Original Recipe from Hawker Fare, Stories & Recipes from a Refugee Chef’s Isan Thai & Lao Roots by James Syhabout (Amazon)
Ingredients
For the Fried Shallots
- 1 Shallot, peeled
- 2-3 cups canola oil (depending on size/shape of pan, you just need enough to cover the shallots)
For the Beer Nuts
- 2 cups shelled peanuts
- 5 fresh thai or similar chillis, diced
- 1/8 cup (25 grams) garlic, diced
- 6 fresh lime leaves, sliced thin
- 1/8 cup canola oil
- 1/2 Tbsp iodized salt
- 2 Tbsp fried shallots
- 2 Tbsp Kashmiri Smoke
Directions
For the Fried Shallots:
- With a mandolin or sharp knife, slice the shallot as thin as possible (I use the thinnest setting on a mandolin).
- Heat oil in a wok or frying pan with high walls to 365F
- Add shallots to oil in small batches. The oil will bubble when the shallots hit because of the water content in the shallots, so leave plenty of room in the pan for the oil level to rise. Fry until golden brown.
- Drain each batch on a plate with layered paper towel to soak up some of the oil. Cool until room temp.
For the Beer Nuts:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the peanuts on a baking sheet in a single layer, and roast for 10 min, mixing the peanuts once or twice to ensure even toasting. Remove from oven.
- Combine lime leaves, garlic, chillis in a mortar and pestle and grind to a rough paste.
- Heat oil in wok or large pan over medium heat, add the chilli paste and stir until sizzling and starting to brown a bit.
- Add Kashmiri Smoke to mixture and stir until mixed in and fragrant.
- Turn heat to medium-high and add the peanuts, stirring regularly.
- Once mixture is crisp and browning a bit, add iodized salt and fried shallots. Toss to mix.
- Remove from heat and cool on baking sheet. Serve with beer.
