Samlor Korko

Ingredients

• 500g pork ribs, cut into short pieces
• 1.5 litres water
• 3 stalks lemongrass, finely sliced
• 3cm piece galangal, peeled
• 4 makrut lime leaves
• 5 garlic cloves
• 4 shallots
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 large handful holy basil or Thai basil leaves
• 1 tbsp prahok (fermented fish paste), or 1 tbsp anchovy paste
• 4 tbsp toasted rice powder
• 300g pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks
• 200g green papaya, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 Asian aubergine, cut into chunks
• 150g long beans, cut into 4cm lengths
• 150g young jackfruit or green banana, cut into chunks
• 1 large handful moringa leaves or baby spinach
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp black pepper

Before you cook

• Pound or blend the lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, garlic, shallots, turmeric and basil leaves into a coarse green kroeung paste.
• Peel and cut all the vegetables into chunks of roughly equal size, about 3cm.
• Toast 4 tablespoons of raw jasmine rice in a dry pan until deep golden, then grind it to a coarse powder.
• Cut the pork ribs into short pieces if the butcher has not already done so.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over a medium heat.
2. Add the green kroeung paste and fry for 4 minutes until it darkens and smells intensely of lemongrass.
3. Add the pork ribs and turn them in the paste for 5 minutes until well coated.
4. Stir in the prahok and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Pour in the water and bring the pot to a boil, skimming off any grey foam that rises.
6. Lower the heat and simmer the pork for 30 minutes until it is tender enough to pull from the bone.
7. Add the pumpkin, green papaya and jackfruit, since these take the longest of the vegetables.
8. Simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Add the aubergine and long beans and simmer for 6 minutes more.
10. Stir in the toasted rice powder a spoonful at a time, stirring continuously so it does not clump.
11. Season with the fish sauce, palm sugar and black pepper.
12. Simmer for a final 5 minutes, stirring often, until the broth thickens to a loose porridge.
13. Fold in the moringa leaves and let them wilt for 1 minute.
14. Taste and adjust the salt with more fish sauce, then serve in deep bowls with steamed rice.