Kua kling mu – Dry-fried pork and green peppercorns

Instructions

1. Step 1

   To make the curry paste, begin by soaking the dried bird's eye chillies in water, until soft – around 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze out the excess liquid 

2. Step 2

   Pound the chillies in a stone pestle and mortar with all the other curry paste ingredients, until very smooth. Set aside

3. Step 3

   Add the vegetable oil to a wok and warm over a low heat, then add the minced pork and 2 tablespoons of curry paste. Mash and stir together allowing the curry paste and pork to combine and cook into each other. Once the pork is almost cooked through and the curry paste is no longer raw (around 5 minutes) season with the fish sauce and palm sugar

4. Step 4

   Add the lemongrass, green peppercorns, chillies and the torn lime leaves. Continue to mix and mash the ingredients together for a further minute, so the green peppercorns and chillies bruise, releasing their heat. If the contents of the wok are catching too much, then moisten with water, one tablespoon at a time, ensuring to evaporate the liquid each time so you're left with a dry dish at the end

5. Step 5

   The pork will taste spicy and salty, with a fragrance of lemongrass and turmeric. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the shredded makrut lime leaves. Serve with steamed rice and a selection of raw cooling vegetables