Miang Gung

Name: Miang Gung
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: One 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped; 1 tablespoon shrimp paste (page 9) or dried bay shrimp; 1/4 cup palm or brown sugar; 2 tablespoons nam pla; 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut; 1/4 pound medium to large shrimp, peeled; 4 shallots, minced; One 1-inch piece fresh galangal or more ginger, peeled and minced; 4 fresh chiles, preferably Thai, stemmed, seeded, and minced; 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, smashed, and minced (page 143); 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts; 8 betel, spinach, butter, or Bibb lettuce leaves; 2 limes, cut into wedges

December 14, 2011

I first had this appetizer as street food, near a market in Bangkok. The combination of raw ingredients normally used as flavoring agents for cooked dishes was intriguing and refreshing. The betel leaf used to hold everything together gave an additional bite to the dish. Betel leaves are impossible to find here, but the dish remains delicious with spinach leaves or even lettuce. If you’re not familiar with Thai fish sauce (nam pla), see page 500. You put it all together at the table, so it’s kind of fun. Serve this as the start to any meal featuring other food from Southeast Asia.

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