White Curry Soup with Pressed Rice Cakes

Directions

1. White Curry Soup
2. To make the Spice Paste, place the chilies, garlic, shallots, ginger, and ground coriander to a mini food processor and blitz to a rough paste the texture of oatmeal.
3. Swirl the oil into a medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and set over medium heat until shimmering hot. Fry the Spice Paste until it darkens and is aromatic, 2 to 4 minutes.
4. Pour in the coconut milk followed by the water and stir to mix. Add the chayote, turnips, carrots, green beans, and tofu and bring to a boil. Add more water to cover the vegetables if necessary. Drop in the galangal and lemongrass. Reduce the heat until the soup bubbles gently, cover and simmer until the chayote and turnips are almost cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Uncover, and stir in the kale, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer until the kale is just tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Let the soup sit for 1 to 2 hours for the flavors to meld if possible.
6. To serve, divide the rice cakes among 4 to 6 large, shallow bowls and pour about 1/2 to 3/4 cup (125 to 200 ml) curry soup into each bowl. Sprinkle with fried shallots and serve.
7. Note: Many other vegetables such as eggplant, cabbage, pumpkin, turnip greens, etc. can be added to this soup. Be sure to add the sturdier, longer-cooking vegetables first and the more delicate vegetables later.

1. Pressed Rice Cakes
2. Rinse your rice 2 to 3 times until the water runs clear. Cook in your rice cooker if you have one (using a standard measuring cup not your rice cooker cup) or on the stove top with 2 cups of water.
3. To prepare the banana leaves, gently unfold them and run one leaf under hot running water to soften. Trim off the tough outer edge with scissors. Cut a length of banana leaf—it has to be big enough to line a loaf pan and have enough overhang, about 5 to 6 in to fold and cover the top.
4. Line the loaf pan with the banana leaf, shiny-side down (the side with the ridges). If it tears, just patch it with another leaf.
5. While the rice is still hot, pack it into the pan, pressing down to compress the rice. Fold over the two ends of the leaf so they overlap in the middle. Tuck in the edges. If the leaf isn’t long enough, cover the gap with another leaf.
6. Leave for at least 2 hours until it is completely cool. You can also refrigerate it to speed up the process. If you leave it in the pan overnight, the rice will be imbued with the banana leaf’s delicate, tea-like flavor and fragrance.
7. Unmold carefully and peel off the banana leaves. Slice crosswise like a bread loaf and cut into smaller rectangles or squares.
8. Note: If you are serving big eaters, you can easily double the amounts in this recipe.