‘This delicious dish is definitely best eaten with fingers. Cutlery just won’t let you enjoy the juicy lemongrass flavor which permeates the filling. Try using different meats, and consider using the filling for stuffing zucchini/courgettes and their flowers, eggplants, bamboo shoots or any other vegetable you fancy. Experiment with the balance of flavors to suit the availability of ingredients and your palate. Mashed potato and tofu are possible vegetarian options, with some roasted rice powder for texture.’–From Tamarino in Luang Prabang
Ingredients:
- 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 4-5 medium spring onions, roughly chopped
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup coriander, roughly chopped
- 1 kaffir lime leaf, finely sliced (be sure to take out the stem)
- 1 heaped spoonful of salt
- 200 grams of potatoes
- a bit of rice powder
- 10-12 stalks of lemongrass, leaves removed so it is just one circle at the bottom.
- 2 eggs, beaten with salt
- 1 cup oil for frying
Directions:
1) Pound garlic, spring onions, coriander, kaffir lime leaf and salt in a mortar.
2) Add the potato and rice powder and mix.
3) Starting about 1 cm from the base of the lemongrass, cut all the way though the stalk for 4-5 cm. Do this again 1/4 to the right/left.
4) Make many thin cuts all around (these do not need to go all the way though, just to the cut in the middle).
5) Use your thumbs to open the lemongrass ‘cage’ and make a basket.
6) Add the filling with your hands or spoon.
7) Dip the lemongrass stuffed part in egg.
8) Heat oil in the wok to medium heat and fry the stalks until it is brown on the outside.
9) Drain on absorbent paper and serve.
Me and the lemongrass ‘cage’
The frying process
Oven-lovin' 