Sousi Pa

Ingredients

 * 500 g (1 lb) fish fillets
 * 2 large dried chillies 1
 * 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
 * springs of fresh basil
 * 5 or 6 small dried chillies
 * oil for frying

Directions

 * 1) Wash fillets and cut into serving pieces.
 * 2) Remove stalks and seeds from large dried chilies and soak in hot water for 10 minutes.
 * 3) With 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).
 * 4) Heat the thick coconut milk in a saucepan until you see the oil floating on top.
 * 5) This takes about 10 – 15 minutes on low heat.
 * 6) Add pounded or blended mixture and fry until cooked, stirring constantly.
 * 7) Add pieces of fish and turn them in the mixture, then add thin coconut milk and fish sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.
 * 8) Add peanuts just before end of cooking.
 * 9) Serve garnished with basil and small whole dried chilies that have been fried for a few seconds in hot oil.