Ingredients

• 1 lemon grass stick
• 3 hot chilies (birds eye)
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 inch piece of galangal
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• 1 or 2 shallots
• 1 tbs tamarind puree
• 2 tbs cooking oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbs palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 star anise
• Half tsp cardamom seeds
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3 or 4 cloves
• 1 400ml - 13oz can of coconut milk
• 3 tbs fish sauce

Steps

• Step 1

  Take the lemon grass and trim the top and base of the stalk and remove then peel off any woody tough layers. Roughly chop in pieces.

• Step 2

  Remove the seeds and stalks from the chilies.

• Step 3

  Remove the stalk from one of the kaffir lime leaves.

• Step 4

  Peel the garlic cloves.

• Step 5

  Cut off approx one inch (2.5cm) of galangal, peel using a teaspoon and chop roughly.

• Step 6

  Cut off approx one inch (2.5cm) of ginger, peel using a teaspoon and chop roughly.

• Step 7

  Peel and roughly chop the shallot.

• Step 8

  Add 2 cups of water to a blender.

• Step 9

  Add all the above ingredients to blender.

• Step 10

  Add one heaping tsp of tamarind puree to blender and blitz until smooth.

• Step 11

  Place a deep frying pan or wok on moderate heat, add the cooking oil.

• Step 12

  Add the cinnamon stick.

• Step 13

  Add the star anise.

• Step 14

  Add the cardamom seeds.

• Step 15

  Add the cumin seed powder.

• Step 16

  Add the turmeric powder.

• Step 17

  Add the cloves and stir ingredients.

• Step 18

  Add the blended mixture

• Step 19

  Add the sugar and simmer 10 minutes.

• Step 20

  Add the coconut milk.

• Step 21

  Add the fish sauce and simmer gently for another 10 minutes

• Step 22

  Strain sauce.

Little Tips

You can use this sauce for chicken, duck, lamb, beef even seafood, pretty much any protein you like.