Pad Prik King Moo

Ingredients

• 3 whole dried red chilies, stems and seeds removed
• 3 whole garlic cloves
• 1 whole shallot, peeled and halved
• ½ teaspoon fish sauce
• 10 ounces pork shoulder, thinly sliced
• 6 ounces green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 4 whole kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces
• 1 whole long red chili, sliced thin into rings

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the dried chilies in a small bowl and pour in 2 tablespoons of hot water; let sit for 3 minutes until softened so they blend smoothly into the paste.

2. 2

   Drain the softened chilies and place them in a mortar or blender along with the garlic cloves and shallot halves; pound or blend until you have a rough, chunky paste the texture of wet sand, about 1 minute.

3. 3

   Add 0.5 teaspoon of fish sauce to the paste and stir with a spoon until well combined, about 10 seconds.

4. 4

   Pat the sliced pork dry with paper towels so it will brown better when cooked in the hot pan.

5. 5

   Cut the green beans into 2-inch lengths by holding each bean on the cutting board and slicing straight down at 45-degree angles to create diagonal pieces.

6. 6

   Tear the kaffir lime leaves into rough pieces about 1 inch across with your fingers and place them in a small bowl.

7. 7

   Slice the fresh long red chili lengthwise from tip to stem into thin rings and place them in a small bowl.

8. 8

   Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into a 12-inch skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

9. 9

   Add the sliced pork to the hot oil in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes so it browns on one side, then stir once every 20 seconds for another 3 minutes until the meat is light golden and cooked through.

10. 10

    Scoop the curry paste into the pan using a spoon and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the paste coats all the pork pieces and smells strongly fragrant.

11. 11

    Pour in 0.5 cup of coconut milk and stir with a wooden spoon until the curry paste dissolves completely into the sauce, about 15 seconds.

12. 12

    Add the cut green beans to the pan and stir once every 15 seconds for 4 minutes until they are tender but still bright green when pierced with a fork.

13. 13

    Sprinkle the torn kaffir lime leaves into the pan and stir gently for 10 seconds to combine, letting the heat release their aroma.

14. 14

    Remove the pan from heat and taste the curry; add a small pinch of salt if needed.

15. 15

    Divide the curry between two bowls or plates, then scatter the sliced fresh chili rings evenly over the top of each portion and serve immediately while hot.

Tools you’ll need

• 12-inch skillet
• mortar and pestle (or blender)
• wooden spoon
• paper towels
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• small bowls (3)

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