Samlor Korko with Slow-Simmered Pork Ribs and Smoked Fish

Method

1. Put the ribs in a pot, cover with cold water (extra to the list), bring to the boil over high heat and blanch for 5 min. Drain, discard the water and rinse the ribs under running water to wash off blood and scum; this keeps the stock clear and clean. Rinse the pot too.

   Add in this stepPork spare ribs, cut into 4 cm pieces 400 g

   high heat

2. Put the blanched ribs, the measured water and the trimmed lemongrass tops in a 22 cm pot. Bring to the boil over high heat, lower to low heat and simmer with the lid ajar for 45 min, until the meat pulls easily from the bone; fish out the lemongrass tops. Do the next two steps while it simmers.

   Add in this stepWater 1,200 ml

   high heat→low heat

3. Toast the sticky rice in a dry pan over medium-low heat, shaking constantly, for 6 min, until evenly deep brown. Cool and grind to fine sand. Sticky rice gives a silkier, glossier body than ordinary rice.

   Add in this stepRaw sticky (glutinous) rice, for toasted rice powder 2 tbsp

   medium-low heat

4. Pound the kroeung by hand. Thinly slice the tender lemongrass, galangal, peeled fresh turmeric (wear gloves, it stains), garlic and shallots; strip and shred half the lime leaves. Pound the hard ingredients first (lemongrass, galangal, turmeric), then add the garlic, shallots and lime leaves and keep pounding for about 15 minutes, until smooth with no visible fibres. Hand-pounding releases far more aroma than a blender.

   Add in this stepLemongrass stalks 3Galangal (or ginger) 20 gFresh turmeric root (or ½ tsp ground) 12 gGarlic cloves 4Small shallots 3Makrut lime leaves 2

5. Heat the oil in a 26 cm wok or pan over medium heat and fry the kroeung for 4 min, until its moisture has cooked off and the oil starts to separate from the paste. Add the shrimp paste and the flaked smoked fish and fry for 1 minute more, then pour in a ladle of stock, scrape the pan clean and tip everything into the rib pot. Frying the paste separately gives the stock a much deeper aroma.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 2 tbspShrimp paste (or prahok) 1½ tspSmoked fish (e.g. mackerel), skinned and boned 60 g

   medium heat

6. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar and remaining whole lime leaves, then the pumpkin and papaya in 2 cm chunks, and simmer over medium heat for 10 min. When the pumpkin edges just begin to collapse they sweeten and thicken the broth.

   Add in this stepFish sauce 1½ tbspPalm sugar (or light brown sugar) 1½ tspMakrut lime leaves 2Pumpkin or butternut squash 150 gGreen papaya (or chayote or courgette) 120 g

   medium heat

7. Add the aubergine (3 cm pieces) and beans (4 cm lengths) and simmer over medium heat for 5 min more, until the aubergine is tender and the beans keep a slight bite.

   Add in this stepThai or Asian aubergine (eggplant) 1Long beans or green beans 80 g

   medium heat

8. Turn the heat down to medium-low heat and sprinkle in the toasted sticky-rice powder little by little, stirring non-stop for 2 minutes, until the broth turns silky and slightly thick. Add the greens and halved chillies and simmer for 3 min more to wilt them. Taste and balance the salt and sweetness with fish sauce and palm sugar; the rib meat should be fully cooked through. Serve with rice.

   Add in this stepLeafy greens (moringa, chilli leaves or spinach) 40 gBird's eye chillies 1

   medium-low heat