Hungley curry with sweet potato, ginger and pickled garlic

If you like vegetable curries, this little-known dish from northern Thailand is for you. The recipe is very simple!

Serves 2:

Curry paste:

5 dried cayenne peppers, stems and seeds removed

10 g lemongrass, chopped

10 g galangal, chopped

5 g garlic

10 g shallot

2 teaspoons hungley curry powder (or Indian curry powder)

2 teaspoons salted soybeans

Rehydrate the cayenne peppers in hot water for about 5 minutes. Then drain and pound in a mortar. Gradually add the lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallot, hungley powder and finally soybeans. Pound until smooth.

Curry sauce:

Curry paste prepared according to the above recipe.

125 g taro, peeled and cut into 6 equal pieces

125 g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 6 equal pieces

500 ml vegetable stock

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon tamarind juice

½ teaspoon salt

15 g ginger, cut into thin julienne strips

20 g pickled garlic

20 g peanuts, unsalted, dry roasted

Bring the stock to a boil. Add the taro, sweet potato, curry paste and seasoning (sugar, tamarind juice and salt) and cook for about 10 minutes or until the taro and sweet potato are 70% cooked. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for about 5 more minutes.

Taste to adjust seasoning and check if vegetables are cooked through. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with peanuts.

What is Hungley powder? It is a blend of spices, originally from Burma, sold in vintage-looking bags. If you don't have any, simply substitute Indian curry powder, the smell and taste are quite similar.