This is a dish I learned from my grandma. It's perfect on a HOT summer day. It just really hits the spot. It's definitely an acquired taste. It's a rice flour gelatin in a tomato based broth with a spicy chili paste. It's popular in Laos and I remember walking the street markets and enjoying a bowl for almost nothing! It's pretty labor intensive, me and my aunt tried to help my grandma with stirring the gelatin and our arms were burning! I'm not sure how my 89 year old grandma does this on her own. It makes me really appreciate her even more, and actually surprised we got it as much as we did!
Ingredients:
Tomato Broth:
4 large Tomatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
10 small Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 tbsp Salt
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp MSG
Tamarind Powder or Lime Juice (optional)
Rice Flour Gelatin:
16 oz package Rice Flour
6 cups Water
White Lime Stone container + 3 tbsp Water
Additional 3 cups of water if needed
Spicy Chili Paste:
10 Serrano Peppers
1 whole head of Garlic
1 tbsp Salt
1 tbsp MSG
1 tbsp Sugar
2/3 cup Tua Nao (watch video here)
1 tbsp Crushed Red Peppers
Instructions:
Add tomatoes to a medium sauce pan. Add desired amount of water, enough to at least cover the tomatoes. You can always add more if needed.
Add in the salt, sugar and msg and boil on medium high. Continue to check on your broth and smash down the tomatoes to release the juices. Turn the heat to medium low and keep and eye on it while you make the rice flour gelatin.
In a large heavy bottom pot, add in the rice flour and water and stir until fully dissolved.
Add water into the white lime stone container, swish it around for a bit and pour the liquid into the pot.
Move the pot to the stove, on medium high heat and stir continuously. You should have helpers, you'll need to stir for a while and it definitely starts to burn your arms. You can't stop stirring or it will burn.
After 15 minutes, lower the temperature to medium low add 1 cup of water. Keep stirring for about 5 minutes, add in 1/2 a cup of water and continue to stir. After another 5 minutes, if it's too thick, add in an additional 1/2 cup of water and again, keep stirring. If after another 5 minutes it needs more water, add in your last cup of water. Once that is incorporated in, transfer to a glass pan and let it cool and harden.
Check on your tomato broth, if you need more water, add in more water and some lime juice and/or tamarind powder. It may need more salt depending on how much water you added it, this is based on your preference so taste and add desired amount. Let it cool and set aside.
For the chili paste you'll need to roast the peppers and 1 head of garlic peeled. Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until well roasted.
Chop up the peppers and place it in a mortar and pestle along with the garlic. Grind until it becomes a paste.
Add in the salt, msg, sugar and tua nao and continue to grind to a paste.
Add in the crushed red peppers and mix well.
Once your rice gelatin hardens, cut it up into bite size pieces, add in the tomato base and pepper sauce, top with some cilantro if you want and enjoy!
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