Lemongrass Barbecue Paste Recipes

Steps:

• Blend all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until very smooth and finely textured, 2 to 3 minutes. Can, also, be pounded with mortar and pestle. Keep refrigerated.
• Note 1: If you are using the pestle and mortar, start off with the hard to grind ingredients like the lemongrass, the kaffir lime leaves and the galangal.
• Note 2: If you are using a food processor, put the easiest-to-grind ingredients in first. The liquid that forms will help to process the other harder-to-blend ingredients.
• Note 3: The additon of a couple teaspoons water may encourage easier mixing and will not affect the final product.

Steps:

• Pulverize the lemongrass in a food processor. Add all the rest of the ingredients except the butter and process to a fine paste. Take a tiny taste to make sure that the mash is fine enough. It will taste terrible. If any fibrous pieces remain, process until they are gone. Add the butter and process just to combine.
• Remove paste from bowl and shape into a log about 1 inch in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze. This paste can be used to enliven chicken (see recipe below) veal or fish like tuna, swordfish or Chilean sea bass before broiling, grilling or baking. It will keep for about a month in the freezer.