Marc Palmer

A couple of weeks ago I was inspired by something from one of the Moro cookbooks to make a roasted almond and chilli paste, to have with curry etc.

Anyway, I can’t remember it exactly but I’m still enjoying it from the fridge, one of my better creations and wonderfully hot.

You need

• A handful of whole almonds. I used ones that had not had the brown “chaff” removed
• 2 tsp of whole cumin seeds
• 1 clove garlic
• 25 or more large dried red chillis (the 10cm or so long ones from India)
• 1 tsp salt
• A little olive oil

How to make it:

1. Roast a handful of whole almonds in the oven – don’t burn them but bring the flavour out. Roast them at say 180C for about 20 minutes
2. Roughly chop the almonds
3. Fry in olive oil a couple of teaspoons of whole cumin seeds. Once browning and aromatic, turn off and add 1 crushed garlic clove and mix
4. Remove from the pan and put in a blender/chopper with the almonds and whole dried chillis
5. Process until you have a coarse paste

The end result is quite a “rustic” coarse paste, with very strong flavour. Try it!