1: Soak the dried chillies in hot water for 30 minutes. Strain the chillies and keep the soaking water

2: Dry fry the spices in a frying pan over a medium heat until aromatic (about 3 minutes) and bash the seeds into a powder in a mortar and pestle

2: Remove the stems and in a food processor or mortar and pestle combine all the ingredients with a little of the oil

3: Mix in the rest of the oil and add a little of the reserved water at a time until the paste is the consistency you like

4: Store the paste in a clean jar in the fridge with a little oil on top to keep it fresh. The flavour of the paste will deepen over the next few days

Tip: You can use fresh chillies instead of dried. Double the weight stated in the recipe. You can also add fresh red peppers for a mild paste

Photo source: Kevin is Cooking. Website: www.keviniscooking.com