Sousi Pa (Fish with Coconut Cream)

Ingredients

• •1 pound fish fillets
• •2 large dried chilies
• •5 cloves garlic
• •3 tender lemon leaves
• •1 slice fresh laos or l teaspoon laos powder
• •2 stalks lemon grass, finely sliced or 2 strips lemon rind
• •1 cup thick coconut milk
• •3 cups thin coconut milk
• •1 tablespoon fish sauce
• •2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
• •sprigs of fresh basil
• •5 or 6 small dried chilies
• •oil for frying

Directions

1. 1Wash fillets and cut into serving pieces. Remove stalks and seeds from large dried chilies and soak in hot water for 10 minutes.
2. 2With mortar and pestle, pound the chilies, garlic, lemon leaves, laos, lemon grass or lemon rind to a paste. An electric blender can be used, but it may be necessary to add a tablespoon or so of thick coconut milk to facilitate blending to a paste.
3. 3Heat the thick coconut milk in a saucepan until you see the oil floating on top. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes on low heat. Add pounded or blended mixture and fry until cooked, stirring constantly. Add pieces of fish and turn them in the mixture, then add thin coconut milk and fish sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. 4Add peanuts just before end of cooking. Serve garnished with basil and small whole dried chilies that have been fried for a few seconds in hot oil.