, turmeric and cinnamon in a bowl and stir until well combined.

 Notes

 To freeze (for up to 4 months): Place curry paste in an airtight container and smooth the surface. Drizzle with vegetable oil to cover. Label, date and freeze. To thaw: Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours or until thawed. Stir to combine.

Things to remember 

  Once you've mastered the pastes, adjust them to your taste - if you like things hot and spicy, just add extra 

  chilli or double up with your favorite spices. Then, all that's left to do is ... curry on

 Before you start on your pastes, follow these pointers.

Keep a wooden spoon just for curries. The wood absorbs flavors that can be released when you  maker  other dishes
To store curry paste, transfer to a clean screw-top jar, cover with a layer of oil and keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.
To freeze curry paste, spoon into ice-cube trays and freeze. Transfer to a sealable plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
When buying fresh coriander, look for a bunch that has long white roots at the base.
To freeze the roots, wash and dry, then place in a sealable plastic bag in the freezer for 1-2 months so they’re handy when you want to make curry.
For a hotter curry paste, replace 1 long fresh red chilli with 3 small ones, which have more kick, or simply keep some of the seeds in the chillies.