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Start by prepping all your ingredients: Grill or roast the garlic and shallots with the skin on.
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Roast them until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft and cooked.
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It should take about 5-10 minutes depending on your roasting method (e.g.
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on the grill, using the oven, or in a dry hot skillet on the stovetop).
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When garlic and shallots are cooled, peel the skin.
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Tear the chili stems off and remove the seeds.
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A massaman curry is more fragrant than spicy/hot.
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Cut or tear the chili into big pieces.
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Slice the galangal into thin pieces and julienne them.
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Slice lemongrass thinly.
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You only need about half of the stalk, about 6-7 inches.
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Use the part of the stalk closer to the root.
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In a pan, over medium heat, toast the chilies and lemongrass until slightly brown.
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It should take about 2-3 minutes.
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Remove the roasted chili peppers and lemongrass.
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Add the rest of the spices, except for the garlic and shallots, and toast them by moving them around the pan.
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Roast them until they are fragrant, for about 2 minutes.
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Remove the spices from heat.
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Now comes the workout for your biceps: pounding the spices together.
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Start with the chili peppers and salt.
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When your chili peppers are roughly ground, add the lemongrass.
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Pound until the lemongrass is roughly ground.
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Add all the other spices, except for roast garlic and shallots.
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Pound until well blended.
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Add the roasted garlic and shallots.
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Pound again until everything is mixed in and smooth.
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Add shrimp paste and pound to mix everything together.
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Note: I started by putting all the ingredients (including the shallots and garlic) in a food processor to get them started and then I used the my mortar and pestle.
