Description
A hearty comforting flavorful soup made with ground pork, rice and festive accompaniments.
Ingredients
Scale
- Marinate the pork
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Make the Broth
- 7 cups water
- 2 stalks of lemongrass, trimmed, 1 or 2 tough outer layers removed, smashed flat with a meat pounder or rolled with a heavy rolling pin
- 1-inch chunk of fresh ginger root, peeled and smashed flat
- 1 tablespoon dried shrimp or 4 flat anchovies (packed in oil) finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup jasmine rice, rinsed several times in cold water and drained
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil or other vegetable oil
- 5 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped (1/4 cup)
- Accompaniments
- 1/4 cup Thai fish sauce
- 1 bird chile, chopped
- 1 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 3-4 shallots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise, about 1 cup
- 2 cups bean sprouts or thinly sliced napa cabbage
- 15-20 Thai basil leaves, slivered (or substitute regular or sweet basil)
- 1 bunch of scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl stir the pork with fish sauce and sugar. Set aside.
- Place water, ginger, lemongrass, salt and dried shrimp (if using) in a large heavy pot and bring to a boil. Boil steadily for 5 minutes. Add rinsed rice to the pot. When it returns to a boil, lower heat and simmer gently, uncovered, until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
- While the rice is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring constantly, until tender and golden, about 3 minutes, Regulate the heat so they don't burn. Transfer shallots to a condiment bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same skillet and toss in the garlic and anchovies (if using) Stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the pork and cook, stirring and breaking up any lumps, until the pork is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the pork stir-fry to the soup pot, once the rice has finished cooking. Stir through. Season with salt, to taste.
- Mix the bird chile with 1/4 cup fish sauce in a small condiment bowl. Set aside.
- Just before serving, gently reheat the soup. Divide the shredded cabbage or sprouts among the bowls. Add a pinch of shredded basil and a pinch of scallions to each bowl. Ladle the soup on top. Add a bit of each topping and a generous grinding of black pepper to each bowl. Serve with a lime wedges and prik nam pla on the side. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Cambodian
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: Soup