The Process

We start the preparation for this delicious paste the night before by soaking tamarind, so that we can squeeze out the flavour in the morning.

When we arrive back in the kitchen the next morning we are greeted by our delivery of fresh ingredients from the markets including fresh Australian brown onions, tomatoes, coriander, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and chillies.

The onions chopped, then blended in a number of batches until they are ready for the cooking pot.

The pot is added to the heat and heated to a high with rice bran oil. The finely blended onions are added into the pot with Australian sea salt and cooked for a long time until it caramelises.

While onions are cooking, the team weights whole spices according to the recipe formulation and these are dry toasted one at time until they release their oils. The spices are cooled before being blended to a fine ground mix in Latasha’s spice mill which travels with her.

While onions are cooking, Latasha weighs the whole spices and dry toasts them one at time until they release their oils. The spices are cooled before being blended to a fine ground mix in Latasha’s spice mill which travels with her.

Meanwhile chillies, fresh ginger, turmeric, galangal and garlic are finely blended one at a time.

Tamarind juice is whisked then strained to the required measurement.

Once the onions are ready, the fresh ingredients are added. We then add tamarind, palm sugar, fish sauce, coconut milk and the fresh coriander. We let the mixture boil rapidly to ensure a thorough mix.

Tastings are done to ensure the balance of flavours are captured and pH testing is done.