Corriander is an extremely versatile herb and can be used in
cooking in fresh, seed, root or powdered form. Said to have beneficial effects
in treating stomach conditions and a range of other ailments including muscle
aches and pains and even migraine, corriander is a particulally popular
ingredient in Thai and Indian cuisine.
In Thai cooking freshly chopped corriander is used as a garnish on curry,
noodle, salad and soup dishes. The seeds are used as an ingredient in the making
of thai curry pastes.
Making green or red curry paste is very easy once you have found the correct
ingredients. Once it is made you have the base ingredient for a range of
delicious Thai curries and soups. Store the paste in a sealed container in the
fridge and it should keep for weeks.
Ingredients:
1 tsp corriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
6 green chilli peppers
2 lemon grass stems fresh or dried
5 garlic cloves, chopped
3 shallots, chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp galanga chopped
1 tsp water if required
Method:
Roast the corriander and cumin seeds for a few minutes. Leave to cool then place all the ingredients in a blender and blend for a few seconds. Add the water if necessary and blend for a few more seconds.
When using the paste to cook with always fry it at a high temperature for a few minutes prior to adding any other ingredients.
