1 kg banana leaves, cleaned
(see note)
200 gm white cabbage, fi nely
shredded
12 thinly sliced or whole small
long red chillies
2½ cups (loosely packed)
Thai basil
2 tbsp warmed coconut
cream, and shredded
makrut lime leaves, to serve
HOR MOK PASTE
500 gm skinless fi rm white fi sh,
such as cobia, kingfi sh or
snapper
20 dried long red chillies,
coarsely cut with scissors,
soaked (10 minutes), drainedHor mok
SERVES 6-8 (MAKES 12-14 PARCELS) // PREP TIME 1 HR // COOK 25 MINS“There are so many variations and names for hor mok across diff erent regions in Thailand,” says
Anderson. “In the north-eastern region of Isaan they call it mok pla and it has the addition of dill. In
the northern regions of Chiang Mai, a rustic version with river fi sh and so many more herbs and
wild greens is called ap (the northern versions also tend not to include coconut milk). The common
denominator is that it is usually wrapped in banana leaves – a tradition carried over from the days
when plastic wasn’t available. I love the banana leaves – they impart a special fragrance through
the steaming process that to me smells of nostalgia. This version is one we make from time to time
at our Chat Thai kiosk at The Galeries in Sydney to appease our Thai diners (who can’t help but
order it when they see it). When we do make it, it’s the fi rst thing to sell out. If you happen to have
a noni fruit tree in your backyard, use noni leaves in place of shredded cabbage.” You’ll need
toothpicks or skewers to secure the banana leaves. Pictured p108.1 For hor mok paste, cut
300gm fi sh into 14 pieces
and refrigerate until required.
Blend remaining fi sh in a food
processor to a coarse paste.
Pound chillies, followed by
galangal, zest, garlic, coriander,
shallots, ginger and 2 tsp
salt to a very fi ne paste with
a mortar and pestle. Combine
with fi sh paste in a large bowl,
add egg, fi sh sauce and palm
sugar and enough coconut
cream to bind and mix with
your hands until well combined.
2 Gently mix fi sh pieces into
paste (taking care not to break
the pieces).5 gm (1cm piece) galangal,
thinly sliced
Peeled zest of 1 small
makrut lime, coarsely
chopped
10 garlic cloves, coarsely
chopped
4 coriander roots, coarsely
chopped
4-5 red shallots, coarsely
chopped
2½ tbsp wild ginger (see note),
coarsely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
60 ml (¼ cup) fi sh sauce
1 tbsp soft palm sugar
250 ml (1 cup) coconut cream3 Cut banana leaves into
28 roughly 20cm pieces. Place
two pieces of banana leaf in
your hand and top with 1 tbsp
cabbage and 3 tbsp fi sh paste
(including a piece of fi sh).
Arrange pieces of chilli and
5 basil leaves on top. Leaving
room around the edges to
expand during cooking, fold
sides of leaf to enclose, and
secure with toothpicks. Repeat
until all paste has been used.
4 In batches if necessary, place
parcels in a bamboo steamer
basket over a saucepan or wok
of boiling water. Reduce heat to
medium and steam until parcels
are fi rm (20-25 minutes).
5 To serve, open the top of
the parcels, drizzle with coconut
cream and top with lime leaves.
Note Banana leaves are
available from Asian grocers –
look for Ducasse leaves, which
are softer and less likely to
break. Wild ginger, also known
as krachai or Chinese keys, is
available from Thai grocers.
Beer suggestion Refreshing
cold pilsner-style lager.WHITE CERAMICS (USED THROUGHOUT) FROM ANNA KARINA AND BLUE PLATTERS (USED THROUGHOUT) FROM NIKAU STORE. ALL OTHER PROPS STYLIST’S OWN. STOCKISTS P168.116 GOURMET TRAVELLER