1tablespoondried Thai bird’s eye chili (phrik kee noo) (พริกขี้หนููแห้ง)rehydrated
1/2teaspoonsea salt (เกลือทะเล)
1 1/2tablespoonslemongrass (ตะไคร้)
2tablespoonscoriander roots (รากผักชี)รscraped, washed and chopped
3tablespoonsshallots (หอมแดง)
2tablespoonsThai garlic (กระเทียมไทย)
1teaspoonwhite peppercorns (พริกไทย) (S1)roasted and ground
1tablespoonscoriander seeds (malet phak chee) (เมล็ดผักชี) (S2)roasted and ground
2teaspoonscumin seeds (malet yeeraa) (เมล็ดยี่หร่า) (S3)roasted and ground
1/2teaspoonturmeric powder (ผงขมิ้น)
Seasoning:
1part fish sauce (น้ำปลา)
1/2part palm sugar (น้ำตาลมะพร้าว)
Instructions
Clean, peel and devein the rest of the shrimp for the curry. Set aside.
Slice the cucumber lengthwise into quarters, then into elongated bite-sized pieces. You can peel the cucumber or leave it unpeeled.
Prepare the curry paste:
An overview of the curry paste ingredients.
Deseed and rehydrate the dried chilies in hot water. Set aside.
Roast and grind the spices, starting with the white peppercorns, coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
Pound the curry paste, starting with the chilies, and gradually add the other ingredients, from the driest to the wet. Pound the paste until it is smooth with a rounded aroma.
Add the ground dried spices and turmeric powder; pound to a smooth paste.
Remove the curry paste and set it aside.
Wash the mortar and pestle with about one cup of plain water, reserve the liquids.
Cook the curry:
In a brass wok, heat the middle coconut cream until it thickens slightly. Add the curry paste.
Simmer the paste until it loses its rawness and only a slight amount of oil appears
Add some plain water and the liquids from washing the mortar and pestle. This is important in order to keep the oil particles created during the paste cooking from mixing with the rest of the broth.
Dilute the curry with water or stock to your liking.
Add the shrimp to the curry and allow it to cook.
When the shrimp are about 50% done, add the cucumber and cook them together until the shrimp are done. If you prefer the cucumbers to have a softer texture, you can add the shrimp and cucumbers to the curry at the same time.
Seasoning:
Start by seasoning the salty element using fish sauce. When you are satisfied with the saltiness, add the palm sugar at the ratio indicated.
Plate and serve:
Put the curry into a serving bowl and garnish with a generous amount of coriander leaves.