Cambodian Prahok Ktis Coconut Dip with Vegetables

Ingredients

• 10 oz ground pork
• 2 tbsp prahok or 2 tbsp anchovy paste
• 1 can coconut milk
• 3 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp freshly grated galangal or ginger
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tbsp palm or brown sugar
• 2 to 3 red chilies, minced
• 4 cups raw vegetables such as cucumber, cabbage, and long beans
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup Thai basil leaves
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. Pound or blend the lemongrass, garlic, galangal, and chilies into a fine paste. Chop the lemongrass finely first, since its fibres never soften.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry the paste for 4 to 5 minutes, until fragrant and slightly darkened.
3. Add the ground pork and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until it has browned and rendered its fat.
4. Stir in the prahok and cook for 2 minutes. It smells sharply pungent in the pan; that is expected and it mellows into a deep savouriness as it cooks with the coconut.
5. Pour in the coconut milk and the sugar and bring to a bare simmer.
6. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the dip has thickened enough to cling to a vegetable and a slick of oil rises to the surface.
7. Keep it well below a rolling boil throughout. Boiled hard, the coconut milk splits and the dip turns oily and grainy.
8. Taste before adding any salt, since the prahok is very salty, then serve warm with the raw vegetables, Thai basil, and lime wedges.

Allergen note: Contains fish and coconut.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.