Ingredients

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 medium carrots, trimmed and shredded
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste, recipe follows
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons palm sugar or light brown sugar
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons chopped Thai basil leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Cooked jasmine rice, accompaniment
Sprigs fresh cilantro, garnish

Instructions

In a large wok or saute pan, heat the oil over

medium-high heat. Add the shallots, bell peppers, carrots, and garlic, and stir-fry until soft, 2 to 3
minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stirring, add the
fish sauce and sugar, then the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened slightly, about 2
minutes. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and cilantro.

Serve over jasmine rice, garnished with cilantro sprigs. Thai Red Curry Paste:
12 dry Thai chili peppers or other small red peppers, seeded and soaked in warm water 30 minutes
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup chopped garlic
3 stalks lemon grass, tough outer leaves and tops removed, tender stalks minced
3 tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger root, or galanga
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems
2 teaspoons chopped lime zest, preferably Kaffir lime
1 teaspoon shrimp paste In a skillet, dry roast the coriander and peppercorns over low heat until
fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove and let cool. Grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

Return the pan to medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until starting to brown, about
3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Drain the chiles, reserving the liquid, and roughly chop.

In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients with about 1/4 cup of the reserved soaking liquid.
Process to make a smooth paste, scraping down the sides several times and adding more liquid through the top 1
tablespoon at a time with the motor running.

Transfer to an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to use. Paste will keep refrigerated for
up to 1 month.