Gaeng Paa Pla Dook - Jungle Curry with Catfish

Gaeng Paa Pla Dook - Jungle Curry with Catfish

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

== CURRY PASTE ==

• 2 tb Chopped Lemon Grass
• 8 Shallots
• 6 Cloves Garlic
• 1/4 c Chopped Lesser Ginger
• 8 Dried Jalapeno Peppers
• 1 ts Canned Peppercorns
• 1 ts Shrimp Paste
• 1/2 ts Salt

== PREPARATION ==

• 2 tb Oil
• 1 1/2 lb Catfish, Cut Into 1" Slices
• 1/4 c Fish Sauce (Nam Pla)
• 3 c Water
• 1/2 c Thai Eggplant
• 1/4 c Sliced Green Jalapeno Pepper
• 1/2 c Sweet Basil Leaves
• 10 Whole Kaffir Lime Leaves

Directions

In the days when travel through various parts of Thailand required journeying through areas of jungle, the people had to make do with what was available there. This recipe is so named because the ingredients and cooking method made it a suitable dish for the jungle.

Best eaten in the presence of monkeys, tigers and snakes to keep it more authentic. 

Combine all the ingredients for the curry paste, using a mortar and pestle or a blender.

Heat a large saucepan and add the oil and curry paste. Stir-fry for 1 minute on medium-high heat.

Add the fish, fish sauce, water and eggplant and heat to boiling. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and remove from the heat. Serve.