The Elephant and Butter

There aren't many marrow bones in the vicinity, it seems. I was hoping to make a demi-glace, but had to change course due to the shortage. Bordelaise and chasseur sauces will have to wait. Instead, I opted for red curry paste. It's always good to break the western sauce hegemony, I think. I couldn't decide between the Malaysian and Thai recipes, so ended up combining the two in my own erratic fashion.

5 red peppers, seeded

3 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon ginger

1 tablespoon coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1 onion, diced

handful of pumpkin seeds, blanched (or almonds, but I didn't have 'em)

lemon

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

1 cup of water

3 tablespoons of tamarind water, if you got it

salt 

Toss it all in the blender for three minutes, and simmer the resulting slurry for 40 minutes. About three tablespoons is all you need to begin a decent red coconut curry, so the rest can be frozen in an ice cube tray, as seen above. Once you have the paste, fry some garlic, ginger and shallots, add coconut milk and paste, and vegetables. Finish with lemon, a bit of soy sauce, and cilantro. I hesitate to provide any precise measurements for the curry itself because to do so would dishonor the fact of palate relativity. Just feel your way toward a suitable confederacy of ingredients.