Cambodian Hot and Sour Coconut Soup with Catfish (Somlar Machu Ktiss)

Somlar Machu Ktiss (Cambodian Hot and Sour Coconut Soup) is almost as complex as Cambodian curry, so it doesn’t make regular weekly appearances on our dinner plate, but when it does, I always jump in joy and anticipation. So healthy, explosively flavourful, complex and beguilingly delicious, I can’t help but go for a second or a third round. Needless to say, there are never any leftovers when my mother prepares this somlar machu ktiss. 

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that I am quite lucky. While my friends struggle with the newest diet fads, juice cleanses or paleo diet, I am regularly spending my time as usual; visiting the local farmer’s market for fresh ingredients. Cambodian diet is full of vegetables, fermented foods and a minimal amount of lean proteins, so I have always been lean and healthy. My mother prepared wholesome meals from scratch so artificial ingredients and processed foods were a rarity in our household. Even now, in my own household, processed or artificial food is not something I approve of, although somehow it does manage to sneak in from time to time (thank you, Jose, you sneaky devil!).  

Ingredients

Kroeung for Somlar Machu Ktiss

• 11 kaffir lime leaves
• 1/2 cup lemongrass (2 stalks)
• 3/8 cup galangal (1 root, length of thumb)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 4 bird's eye chilli peppers
• 2 tablespoon roasted red pepper paste or thai red curry paste [ see note ]
• 1 tablespoon shrimp paste [ kapee/kapi ]
• 1 tablespoon tamarind powder (knorr)
• 2 catfish [ cleaned, see above for how to clean ]
• 10 Thai eggplants
• 1 bunch long beans
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 cups water or chicken stock
• cane sugar to taste

Instructions

1. Cut lemongrass, galangal and half of the kaffir lime leaves into tiny thin slices. Place them in a mortar and pestle along with turmeric powder, Thai bird's eye red chilli peppers, shrimp paste and red pepper paste (or red curry paste). Pound into a fine paste to make kroeung.
2. Add oil to a pot or deep frying pan. Once heated, add kroeung and stir so the kroeung doesn't burn. 
3. Once fragrant (about 2 - 3 minutes), add catfish and toss to mix the ingredients. 
4. Add coconut milk, tamarind powder, salt and fish sauce.  Rip up the other half of the kaffir lime leaves and add it to the pot. 
5. Add the long beans and let it come to a boil. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes before adding the Thai eggplant.  Let it simmer for 10 minutes or until the coconut soup thickens a bit. Add 2 cups of water. Add extra fish sauce or cane sugar to your taste.

Recipe Notes

Roasted Red Peppers

Both in my Cambodian curry recipe and this one, I just used Thai Red curry as a replacement, but to do it properly, with the most authentic taste, you should use roasted red peppers. 

Wash the red peppers and dry them. Grill/oven them on the lowest heat possible and let it cook for 2 - 3 hours until they are cooked, and dried. Once dried, they can be kept whole for a very long time, no need for refrigeration. To use for this recipe, soak the dried red peppers in water for a bit before transferring it into a mortar and pestle. You want to pound the peppers into a fine paste.

Recipe Adapted From atraveldiary.com

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