Thai green curry with shrimp

Ingredients:

• 12 kaffir lime leaves, coarsely torn
• 1/3 cup + 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup tightly packed chopped cilantro + whole leaves for serving
• 4 serrano peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 shallots, quartered
• 2.5 cm ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass (only the tender pith from the bottom third of the stalk), coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp Asian fish sauce + more, if desired
• 2 tsp light brown sugar
• 1 can (400 g) coconut milk
• 450 g large shrimp (about 12 pieces), peeled, deveined, tails and heads left on
• Juice of 1 lime
• 12 small cherry tomatoes, halved
• 110 g snow peas, ends removed

Preparation:

1. Place the kaffir lime leaves and 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a blender. Start blending on the lowest speed, gradually increasing to high. Blend for 25 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean small bowl and set aside. Rinse the blender jar.
2. Place the cilantro, chili, garlic, shallot, ginger, lemongrass, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 1/3 teaspoon water in a blender. Start blending on the lowest speed, gradually increasing to medium-high. Blend for 40 seconds until a smooth puree forms, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. In a large skillet with high sides, heat the remaining 1/4 cup vegetable oil over medium heat. Carefully stir in the cilantro puree. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and olive green, 10-12 minutes.
4. Add the fish sauce and brown sugar. Cook for another 1 minute, then add the coconut milk and 1 1/4 cups water. Add more salt and fish sauce if desired. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the shrimp and lime juice to the sauce. Cover and cook until the undersides of the shrimp begin to turn pink, about 3 minutes. Turn them over, cover, and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Add the tomatoes and snow peas, cover and cook until the shrimp are pink on both sides and cooked through, 1 more minute.
7. Ladle the curry into 4 soup bowls. Garnish with cilantro leaves and drizzle with kaffir lime oil.