Subject: [THAI] Phraram Long Song (Meat in a Peanut Sauce)
From: "Colonel I. F. K. Philpott" <[email-masked]>
Date: 13 Jun 1996 19:13:40 -0700
Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes

There are a number of possible translations of the title of this dish,
which is from the milder "Royal Thai" tradition. Phraram is the name
given in Thai to the God Rama, or the title of the King.  The title can
be translated by those of a poetic nature to mean food so good it makes
the king cry.

Because this is a mild, Royal Thai, dish, I give two methods, which
differ slightly in that one is mild and has complex flavors, the other
is more in line with the country tradition of not throwing away anything
that can be eaten, and is a little more potent, as suits the provincial
palate.

This dish can be made with pork, beef, chicken or shrimp.  Shrimp require
less cooking and beef rather more.  This version is made with pork

Ingredients:

1 cup pork, cut into small bite sized pieces
1 cup phak bung (swamp cabbage), shredded

Note that phak bung is very common - almost a weed - in Thailand.  In the
West where it is probably unobtainable, use spinach or kale.

To flavor the oil:

Garlic, ginger, prik ki nu daeng (red birdseye chilies), and phom kari
(mild curry powder). According to the method.  If Thai curry powder isn't
available, use a mild Indian curry.

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon garlic, very finely chopped
1 tablespoon massaman curry paste
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup pork stock
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 cup raw peanuts, crushed

Method:

Heat a wok, and add three tablespoons of peanut oil, add one teaspoon of
slivered garlic, and saute until the garlic is just changing color.
Remove and discard the garlic.  Add 4 'coins' of ginger, 1" in diameter,
an eighth of an inch thick, and saute for 1 minute, remove and discard.
Take 4 red chilies and destalk them, cut them in half and tap them on the
counter to remove loose seeds, saute for 1 minute, remove and discard. 
Now add 1 teaspoon of curry powder and stir until absorbed into the
flavored oil.

For the provincial version, to the hot oil add 1 tablespoon of slivered
garlic, 1 tablespoon of slivered ginger, and 1 tablespoon of very thinly
sliced chilies, including the seeds, then remove the flavoring, add
1 tablespoon of curry powder, and blend into the oil. The garlic, ginger,
and chili is then blended to a fine paste and retained to be added later.

Now stir fry the meat for about 1 minute, and remove it from the oil
while you prepare the sauce.

Fry the peanuts for about 5 minutes in the oil, then remove them and
blend them to a fine paste, and return the paste to the oil, adding the
curry paste and stirring until aromatic (if you can't find curry paste
use a further tablespoon of curry powder), now slowly add the coconut
milk, stirring constantly to blend, and then add the remaining sauce
ingredients, then bring to a gentle simmer.

If preparing the provincial version, return the oil flavoring to the
mix at this time.

Add the meat, and return to the simmer, cover and simmer, stirring
occasionally for about 20 minutes, until the meat is tender.

Add the vegetables, turn the heat up and boil vigorously for 1 minute.

Serve with jasmine rice.

We cooked this to check the recipe in a 16" wok that is 6" deep - if
your wok is smaller or shallower you may not wish to have this much
sauce in a wok, and of course you can complete the recipe in a medium
saucepan.

-- 

Regards,

Colonel Ian F. Khuntilanont-Philpott
Systems Engineering, 
Vongchavalitkul University,
Korat 30000, Thailand

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