Lemongrass Paste - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Basic Recipe
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
4 -5 garlic cloves, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, pounded, cut in 1/2-inch pieces (1 tablespoon dried)
Optional Additions
fresh galangal root (half galangal half ginger)
turmeric (pinch)
chili pepper (Thai, jalapeno, etc.)
kaffir lime leaf (about 4 finely sliced with hard ribs removed)
palm sugar, white sugar, brown sugar (pinch to taste and enhances entire mix well)

Preparation

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.