Laksa paste

2 teaspoons belcan (shrimp paste)
2 small red onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 stalk lemongrass, finely sliced
1 teaspoon freshly chopped galangal
1 teaspoon freshlly chopped tumeric
4 red bird's-eye chillies
25g candlenuts
1 teaspoon dried prawns, roasted and ground
2 coriander roots, chopped
1 teaspoon of tumeric powder
1 tablespoon of Vietnamese mint leaves
120ml vegetable oil

• Dry-roast the belcan in a frying pan over a medium heat. Blend all the ingredients together in a food processor until a smooth paste forms.
• To store, spoon into a jar, cover with oil, seal and refrigerate

Taken from Paramount Cooking by Christine Manfield Penguin Books 1995.