Ingredients:
3 cloves
garlic, roughly chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1 (1-inch) piece of ginger
root, peeled and grated
3 kaffir lime leaves (see Note)
1/2 bunch
cilantro
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 teaspoons chile paste in soybean oil,
divided
1 bunch Thai basil, divided (see Note)
1/4 cup corn oil
3
shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups unsalted
cashews, coarsely chopped
3 bird's eye or Thai chiles, thinly
sliced
2 cans (16-ounce size) coconut milk
Fish sauce, to taste (see
Note)
Salt, to taste
2 limes, juiced
Directions:
In a blender,
combine garlic, lemon juice, ginger, lime leaves, cilantro, brown sugar, 2
teaspoons chile paste and half the Thai basil. Blend to a smooth paste.
You may have to add a small amount of water to help the blender distribute
the other ingredients. Add only as much as you need, a tablespoon or so at
a time.
Heat corn oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add
shallots and cumin and sauté for 1 minute. Add cashews and sauté, stirring
constantly to prevent burning, until lightly browned, about 1 to 2
minutes. Add bird's eye chiles and remaining 2 teaspoons chile paste and
continue to cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes until mixture begins to dry
out. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30
minutes. Adjust seasoning with fish sauce and salt (and, if you like very
spicy foods, a little more chile paste). Just before serving, add lime
juice and whole basil leaves picked from remaining half bunch of Thai
basil (discard the stems). Serve over grilled fish or chicken.
Note: Thai basil, kaffir lime leaves, bird's eye chiles and fish
sauce are sold in Asian food markets. You may substitute fresh sweet basil
leaves for the Thai basil, lime zest for the kaffir lime leaves, serrano
chiles for the bird's eye chiles and additional salt for the fish sauce,
but the flavor will be significantly
altered.
Copy Cat Page