INGREDIENTS
Palm sugar and tamarind caramel
45 g piece tamarind pulp
375 ml (1 ½ cups) lukewarm water
300 g palm sugar
8 shallots
6 cm piece mature galangal (30 g),
skin on, thickly sliced
5 coriander roots
2 lemongrass stalks, white part only,
cut into 5 cm lengths
8 makrut lime leaves
8 pandan leaves
80 ml (⅓ cup) fish sauce, or more
to taste
Fried shallots
100 g shallots, approximately 3 large,
thinly sliced
125 ml (½ cup) lard
or avocado oil
Fried eggs
6 eggs, preferably organic,
at room temperature
250 ml (1 cup) lard
or avocado oil
To serve
½ cup coriander leaves
4 makrut lime leaves, very thinly sliced
Miele accessories
METHOD
Palm sugar and tamarind caramel
1. Soak the tamarind pulp in a bowl with the lukewarm water for 20 minutes, press the pulp to break up. Pour the tamarind mix through a fine sieve over a bowl. Use a spatula to press the tamarind pulp through the sieve. Discard the solids and reserve the liquid.
2. Place the palm sugar in a saucepan. Melt the sugar on low heat, induction setting 4 for approximately 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle, flatten the shallots, galangal, coriander roots, lemongrass, makrut lime leaves and pandan leaves.
4. Add the aromatics to the sugar, reduce heat to low, induction setting 3, and cook for 1 hour or, until the caramel thickens.
5. Add the tamarind liquid and fish sauce to the caramel, taste and add more fish sauce if needed. Continue cooking on low heat, induction setting 4 for 1 hour, or until the sauce reduces to a caramel consistency.
6. Pour the sauce through a fine sieve over a bowl. Use a spatula to press all the caramel out of the pulp. Discard the solids and reserve the caramel.
Fried shallots
1. Place the oil into a saucepan or wok and heat on medium-low heat, induction setting 4, or TempControl level 1.
2. Gently place the sliced shallots into the fat and fry until evenly golden brown. This will take approximately 20 minutes. Drain the shallots and place onto paper towel. Reserve the oil for another use.
Fried eggs
1. Place the eggs in a steam oven and Steam at 100°C for 4 minutes. Place the eggs in iced water immediately to cool. Roll the eggs back and forth on the bench to crack the shells, or place in a separate bowl or jar and shake to crack the shells and place back into the iced water for at least 10 minutes. Remove the shell and pat the eggs dry.
2. Place the oil in a wok or frying pan on high heat, induction setting 8 then gently place the eggs in the oil. Shallow fry the eggs, until the outside is a lovely golden brown, roll the eggs around in the oil to get even colouring.
3. Place into a mesh colander placed over a bowl to cool.
To serve
1. Halve the eggs and place onto a platter. Top with a little of the sauce, herbs and fried shallots.
Hints and tips
• The sauce will keep in the fridge for up to three months.
• This recipe makes more shallots than needed, store extra in an airtight container. They last for months if properly sealed.
• Palisa renders her own lard using this method. Alternatively, purchased lard from the grocer will be a good substitute.
– Freeze 1 kg pork leaf fat (from around the kidneys) or other pork fat.
– Cut the frozen pork into small cubes.
– Place the lard in a pan on low heat, induction setting 3, stirring occasionally. Cook the fat for 30 minutes, or until all the fat has rendered.
– Strain the lard and place in sterilised jars.
APPLIANCE / FUNCTION
Palisa Anderson
Chef, restaurateur and author, Palisa Anderson is second-generation restauranteur and self-made first generational organic farmer. For Palisa, food is life. Having grown up in the kitchen of Sydney institution, Chat Thai, she soon expanded the family business to include several other eateries, which she now stocks with produce from her successful foray into organic farming, Boon Luck Farm in Byron Bay. “More than ever, an emphasis on quality, sustainability, authenticity and immunity boosting ingredients is important to us and vital to the well-being of our diners, our land and our children.”
