Thai Cuisine "Kaeng Khilek" (A Deliciously Bitter Spicy Coconut Curry)

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Hello from Thailand, everyone! 🤗

• Here, there are many types of bitter yet beneficial vegetables that are popular in cooking. Many people refuse to eat them because few people actually enjoy the bitter taste, right? Especially children. And of course, when I was a child, I hardly ever ate bitter vegetables, whether fresh or cooked in dishes. I've seen this since I was young because my mother cooked for everyone in the family. There were many adults in the house who could eat bitter foods. But strangely enough, as I grew up, I became brave enough to try bitter vegetables, and they weren't as bad as I thought.

Khilek

• Before cooking with bitter vegetables, there are ways to reduce their bitterness to make them easier to eat, allowing you to enjoy the health benefits and overlook the bitter taste. Take the vegetable called "Khilek" (Cassia/Senna siamea) that I'm cooking with today, for example. The method to reduce its bitterness before cooking is: I boil it in boiling water with salt added. I boil it multiple times (3-4 times). Then, I rinse the Khilek with cold water. Just doing this significantly reduces the bitterness, and it's ready to be cooked.

Khilek

• Today, I'm using the flowers and young shoots of the Khilek plant to make a spicy coconut milk curry. I'm adding a protein, which is grilled mackerel (Sabaa fish), these two go very well together. You could also use shrimp or minced pork instead. This dish is a Thai food enjoyed in all regions. Here are the steps

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RECIPE : Kaeng Khilek

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Khilek (flowers and young shoots)
• 500 ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp Red Curry Paste
• 1 tbsp Shrimp Paste (Kapi)
• 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar

• 1 cup grilled mackerel meat

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• 1 cup Phak Wan shoots

(Today, I'm also adding Phak Wan shoots, which will help reduce the curry's bitterness. Furthermore, it improves the flavor of the curry.)

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PROCEDURE

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• First, I'll pound the red curry paste and shrimp paste together well.

• Add the Khilek (pre-boiled) and pound them with the curry paste. I just pound them until they break apart slightly. Set this mixture aside.

• Pour the coconut milk into a pot over medium heat. When it starts to boil, add the pounded Khilek and curry paste mixture. Stir to combine. Let it cook for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to infuse.

• Add the grilled mackerel. Stir to combine.

• When the curry boils again, add the Phak Wan shoots. Stir to combine.

• Season with fish sauce and sugar. Taste the flavor. Adjust to get a spicy, salty, and slightly sweet taste. When you're happy with the taste

• Turn off the heat.

• Scoop into a bowl and serve.

• This Khilek Curry with Grilled Fish has a rich flavor and a fragrant aroma from the curry paste and coconut milk, with a slight bitterness. Eat it with steamed rice.

• Khilek is beneficial and nutritious. It's very good for aiding digestion.

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• So, what do you think about this Thai dish? Thank you all for stopping by. Thank you for all the support. See you again in the next post! 😍🤗

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