Penang Curry Paste

For the next supper club I am doing a Thai/Lao meal.
First off I am getting the Penang curry paste done.

There are so many ingredients! And then there is the chopping, grinding and sweat (and a few tears)....

The pestle and mortar has the dry and the bowl has the wet... Now to combine and KILL!

I had to cheat a bit and whizz it in a blender for a few seconds as my mortar is a bit too small (next on the shopping list).... It tastes more or less as I expected: pungent, intense and pretty spicy. Obviously once it is fried and the rest of the bits are added it will be the real deal. To be continued.