Samlor Korko

Method

1. Make the toasted rice powder: put the raw rice in a small dry pan over medium-low heat and keep shaking it for 5 min, until deep golden and smelling nutty. Tip onto a plate, let cool, then grind in a mortar or spice grinder to the texture of coarse sand. This powder thickens the soup and gives it its toasty flavour.

   Add in this stepRaw jasmine rice (for toasted rice powder) 1½ tbsp

   medium-low heat

2. Make the kroeung (Khmer herb paste). Peel the 1 or 2 tough outer layers off the lemongrass, cut off the woody top and slice only the tender lower part very thinly. Thinly slice the galangal, garlic and shallots. Strip the central rib from half the lime leaves and shred them (keep the rest whole). Pound everything with the turmeric in a mortar for about 10 minutes until you have a moist paste; without a mortar, blend with 1–2 tbsp water.

   Add in this stepLemongrass stalks 2Galangal (or ginger) 15 gGround turmeric ½ tspGarlic cloves 3Small shallots 2Makrut lime leaves 1½

3. Heat the oil in a 20 cm pot over medium heat, add the kroeung paste and fry for 3 min, stirring all the time so it doesn't catch. When it smells strongly fragrant and the oil turns yellow, add the shrimp paste and fry for 30 seconds more, breaking it up with the spatula.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 1½ tbspShrimp paste (or prahok) 1 tsp

   medium heat

4. Cut the pork into thin bite-size pieces about 2 cm across, add to the pot and stir-fry over medium heat for 4 min, until the outside is no longer pink and every piece is coated in paste.

   Add in this stepPork shoulder 240 g

   medium heat

5. Add the water, fish sauce, palm sugar and the whole lime leaves, bring to the boil over high heat, then lower to medium-low heat and simmer for 12 min, skimming off any foam. Meanwhile prepare the vegetables: peel and seed the pumpkin and papaya and cut into 2 cm chunks, cut the aubergine into 3 cm pieces and the beans into 4 cm lengths.

   Add in this stepWater 750 mlFish sauce 1½ tbspPalm sugar (or light brown sugar) 1½ tspMakrut lime leaves 1½

   high heat→medium-low heat

6. Add the firm vegetables first: put in the pumpkin and papaya and simmer over medium heat for 8 min, until a chopstick goes about halfway in.

   Add in this stepPumpkin or butternut squash 150 gGreen papaya (or chayote or courgette) 120 g

   medium heat

7. Add the aubergine and beans and simmer over medium heat for 5 min more, until the aubergine is soft and the beans are bright green and still slightly crisp.

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

   medium heat

8. Sprinkle in the toasted rice powder little by little, stirring all the time (korko means stirring). Add the greens and simmer over medium heat for 2 min more, until they wilt and the broth thickens slightly, then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust with a little more fish sauce or palm sugar, and serve with hot steamed rice. The pork should be cooked through with no pink inside.

   Add in this stepLeafy greens (moringa, chilli leaves or spinach) 40 g

   medium heat