Name: Thai Kao Soi Paste
Yield: Makes ½ cup/120 ml
Ingredients: 4 dried small red chiles such as prik haeng or chile de árbol; Canola or other neutral oil for storage; ½ tsp. kosher or fine sea salt; 5 thick slices peeled fresh ginger (¼ in/6 mm. thick); 30 fresh cilantro stems, cut into ½-in/12-mm pieces; ½-oz/15-g piece fresh turmeric, peeled and cut on the diagonal into slices ½ in/12 mm. thick; 4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled; 1 tsp. coriander seeds, toasted and ground (see Cook’s Note); 4 shallots, unpeeled

Preparation info

Makes
½ cup

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Roots

By Diane Morgan

Published 2012

About

The first step to making this deliriously fragrant paste is to grill the chiles, ginger, shallots, garlic, and fresh turmeric. Heightening the flavor of these aromatics with the smoke from the grill deepens the taste of the paste, making it heady and vibrant. Cooking the shallots and garlic until their skins char and their flesh softens removes their rawness, develops their flavor, and contributes necessary moisture to the paste. Use the paste for making Chian