Jill's green curry paste recipe without heat

Here is Jill’s version of the green curry paste she made in Chang Mai, Thailand on a cookery course, but without the heat, so is better for those who react to, or don’t like, chilli, or are on a Pitta-reducing diet.

Ingredients - for the paste

2 small shallots - chopped
A piece of fresh ginger (about thumb size) - chopped
2 or 3 lemongrass stalks - chopped
Fresh coriander - a handful including stalks
1 Kaffir lime - skin only (difficult to find in UK)
1 teaspoon roasted coriander seeds
1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds
Twist of pepper
A large pinch of salt

You could add garlic but Jill chooses not to.

Put all ingredients into either a mini food processor or a pestle and mortar and grind until it looks like this :-

It is a rough paste.

To make the actual green curry

Use with a tin or two of coconut milk. Add chopped veg and chopped chicken (leave out chicken obviously if you are vegetarian or vegan), along with about 6 kaffir lime leaves that you have scrunched in your hand. Leave to simmer until veg/chicken are cooked, then add a shake of fish sauce and a small amount of palm sugar (or light brown sugar - 1/4 of teaspoon). Check seasoning and adjust as necessary. Add Thai basil just before serving if you can get hold of some.

It is very moorish!