Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
less than 10 mins
Serves
Serves 2

Ingredients
For the curry paste
- 7 Thai shallots, peeled and sliced
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2–3 galangal pieces, peeled and sliced
- 6 lemongrass stalks, peeled and sliced
- 4 fresh turmeric pieces, peeled and sliced
- 1 tsp shrimp paste
- 1 small, dried, very hot chilli, soaked and finely chopped
- 1 bird’s-eye chilli, finely chopped
- 1 kaffir lime, zest only
- pinch sea salt
- ½ tsp ground black peppercorns
For the stir fry
- 135g/4¾oz pork mince
- ½ tsp Thai fragrant oil
- 2–3 Prik Kee Noo Suan chillies or other Thai red chillies
- 3–4 small green peppercorns
- small pinch golden caster sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- small splash of chicken stock
- 1½ tbsp finely sliced lemongrass
- 1 heaped tbsp julienned kaffir lime leaves
- 1 fennel, core removed and sliced
- ¼ cucumber, chopped
- ¼ Chinese cabbage, finely chopped
- 2 white turmeric pieces or snake beans, sliced
- 8 lime leaves
- 1 Thai basil sprig
- 1 Asian pennywort sprig
Method
For the curry paste, pound everything together in a pestle and mortar to a smooth paste.
For the stir fry, place a wok over a low heat and add 1½ tablespoons of the curry paste. Add the mince and mix the pork and paste together. Pour in the oil and mix well, continuing to fry and break up the meat. Stir-fry until the pork is cooked through.
Add the chillies and green peppercorns and continue to cook for another minute, mashing everything together so the chillies and peppercorns bruise. Add the sugar, fish sauce and stock to create a light sauce. Add the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves and cook for 15 more seconds.
Place the fennel, cucumber, cabbage and white turmeric into iced water for a few minutes. Serve the stir fry garnished with the iced vegetables, lime leaves, Thai basil and Asian pennywort.