Kaeng Som Recipe (Southern Thai Sour Curry)

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• kaeng som curry paste
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1/2 tbsp palm sugar
• 1/2 cup yard long beans (sliced)
• 1/2 cup carrots (sliced)
• 1 1/2 cups green papaya (shredded)
• 10 medium shrimp
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large red spur chilies
• 4 dried chilies
• 1 tbsp shrimp paste
• 4 cloves of garlic (peeled)
• 3/4 cup shallots (chopped)
• 1 1/2 tbsp finger root (chopped)

Steps

1. 1

   Use a mortar and pestle to pound the dry ingredients first: salt, dried red spur chilies, and dried chilies. Then, add the remaining ingredients and grind into a fine paste. Alternatively, you can use a food processor and mix all ingredients at once.

2. 2

   Fill a pot with water and place it over medium heat. Add the curry paste and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in fish sauce, tamarind paste, and palm sugar. Then, add the vegetables.

3. 3

   Let the curry simmer for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft to your liking. Add shrimp and cook for 2 more minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through. Serve immediately.