Northern Thai stewed beef

750 gm boned beef shank (not

trimmed)

1 tbsp neutral-flavoured oil

(such as rice bran or canola) 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce

12 gm (1 tbsp) sea salt 2 lemongrass stalks (115gm), bottom 2.5cm, top 23cm, and outer layer removed 35 gm (¼ cup) thinly sliced

(3mm) peeled galangal 12 gm (about 12) coriander

roots

3 gm (4 large) makrut lime leaves (see cook’s notes p176), torn

1 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander (thin stems and leaves)

1 tbsp thinly sliced sawtooth

coriander (see note)

1 tbsp sliced (about 6mm)

spring onions PASTE 18 gm lemongrass stalks (tender parts only, from about 3 large stalks), thinly sliced

8 gm (3 tsp) sea salt

25 gm peeled galangal, thinly sliced against the grain 10 gm peeled turmeric, thinly sliced against the grain 23 gm dried long red chillies, soaked in hot water until soft (about 15 minutes) 75 gm peeled garlic cloves,

halved lengthways

75 gm peeled red shallots, thinly sliced against the grain

38 gm shrimp paste (see note) against the grain into slices

5cm by 2.5cm by 12mm.

4 Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until it shimmers. Add 1 cup of the paste and stir well. Take a careful sniff – you’ll smell the raw shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic and shallots no longer smell raw (about 10 minutes). Knowing when it’s done takes experience, but as long as you’re cooking it at a low sizzle, the soup will taste great.

5 Increase heat to mediumhigh, add the beef, fish sauce and salt, and stir to coat beef with the paste. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes so the meat absorbs some of the flavours but does not brown.

6 Add 1.5 litres water, increase heat to high, and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, lightly smash the lemongrass with a pestle, a pan, or the flat surface of a knife blade, then cut crossways on the diagonal into 2.5cm lengths. You’ll need ½ cup of the lemongrass for this recipe; reserve the rest for another use.

7 When the liquid comes to the boil, reduce heat to medium and add the lemongrass, galangal, coriander roots and

1 For the paste, pound the lemongrass and salt with a mortar and pestle to a fairly smooth, slightly fibrous paste (about 2 minutes). Add the galangal and pound, scraping down the sides of the mortar occasionally, until a fairly smooth paste forms (about 2 minutes). Repeat with the turmeric.

2 Drain the chillies well, slit them open, and remove the seeds. Wrap the chillies in paper towels and gently squeeze them dry. Add to the mortar and pound them, then the garlic, and then the shallot, fully pounding each ingredient before adding the next. Add the shrimp paste and pound until incorporated (about a minute). Makes about 1 cup of paste. You can use it right away, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

3 For the soup, halve the beef shank lengthways, then cut it lime leaves. Cover and gently simmer until the beef is tender but still has bite (1-1½ hours). Cool briefly, then taste and adjust the seasoning with fish sauce. Sprinkle with herbs and spring onion, and serve.

Note Sawtooth coriander is available from Thai grocers and select supermarkets. Shrimp paste is available from Asian food stores. ● “Laap Kao Cham Chaa is what passes for a proper restaurant in Chiang Mai,” says Ricker. “But don’t be fooled by the modest setting. The food is killer. And business is booming. The boss sits behind a table draped with oilcloth. He totals up bills, poking at a calculator, and riffles through stacks of cash. He also doubles as bartender, pouring slugs of Sang Som or delivering beers. While some customers are enjoying full-on meals, many are here only to drink. But my spoon is focused on kaeng awm neua. In Thai, “kaeng” refers to what we call curry or soup, or, as with this dish, something in between. It doesn’t look like much – just small hunks of meat wading in ruddy brown liquid flecked with herbs. Yet it’s as deserving of your attention as anything else on the table. Like many curries, it relies on a paste pounded in a mortar; in this case, one that features a very northern Thai combination of moderately spicy dried chillies, turmeric root, lemongrass, and galangal. Depending on where you get it and how long it’s been sitting on the stove, it ranges from stock-thin to stew-thick. Either way, it’s salty and spicy, with each bite satisfyingly intense. The pieces of pork or beef don’t collapse with a tap of your spoon like an Italian braise. Instead, the meat has some chew, and the dish is better for it.”