Recipe

		Meng Khum
		Serving Size - 6
		Prepared By - Tom
		Recipe Rating	Printer Friendly Recipe

1 small bunch spinach leaves, OR 1 bunch large basil leaves

1/4 cup dried sweetened coconut

1/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup small dried shrimp

1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts

1/2 tsp. chilli powder

1 thumb-size piece ginger, peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. fish sauce (optional)

1 lime cut into wedges - to serve

Dry Fry the Coconut: Place both types of dried coconut into a frying pan. Turn on the heat to medium-high and stir the coconut continuously, "dry frying" until it turns golden (1-2 minutes). Place toasted coconut in a mixing bowl. Process Ingredients: Place shrimp in a food processor and process into powder-like bits (or as fine as you can make it). A pestle & mortar works well for this too. Add this to the coconut in the mixing bowl. Now process the peanuts, reducing them to very small pieces. (You can also chop/crush them with a knife.) Add this to the bowl. Finally, put garlic and galangal (or ginger) into the food processor and process to very fine. (Remove any fibrous or "stringy" bits from the galangal/ginger.) Add to bowl. Mix all ingredients: To the mixing bowl, add the chilli powder (or chilli flakes) and fish sauce. Stir well. Note: At this point you can do a taste test, adding more chilli if you'd prefer it spicer, or more fish sauce if you'd prefer it saltier. Put the Appetizer Together: To plate appetizer, arrange 4 or more leaves (spinach or basil - diamond shape look nice) on a platter. Spoon some of the filling onto each leaf. If desired, top with more toasted coconut. Serve with wedges of lime. EATING INSTRUCTIONS: Squeeze a little lime juice onto one of the leaves and then pop the whole thing into your mouth at once.