Basic Rempah Recipe ..............................................................

Ingredients: 12 Shallots or 3 small onions - Peel 6 cloves garlics - Peel 20 Fresh red chillies - remove seeds to reduce hotness if desired. 20 Dried chillies(or powder) - Rub to loosen seeds, break open and remove seeds. Soak in hot water for several minutes. 5cm Fresh turmeric(or powder) - Scrape off the skin and slice into small pieces 3 stalks Lemon grass - Remove outer layers leaving only the tender core. Slice into rings. 5cm Laos(Galangal) - Scrape off the skin and slice into small pieces 10 Candlenuts - Rinse 1 5cmx5cm slice Shrimp paste - Grill it over fire till fragrant on both side, scrap of the burnt bits before adding it to rest of the ingredients.

Simply put all prepared ingredients into a food processor and grind till fine, add oil if needed. If you are using pestle and mortar, start with the toughest and juiciest the last. Pound each ingredient fine before adding the next.

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