Top tips from Cookery Tutor Bill James
Ingredients
- Dutch chilli
- Palm sugar (from a sustainable source)
- Whole lime
- Nam Plar, otherwise known as fish sauce (for a vegetarian alternative use soy sauce)
Extra options
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Coconut cream
- Fresh basil and coriander
Method
1. Deseed your chilli to remove the extra heat.
Tip #1 - Cut off the end, put it over a bowl and roll the chilli between your hands until most of the seeds are released into the bowl. Easy as that.
2. Chop your chilli into slices and place into the main bowl with a few of the seeds only.
3. Take a small amount of palm sugar - you don't need much - and place it in a separate bowl. Palm sugar is a natural unrefined sugar high in both iron and potassium. Used in moderation, it's very good for you.
4. Now we need the zest from your lime. Limes can be tricky wee things to take the zest off with a grater.
Tip #2 - Cover one side of your grater (the fender) with grease-proof paper. Then, with your lime, rub it on the paper covered grater from the top to the bottom so you get all that beautiful zest off. Then gently take the paper off and scrape your zest into the main bowl. Your grater will be nice and easy to clean.
5. Cut your lime in half on a slant to create a bigger surface area. Squeeze the juice into your bowl.
Tip #3 - Give your lime a good rub first. That way you're going to allow all that juice to come out.
6. The last main ingredient is Nam Plar, or fish sauce, which is essentially fermented fish. First used by the Romans, Nam Plar is a great seasoning to use instead of salt. If you don't want to use fish sauce you could use soy sauce instead - a great vegetarian alternative.
Tip #4 - Nam Plar keeps really well in the fridge.
7. Mix the lime zest and juice together with the Nam Plar and then add the palm sugar and chilli. Put as much chilli in as you wish depending on how spicy you like it. Mix it thoroughly and have a taste.
Tip #5 - Taste, taste, taste!
8. Continue mixing until the sugar is fully dissolved. If you need more of something just add it but you should be able to taste all of those flavours.
Extra options - Add different herbs for added flavour. Freshly chopped basil and coriander are wonderful friends with this style of dressing.
Tip #5 - Keep your herbs in the fridge after washing them. To stop them from drying out or discolouring, wrap them in a piece of kitchen paper. Wash the herbs, wrap them up and they keep really well for days.
This dressing is great poured onto salads but can also be used to flavour many dishes. Finely chopped garlic and ginger plus the dressing flavours make a great base for a curry. Coconut milk is also a very good addition.
Until next time,
Bill
You can find out about study options in Hospitality and Cookery here.
