Heat the oil in a small pot on a medium heat, add the carrot, garlic, shallot, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and chilli. Stir until the carrot is well coated in the spices.
Add the water to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn down to simmer, stirring occasionally, until only a few tablespoons of liquid are left. Take off the heat. Stir in the vegetable stock cube, sugar/honey and ginger.
Blend into a smooth paste using a food processor, blender or - my preferred method - by pouring the mixture into a jug and blending with a hand blender.
Store in a clean, airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 days (or in the freezer for up to 2 months).