I normally don't have all the authentic ingredients but I use what I can get and the version comes out quite good. You can give this recipe a shot.
- 3 Fresh red chilis (if you can get your hands on them) or use 3 dried arabol chilis (soak them in hot water and leave them overnight). They are pretty spicy.
- 1/2 stick of ginger peeled and cut into small chunks
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped into chunks
- 1 bunch of cilantro, use the stems and reserve the leaves. Wash the stems and cut them roughly
- 2 tsps of grated lime peel (I can't find kaffir lime leaves so I use this instead)
- 1/4 tsp of tamarind paste (works very well in this curry)
- 2 tsps of paprika (not authentic but works well to impart a red color)
- 1 tsp of fish sauce
- 3 tsps of whole corrainder seeds (dry roasted and ground)
- 2 tsps of whole cumin seeds (dry roasted and ground)
- 2 tsps of brown sugar
Put all these ingredients into a blender and blend until it resembles a nice thick paste
In a pan add a tiny bit of oil (1/2 tbsp), add this paste and cook it until no longer raw (about 30 minutes or so). The onion will release a lot of water. It should be a thick paste like consistency but not burnt.
In another pan, add 1/2 tbsp of oil, add meat of your choice and cook until no longer pink, throw in veggies of your choice and add the cooked curry paste followed by some coconut milk. Let it all cook for another few minutes. Taste, adjust salt, sugar. Serve with some corrainder leaves on top.