Kroeung

Ingredients

Yellow kroeung

• 6 stalkslemongrass, tender inner part only
• 50 gfresh turmeric
• 30 ggalangal
• 6kaffir lime leaves
• zest of 1 kaffir lime
• 8 clovesgarlic
• 6shallots
• 1 tspsalt

For red kroeung

• add 10 dried red chillies, soaked

For green kroeung

• add 1 large bunch fresh green herbs and green chillies

Equipment

• a heavy stone mortar and pestle

Directions

1. Peel the lemongrass down to the pale tender core and discard the tough outer layers entirely.
2. Use only the bottom third and only the soft inner part. The fibrous outer stalk never breaks down and leaves splinters through the finished dish.
3. Slice the lemongrass as thinly as you possibly can, across the grain. Slicing it paper-thin before pounding is not optional. Slice the turmeric and galangal thinly as well, and shred the lime leaves finely with the stems removed.
4. Start with the lemongrass and salt alone, and work them to a fibrous paste before anything else goes in. Adding everything at once means the soft shallots turn to liquid and cushion the lemongrass, which then never breaks down.
5. Add the galangal and turmeric and pound until smooth, then the lime leaves and zest. Add the garlic and shallots last, when everything else is already a paste.
6. Keep pounding until it is completely smooth with no visible fibre, which takes 20 to 30 minutes by hand. A blender will do it in two minutes and it will not be the same.
7. Use it immediately, or press it into a jar under a film of oil and refrigerate for up to a week.

Technique

• It is the foundation of amok, samlor machu, and most Khmer curries and stir-fries.
• Fresh turmeric rather than dried is essential; the powder gives colour and none of the character.
• The proportions shift from household to household and from dish to dish.

Substitutions

• A food processor, accepting a coarser and less aromatic paste.
• Frozen prepared kroeung, sold in Southeast Asian shops.

Variations

• Red kroeung, with dried chilli, for samlor machu and beef dishes.
• Green kroeung, with fresh herbs, for fish.
• With prahok, fermented fish paste, added at the point of cooking rather than into the paste.

History

The base of most Khmer cooking; yellow, red and green versions differ by the chilli and root used, and each family grinds its own.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kroeung?

Kroeung is a sauce & condiment from Cambodia: pounded paste of lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, kaffir lime and garlic. The base of most Khmer cooking; yellow, red and green versions differ by the chilli and root used, and each family grinds its own.

How long does Kroeung take to make?

Kroeung takes 40 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes about 300 g. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Kroeung?

Yes, within limits. A food processor, accepting a coarser and less aromatic paste. Frozen prepared kroeung, sold in Southeast Asian shops.

What is the most important thing to get right in Kroeung?

Use only the bottom third and only the soft inner part. The fibrous outer stalk never breaks down and leaves splinters through the finished dish.