If you like vegetable curries, this little-known dish from northern Thailand is for you. The recipe is very simple!
Serves 2:
Curry paste:
5 dried cayenne peppers, stems and seeds removed
10 g lemongrass, chopped
10 g galangal, chopped
5 g garlic
10 g shallot
2 teaspoons hungley curry powder (or Indian curry powder)
2 teaspoons salted soybeans
Rehydrate the cayenne peppers in hot water for about 5 minutes. Then drain and pound in a mortar. Gradually add the lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallot, hungley powder and finally soybeans. Pound until smooth.
Curry sauce:
Curry paste prepared according to the above recipe.
125 g taro, peeled and cut into 6 equal pieces
125 g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 6 equal pieces
500 ml vegetable stock
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind juice
½ teaspoon salt
15 g ginger, cut into thin julienne strips
20 g pickled garlic
20 g peanuts, unsalted, dry roasted
Bring the stock to a boil. Add the taro, sweet potato, curry paste and seasoning (sugar, tamarind juice and salt) and cook for about 10 minutes or until the taro and sweet potato are 70% cooked. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for about 5 more minutes.
Taste to adjust seasoning and check if vegetables are cooked through. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with peanuts.
What is Hungley powder? It is a blend of spices, originally from Burma, sold in vintage-looking bags. If you don't have any, simply substitute Indian curry powder, the smell and taste are quite similar.
