The common thread of all these is to prepare a sauce base. Similar sauces can be made from any Thai curry paste: the basic method is simple: the paste is fried, dissolved in coconut milk, and a colorant, taste extender and flavor element are added.

Note fried garlic in oil and fried shallots in oil are so basic that most Thai cooks keep some ready made. It will keep in the fridge for two or three months. It is best made in a small deep fat frier.

However if you don't have any put a tablespoon of oil in a medium hot wok and stir fry a tablespoon of garlic (or shallots) until they just change color and the oil becomes aromatic. Red Curry Sauce

In a wok heat (or cook) the garlic and shallots, and add the prik kaeng, and stir until combined and aromatic. In a wok push it up the side of pan away from the heat. If you are using a saucepan remove and set aside.

Heat the coconut milk until nearly boiling and lower the heat. Add the chili paste, a quarter at a time, and stir until dissolved.

Now add the remaining ingredients, and stir until heated through.

You can increase or reduce the shallots/garlic and chili paste together by a factor of two (ie if you halve the chili paste, halve the garlic and shallots also. If you double them double them all). Similarly the jalapenas, ginger and fish sauce can be adjusted by up to a factor of two to give the flavor balance you want.

'ginger' gives the dish and afterburn. You can use any mixture of khing (common green ginger), kha (galangal), or kachai (lesser ginger) you wish. Walt Colonel Ian F. Khuntilanont-Philpott