You'll need an immersion blender (or a mortar and pestle) for this recipe. We developed this recipe for a 14-inch wok, but a 12-inch nonstick or carbon-steel skillet can be used instead. Lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, kapi (Thai shrimp paste), and lime leaves can be found at well-stocked supermarkets or an Asian market that carries Thai ingredients; they freeze well. You can substitute 1½ teaspoons of dried turmeric for the fresh turmeric. Prepare the other curry paste ingredients while the arbols hydrate. To avoid inhaling spicy fumes while stir-frying, use an exhaust fan or open a window. This dish is meant to be intensely spicy and should be eaten with rice in a ratio of I part pork to 2 parts rice. The sliced chiles enable diners to customize the spice level, but they can be omitted if desired. To make a half batch of khua kling, make a full recipe of curry paste and freeze half of it; cut all the other ingredients in half. Chilled cucumber slices make a complementary, cooling accompaniment.

Curry Paste

• 10 dried arbol chiles, stemmed, halved lengthwise, and seeds removed
• 2 large shallots, chopped coarse
• 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed to bottom 6 inches, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped coarse
• (2-inch) piece fresh galangal, chopped coarse
• (2-inch) piece fresh turmeric, chopped coarse
• 4 Thai red chiles, stemmed and chopped coarse
• 4 makrut lime leaves, middle vein removed and sliced thin crosswise
• 2 teaspoons kapi
• ¼ teaspoon table salt

Pork

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground pork, broken into |-inch chunks
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 4 Thai red chiles, stemmed and sliced ¼ inch thick on bias (optional)
• 3 makrut lime leaves, middle vein removed and sliced thin crosswise
• Steamed jasmine rice
• 1 English cucumber, peeled if desired, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds, and chilled