Floyd’s Thai Food. Keith Floyd

      ¹/₂ teaspoon salt

      1 Heat a wok or heavy-based frying pan and, without adding any oil, dry-roast the cumin and coriander seeds for 40–50 seconds until they are toasted and aromatic. Tip into a spice grinder and grind to a powder.

      2 Put the powder in a food processor with all the other ingredients and whiz to a fine paste (add a little water if the mixture is too stiff). Store in a jar in the fridge for 3–5 days.

Thai massaman curry paste

      This comes from southern Thailand.

      3–4 dried red chillies

      1 teaspoon cumin seeds

      1 tablespoon coriander seeds

      ¹/₂ cinnamon stick, crushed

      2–3 cloves

      6 cardamom pods, crushed

      5 black peppercorns

      2 red shallots, peeled and finely chopped

      1 fresh lemon grass stalk, finely chopped

      3–4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

      1 cm/¹/₂ inch piece galangal (Thai ginger) or fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped

      1 teaspoon shrimp paste

      ¹/₂ teaspoon salt

      1 Soak the chillies in hot water for about 15 minutes, then drain.

      2 Heat a wok or heavy-based frying pan and, without adding any oil, dry-roast the cumin and coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods and peppercorns for 40–50 seconds. Tip into a spice grinder and grind to a powder.

      3 Put the powder in a food processor with all the other ingredients, including the chillies, and whiz to a fine paste (add a little water if the mixture is too stiff). Store in a jar in the fridge for 3–5 days.

Hanglay curry paste

      This comes from northern Thailand.

      1 tablespoon coriander seeds

      1 tablespoon cumin seeds

      5 dried red chillies, crushed

      2 fresh lemon grass stalks, finely chopped

      4 red shallots, peeled and finely chopped

      2.5 cm/1 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped

      2 tablespoons Demerara or palm sugar

      1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

      1 tablespoon shrimp paste

      1 teaspoon turmeric powder

      2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

      1 tablespoon tamarind pulp mixed with a little water (remember to remove the stones)

      1 Heat a wok or heavy-based frying pan and, without adding any oil, dry-roast the coriander and cumin seeds for 40–50 seconds until toasted and aromatic. Tip into a spice grinder and grind to a powder.

      2 Put the powder in a food processor with all the other ingredients and whiz to a fine paste (add a little water if the mixture is too stiff). Store in a jar in the fridge for 3–5 days.

Penang curry paste

      This is one of many Malay influences to be found in Thailand.

      1 teaspoon coriander seeds

      15 dried red chillies, deseeded

      3–4 red shallots, peeled and finely chopped

      5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

      1 fresh lemon grass stalk, finely chopped

      2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander root or coriander leaves and stalks

      2.5 cm/1 inch piece galangal (Thai ginger), finely chopped

      2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

      1 tablespoon shrimp paste

      1 Heat a wok or heavy-based frying pan and, without adding any oil, dry-roast the coriander seeds for 40–50 seconds until toasted and aromatic.

      2 Put the coriander seeds in a food processor with all the other ingredients and whiz to a thick paste (add a little water if the mixture is too stiff). Store in a jar in the fridge for 3–5 days.

Chiang Mai curry paste

      1 tablespoon coriander seeds

      2 teaspoons cumin seeds

      2 red shallots, peeled and finely chopped

      5 cm/2 inch piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

      2 large, fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

      1 fresh lemon grass stalk, finely chopped

      2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

      ¹/₂ teaspoon ground cinnamon

      1 teaspoon turmeric powder

      1 teaspoon shrimp paste

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