Mok Pa

Ingredients

• 600g firm white fish fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
• 2 stalks lemongrass, very finely sliced
• 5 shallots, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 green bird's eye chillies, chopped
• 1 tbsp padaek (Lao fermented fish sauce), or 1 tbsp anchovy paste
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp glutinous rice, soaked for 2 hours then ground
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 very large bunch dill, roughly chopped
• 4 spring onions, cut into 3cm lengths
• 6 makrut lime leaves, finely shredded
• 1 handful Thai basil leaves
• 8 large banana leaf squares, about 25cm each
• cocktail sticks or kitchen string, for fastening
• sticky rice, to serve

Before you cook

• Soak the glutinous rice in water for 2 hours, then drain it and grind it to a coarse meal in a mortar or spice grinder.
• Cut the fish into 3cm pieces and pat them dry.
• Slice the lemongrass as finely as possible, chop the shallots, garlic and chillies, and shred the lime leaves.
• Warm the banana leaves briefly over a gas flame or in hot water for 20 seconds each, so they turn glossy and stop cracking when folded.
• Chop the dill roughly, keeping the tender stalks.

Steps

1. Put the fish in a large bowl with the lemongrass, shallots, garlic and chillies.
2. Add the padaek, fish sauce, salt and sugar and turn everything gently so the fish does not break up.
3. Sprinkle in the ground glutinous rice and mix it through.
4. Pour in the beaten egg and fold it in until the mixture is thick and sticky.
5. Add the dill, spring onions, lime leaves and basil and fold once more.
6. Leave the mixture to sit for 10 minutes so the seasoning penetrates the fish.
7. Lay two banana leaf squares on top of each other, with the grains running at right angles for strength.
8. Spoon a quarter of the fish mixture into the centre of the double leaf.
9. Fold the two opposite sides over the filling, then fold the ends up and fasten the parcel with a cocktail stick.
10. Make three more parcels the same way.
11. Set the parcels seam side up in a steamer over rapidly boiling water.
12. Steam for 25 minutes, until a parcel opened at the edge shows fish that is opaque and set like a soft custard.
13. Rest the parcels for 5 minutes before opening them, so the filling settles.
14. Serve each parcel opened at the table with sticky rice alongside.