chickenfeet

I've been trying to pluck up courage to experiment with a staple of northeastern Thai food, Bplah Daek, otherwise known as fermented mudfish or gourami. Basically, it's boneless chunks of freshwater fish, salted and fermented. One buys it in jars at the Asian grocery stores.

Today I bought some and made a batch of Jaew, the northeastern version of Nam Prik Kapi. This is what you do:

Peel 4 shallots, 4 cloves of garlic and a piece of galalangal. Peel and chop a stalk of lemongrass. Cut the stalks off 6 bird's eye chilis. Roast this lot in the oven at 375F for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile put two pieces of mudfish and 250ml of water in a pan, bring to the boil and reduce by half.

Let everything cool a bit then chuck it in the food processor with 60 ml of fish sauce and 60ml of tamarind water. Grind it all to a thin paste.

Use it as a condiment with any Thai meal and/or as a dip for raw veggies or herbs, fried fish etc.

It is quite intense though no more so than Nam Prik Kapi. It has something in common with fermented beancurd or a washed rind cheese.

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