Gung Chae Nam Pla

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• ¼ head of white cabbage
• 1 m.-sized carrot(s)
• 1 cucumber(s) (Mara – bitter cucumber)
• 300 g shrimp(s), raw, very fresh, medium-sized
• fish sauce
• 1 tbsp garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp garlic, finely sliced, for garnishing
• 1 tbsp chili pepper(s) (Prik Kee Nuu), chopped
• ½ tbsp chili pepper(s), finely sliced, for garnishing
• 2 tbsp coriander (leaves, stems, roots), chopped
• sugar, brown
• Salt
• Lime juice

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 2 hours

raw shrimp marinated in fish sauce, Thai style

Finely grate the white cabbage and carrots and mix them together, then place them in the center of a large platter. Peel the bitter gourd (ideally decorative, so the slices have a wavy pattern), halve them lengthwise, and slice them thinly. Wash and peel the shrimp (leaving the last bit of the tail on), devein them, and slice them open so they can be unfolded (like a butterfly). Arrange them unfolded in a circle around the cabbage and carrot mixture, with the tail in the center of the plate, and drizzle with a little fish sauce. Arrange the halved bitter gourd slices around the outer edge of the platter. Cover with cling film and refrigerate. In a large, heavy mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, chilies, and a little salt, then add the coriander and continue pounding until a fine paste forms. (If you think you’ve finally had enough, you’ll have to continue for at least another 5 minutes!) Season to taste with sugar, a little fish sauce, salt, and lime juice. The dip should be very spicy, slightly sweet, sour, and not very salty, as the shrimp already have fish sauce on it. It should also be more of a paste, not runny. Serve the shrimp and the dip. Place the garlic and chili slices next to it. To eat, put some of the cabbage mixture on a spoon, add half a slice of bitter gourd, then a shrimp (so that the tail rests on the tip of the spoon and can then be bitten off). Then add a slice of garlic, a few chili pieces, and then 1/2 teaspoon of the dip, or more (or less) if you like.