Step 1

Place the lemongrass in a well-supported mortar and pound with the pestle until you can no longer see the rings of the lemongrass and it's all mashed up.

Step 2

Add the galangal, turmeric and kaffir lime zest and pound until they're incorporated into the mashed lemongrass.

Step 3

Add the garlic and pound and then add the shallots and pound.

Step 4

The finished paste will still have some fibres from the lemongrass but should otherwise be quite smooth.