Thai Miang Kham Coconut Bites

Ingredients

• 16 sturdy lettuce, betel, or spinach leaves
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 lime, cut into tiny cubes with the peel on
• 2 inches fresh ginger, finely diced
• 3 shallots, finely diced
• 2 to 3 bird's eye chilies, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup palm sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• Salt

Steps

1. Toast the grated coconut in a dry pan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 to 6 minutes, until evenly deep golden and fragrant. Tip it out immediately to stop it cooking.
2. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the toasted coconut for the sauce; the rest is for the filling.
3. For the sauce, melt the palm sugar with the water in a small pan over low heat, then add the soy sauce, the reserved coconut, and a pinch of salt.
4. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until it thickens to the consistency of runny honey and coats the back of a spoon.
5. Let the sauce cool completely; it thickens considerably as it cools, so pull it while it still pours easily.
6. Cut the lime into tiny cubes with the peel left on. The bitterness of the peel is deliberate and is part of the point of miang kham.
7. Arrange the toasted coconut, peanuts, lime, ginger, shallots, and chilies in separate small piles on a platter with the lettuce leaves alongside.
8. Each person takes a leaf, adds a little of each component, spoons a small amount of sauce over, folds it into a parcel, and eats it in one bite.

Allergen note: Contains gluten, peanuts, soy and coconut.

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