Samlor Kako: Khmer Small Fish and Vegetable Stew - Salads, Soups & Stews Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 lb small fish, scaled, washed and cooked whole (Mekong flying barb, yellow tail rasbora, slender rasbora or any small, firm-fleshed fish may be used)
• 1 tbsp prahok (Khmer fish paste)
• 2 tbsp tik trei (iron-fortified fish sauce)
• 2 tsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 1 tsp iodized salt (or to taste)
• 4 tbsp ground toasted rice
• 5 cups water (or fish stock for flavor)
• 3 tbsp green kroeung, a spice paste (see below for recipe)
• 1 pumpkin wedge (about 7 oz.), peeled, seeds removed, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 green papaya wedge (about 7 oz.), peeled, washed, seeds removed and shredded
• 2 handfuls long beans or French beans (about 7 oz.), cut lengthwise into 1 inch pieces
• 2 green bananas (or 1 green plantain), washed then peeled and shredded
• 1/2 cup trob put-nhorng (pea eggplant), stalks removed, washed and slightly crushed just before using
• 1 small eggplant, washed, trimmed, quartered and cut diagonally into slices ½ inch thick
• 2 big handfuls sleuk ma-raeh (bitter melon leaves) or spinach leaves
• 3 tbsp lemon grass leaves, very thinly sliced
• 4 kaffir lime leaves or zest of ¼ kaffir lime
• 1 tbsp peeled and chopped turmeric roots
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 4 shallots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp iodized salt