Thai cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Gaeng Som Pak Boong

Southern Thai sour curry without coconut: water spinach in a clear tamarind broth with chili and turmeric.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 500 g water spinach (or substitute young leaf spinach with stems)
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste
• 6 dried red chilies
• 4 shallots
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 l vegetable stock
• 200 g firm tofu

Instructions

1. Deseed the dried chilies and soak in hot water for 15 min, wash the water spinach and cut into 6 cm pieces.
2. Pound the drained chilies with the shallots, turmeric and salt in a mortar into a moist, deep-yellow paste - this takes about 5 min.
3. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil, stir in the paste and simmer uncovered for 10 min until the broth is bright orange and richly fragrant.
4. Add tamarind paste, soy sauce and palm sugar and simmer for another 5 min; the broth should taste distinctly sour first, then salty and sweet.
5. Add the tofu, cut into cubes, and warm through for 3 min, then add the water spinach and cook for just 2 min until the stems are tender-crisp and the leaves have just wilted.
6. Serve immediately in deep bowls with plenty of jasmine rice so the water spinach doesn't overcook.