Thai Northern Style Chilli Paste 

(Nam Prik Ong)

INGREDIENTS

- 500gr minced pork - 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved and bruised. - 1/2 cup neutral taste oil - 2 medium size cloves garlic - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar - 1 teaspoon salt

CHILI PASTE INGREDIENT

- 10 dry chilies - 1 teaspoon salt - 1 round sheet Tua Nao - 1 stalk lemon grass (about 1/4 cup) - 12 medium size cloves garlic (about 1/2 cup) - 1/2 cup diced shallots - 1 tablespoon gabpi

METHOD

1. Start preparing the chili paste by pounding in a mortar and pestle the dry chilies with the salt as abrasive. Pound it very fine.
  2. On an open flame lightly roast the Tua Nao until fragrant
  3. Add roasted Tua Nao to the mortar and pound it fine.
  4. Add chopped lemon grass to the mortar and keep pounding until the lemon grass is well incorporated.
  5. Add shallots, garlic, and pound together until you get a smooth and homogeneous paste.
  6. Add gabpiand mix well. Set aside.
  7. In a mortar and pestle mix well the chili paste and minced pork until the chili paste is well incorporated into the pork.
  8. Set a wide frying pan with the oil on a medium heat and lightly fry the garlic until light golden.
  9. Add the chili paste and pork mixture and fry while constantly mixing until the pork is done. The pork will release its juices into the pan, keep frying until all the pork liquids evaporates and you can hear again the sizzling frying sounds.
  10. In a mortar and pestle roughly bruise the tomatoes to release their juices
  11. Add the tomatoes to the frying pan and keep frying on a medium low heat until the tomatoes soften and releases most of their juices.
  12. Season flavors with salt and sugar and add bit of water if too dry.
  13. Serve with an assortment of fresh seasonal vegetables