The chamuang tree grows in Asia. We use the young leaves in Thai cuisine. They have the particularity of being sour. This sourness is counterbalanced by the sweetness of the coconut sugar and the saltiness of the soy sauce and fish sauce. It is a very spicy curry with a unique taste. If you want to discover the culinary culture of the Isan, this curry is the perfect introduction.
Serves 2.
Marinade:
250 g pork tenderloin, sliced or 12 pork spare ribs, separated
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
Marinade the pork for at least 20 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the curry paste.
Curry paste:
5 dried cayenne peppers, seeds and stems removed, rehydrated in hot water for 5 minutes.
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
25 g galangal, chopped
2 lemongrass stalks, chopped
20 g shallots
10 g garlic
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
Pound the ingredients in the above order, adding them little by little: first the cayenne peppers and peppercorns, then the galangal and lemongrass, then the garlic and shallots and finally the shrimp paste. Between each group of ingredients it is necessary to pound until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. At the end, the paste should be smooth.
Curry sauce:
400 ml chicken stock
1 handful of young chamuang leaves
3 tablespoons tamarind juice
Bring a ladle of stock to the boil, then dissolve the curry paste in it and pour in the pork and its marinade. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and then add the rest of the stock, the chamuang leaves and the tamarind juice. When it starts boiling again, cover and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes for tenderloin and 30 minutes for ribs.
Taste to adjust the seasoning. Serve with sticky rice or rice noodles.
