I've just checked it out.
I see the pastes I got today are massaging so great; I'm going to need a "chipotle" maker... I can see a trip to the BBQ store...For massaman and panang curry paste, the chili's are fried or dry fried.
For red and a couple others they are soaked in hot water before using
Lan, the shop owner where I went today didn't put much stock in the coriander root or stems for use in the paste. I've already ordered the seeds so I'll be growing it either way and can try with/without.It can be tricky to get the ingredients depending on location.
To me, the most difficult it coriander root or stems.
I grow kaffir limes, but still, leaves are easy, peel ain't.
I got lemongrass, galangal, and chili's in my garden
Shrimp paste can be difficult, but you dont need much, so once you find it you are good for a while (otherwise sub fish sauce).
Cumin, coriander seed, peppercorn: easy peasy
Thai food is vibrant, in your face.
The fresher your ingredients, the better !
Just dried chili's
Traditional chilpotle are made by smoking red jalapeño peppers in an underground pit, for about 3 days. (Ancient nahuatl language: chil = chile, potl = smoked). The method involves digging two pits, side by side. One has the fire; there's a passage between them, and the jalapeños are in the other. The two pits are covered, but there's a smoke stack in the jalapeño pit, so the smoke from the fire passes through the second pit and disappears.
