Northern Thai stewed beefKaeng awm neua
SERVES 6-8“Laap Kao Cham Chaa is what passes for a proper restaurant in
Chiang Mai,” says Ricker. “But don’t be fooled by the modest
setting. The food is killer. And business is booming. The boss sits
behind a table draped with oilcloth. He totals up bills, poking at
a calculator, and riffles through stacks of cash. He also doubles as
bartender, pouring slugs of Sang Som or delivering beers. While
some customers are enjoying full-on meals, many are here only
to drink. But my spoon is focused on kaeng awm neua. In Thai,
“kaeng” refers to what we call curry or soup, or, as with this dish,
something in between. It doesn’t look like much – just small hunks
of meat wading in ruddy brown liquid flecked with herbs. Yet it’s
as deserving of your attention as anything else on the table. Like
many curries, it relies on a paste pounded in a mortar; in this case,
one that features a very northern Thai combination of moderately
spicy dried chillies, turmeric root, lemongrass, and galangal.
Depending on where you get it and how long it’s been sitting on the
stove, it ranges from stock-thin to stew-thick. Either way, it’s salty
and spicy, with each bite satisfyingly intense. The pieces of pork or
beef don’t collapse with a tap of your spoon like an Italian braise.
Instead, the meat has some chew, and the dish is better for it.”750 gm boned beef shank (not
trimmed)
1 tbsp neutral-flavoured oil
(such as rice bran or canola)
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
12 gm (1 tbsp) sea salt
2 lemongrass stalks (115gm),
bottom 2.5cm, top 23cm,
and outer layer removed
35 gm (¼ cup) thinly sliced
(3mm) peeled galangal
12 gm (about 12) coriander
roots
3 gm (4 large) makrut lime
leaves (see cook’s notes
p176), torn
1 tbsp coarsely chopped
coriander (thin stems and
leaves)
1 tbsp thinly sliced sawtooth
coriander (see note)
1 tbsp sliced (about 6mm)
spring onions
PASTE
18 gm lemongrass stalks
(tender parts only, from
about 3 large stalks),
thinly sliced
8 gm (3 tsp) sea salt
25 gm peeled galangal, thinly
sliced against the grain
10 gm peeled turmeric, thinly
sliced against the grain
23 gm dried long red chillies,
soaked in hot water until
soft (about 15 minutes)This extract fromPok Pok:
The Drinking Food of Thailand
by Andy Ricker (Ten Speed
Press, hbk, $59.99) has
been reproduced with
minorGT style changes.75 gm peeled garlic cloves,
halved lengthways
75 gm peeled red shallots,
thinly sliced against the
grain
38 gm shrimp paste (see note)1 For the paste, pound the
lemongrass and salt with a
mortar and pestle to a fairly
smooth, slightly fibrous paste
(about 2 minutes). Add the
galangal and pound, scraping
down the sides of the mortar
occasionally, until a fairly
smooth paste forms (about
2 minutes). Repeat with the
turmeric.
2 Drain the chillies well, slit
them open, and remove the
seeds. Wrap the chillies in
paper towels and gently
squeeze them dry. Add to the
mortar and pound them, then
the garlic, and then the shallot,
fully pounding each ingredient
before adding the next. Add the
shrimp paste and pound until
incorporated (about a minute).
Makes about 1 cup of paste. You
can use it right away, or store it
in an airtight container in the
fridge for up to a week or in the
freezer for up to 6 months.
3 For the soup, halve the beef
shank lengthways, then cut itagainst the grain into slices
5cm by 2.5cm by 12mm.
4 Heat oil in a heavy saucepan
over medium-low heat until it
shimmers. Add 1 cup of the
paste and stir well. Take a
careful sniff – you’ll smell the
raw shallot and garlic. Cook,
stirring frequently, until the
garlic and shallots no longer
smell raw (about 10 minutes).
Knowing when it’s done takes
experience, but as long as
you’re cooking it at a low sizzle,
the soup will taste great.
5 Increase heat to medium-
high, add the beef, fish sauce
and salt, and stir to coat beef
with the paste. Cook, stirring
frequently, for 10 minutes so
the meat absorbs some of the
flavours but does not brown.
6 Add 1.5 litres water, increase
heat to high, and bring to the
boil. Meanwhile, lightly smash
the lemongrass with a pestle,
a pan, or the flat surface of a
knife blade, then cut crossways
on the diagonal into 2.5cm
lengths. You’ll need ½ cup of
the lemongrass for this recipe;
reserve the rest for another use.
7 When the liquid comes to the
boil, reduce heat to medium
and add the lemongrass,
galangal, coriander roots andlime leaves. Cover and gently
simmer until the beef is tender
but still has bite (1-1½ hours).
Cool briefly, then taste and
adjust the seasoning with fish
sauce. Sprinkle with herbs and
spring onion, and serve.
NoteSawtooth coriander is
available from Thai grocers
and select supermarkets.
Shrimp paste is available
from Asian food stores. 136 GOURMET TRAVELLER