2 small brown onions, chopped

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plant, including root

2 teaspoons chopped lemon rind

1 teaspoon serai powder

1 teaspoon laos powder

1.5 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 teaspoon dried shrimp paste

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons paprika

Salt to taste

Remove and discard the stems from the dried chilies but do keep the seed if you want a hotter curry paste as in Thailand. Use a food processor to blend the dried chilies and all the other ingredients to a smooth paste, stopping motor frequently and pushing ingredients on to blades. It may be necessary to add a tablespoon of water or extra oil.