Thai Vegetables In Coconut Sauce, "Phak Tom Kati"

The name literally means 'vegetables boiled in coconut milk'. Small Thai eggplants that resemble crunchy garden peas are used. As a replacement we suggest you use tender garden peas, raw. If you can only get frozen peas, then drop them in hot, not boiling water, until defrosted, then transfer to ice water to stop the cooking and then strain thoroughly.

Green peppercorns are sold in Thailand on the stem, making them easy to discard before serving, but we suggest that if you can only get loose peppercorns, that you put them in a small muslin bag or 'spice ball'

Ingredients

1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup garden peas (see above)
1/2 cup long beans (green beans), broken into 2" pieces
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 cup cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons shallots, sliced finely
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 tablespoon Thai chile peppers, finely sliced
1 tablespoon green peppercorns
1 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

Method

In a saucepan bring the coconut milk to a gentle simmer and mix in the sugar and soy sauce, and stir in the lime leaves. Add the shallots and pepper, and gently simmer for 1-2 minutes until aromatic. Taste for the balance of sugar and salt, and adjust if necesary. Add the vegetables, and return to the boil. Simmer gently until just cooked (If using garden peas, do not add them until the other ingredients are almost cooked, and then serve as soon as they are warmed through.

Serve with either Thai jasmine rice or noodles.