Ingredients

• 1 pound fish fillets
• 2 large dried chilies
• 5 cloves garlic
• 3 tender lemon leaves
• 1 slice fresh laos or 1 teaspoon laos powder
• 2 stalks lemon grass, finely sliced, or 2 strips lemon rind
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• 3 cups thin coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
• Sprigs of fresh basil
• 5 or 6 small dried chilies
• Oil, for frying

Method

• Wash fillets and cut into serving pieces.
• Remove and discard seeds and stalks from large dried chilies. Soak in hot water for 10 minutes.
• With mortar and pestle, pound the large chilies, garlic, lemon leaves, laos, and lemongrass or lemon rind to a paste. (An electric blender can be used, but it may be necessary to add a tablespoon or so of thick coconut milk to facilitate blending to a paste.)
• Heat the thick coconut milk in a saucepan until you see the oil floating on top. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes on low heat. Add spice mixture and fry until cooked, stirring constantly. Add pieces of fish and turn them in the mixture.
• Add thin coconut milk and fish sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add peanuts just before end of cooking.
• In separate frying pan, heat oil and add small whole dried chilies. Fry for a few seconds and set aside for garnish.
• Garnish with basil and small whole dried chilies. Serve.

Yields: 4 servings