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1
Put the lump of palm sugar and tamarind paste in a small bowl.
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2
Add a cup of hot water and allow them to dissolve.
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3
Set aside.
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4
Peel and chop up your shallots and garlic.
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5
Once all the palm sugar and tamarind paste has dissolved, add the liquid (using a sieve to strain the tamarind pulp) into a wide pan.
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6
Cook on a high heat in order to reduce the liquid into a syrup.
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7
It is important to keep stirring to help this reduction process.
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8
Once the liquid becomes a thick sticky syrup take the pan off the heat and pour the syrup into a bowl and set it aside.
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9
Add a few splashes of olive oil to the pan.
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10
Bring to a medium heat.
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11
Add the shallots and garlic and then lower the heat as this allows the shallots and garlic to cook without risk of burning.
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12
Chop up your tomatoes.
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13
Raise the heat to medium and add the tomatoes to the pan.
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14
Add a pinch or two of sea salt.
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15
Give it a stir.
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16
Cook for a little bit and then add a few splashes of white wine.
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17
Allow the liquid to simmer on a medium-low heat.
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18
De-seed and chop up the medium sized chillies.
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19
Dont forget to remove the buds at the top.
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20
Remove the buds and chop up the small chillies.
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21
Add a few splashes of Thai fish sauce into your tomato mixture.
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22
Once the sauce has thickened a bit add the chopped small chillies to the pan.
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23
Then add the medium chillies.
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24
Cook for a couple of minutes then pour in the palm sugar tamarind syrup.
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25
Give it a good stir.
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26
Let it cook until the sauce thickens.
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27
Lower the heat and add a couple splashes of brandy.
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28
Stir the brandy into the sauce.
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29
Adjust the saltiness of the sauce with fish sauce or salt.
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30
Now you have a very delicious sauce... a sauce that is sweet hot and savoury for your use.
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31
This sauce is traditionally served with crispy fried whole fish such as sea bass or sea bream but can be enjoyed with many other fish, fowl, meat dishes.
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32
Garnish your dish with a little coriander.
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33
Enjoy.
