Thai Red Curry

Ingredient:

• 2 cups water
• 6 (2- to 3-inch) dried red Thai chiles (about 1/8 ounce total), unseeded and stemmed (if you want a hotter paste, add more chiles)
• 2 (5-inch) New Mexico chiles (about 1/3 ounce total), stemmed and seeded
• 1 tablespoon white peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 medium (2 3/4 ounces total) shallots, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh galangal (about 1 ounce), peeled and chopped (about 2 1/2 tablespoons)
• 2 (16-inch) stalks fresh lemongrass (about 3 1/2 ounces total), tender white inner bulbs only, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 6 large garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest (from 1 medium lime)
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste (such as Pantai)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk, unopened and unshaken
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3 to 4 breasts), cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium-size (9-ounce) yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup Thai red curry paste
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 to 2 tablespoons palm sugar or granulated sugar, to taste
• 1 medium-size (6-ounce) Japanese eggplant, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch half moons (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper (from 1 medium [about 7-ounce] bell pepper)
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh Thai basil leaves, plus chopped basil for garnish
• Cooked white jasmine rice