Haw Mukh - fish custard

haw mukh is a rarity : a dish intended as an appetiser or snack. It is 
essentially a custard made from curried steamed fish. A non curreid set 
of ingredients is included as an "afterthought", though to avoid 
reptition I won't repeat the method - I leave that to the experience and 
imagination of the lovers of bland food. 

Ingredients 

1 pound of white fish (cod), cut into small bite sized chunks 

5 tablespoons of finely chopped phak bung (swamp cabbage (or spinach)) 
6 tablespoons of red curry paste 
6 tablespoons of finely chopped, freshly toasted peanuts 
3 tablespoons of finely chopped bai makrut (kaffir lime leaf or lime 
zest) 
2 eggs 
6 tablespoons of thick coconut milk 
2 tablespoons of fish sauce 
2 tablespoons of corn starch 
2 tablespoons of prik ki nu daeng (red birdseye chilis) julienned 

method 

In Thailand this is steamed in little cups made from banana leaves, 
pinned together with tooth picks, but you could just as well use ramekin 
bowls. 

Mix all the ingredients but the peanuts, julienned chilis, phak bung and 
fish in a food processor. 

Line the bowls with the phak bung, then put the fish in the bowls. Stir 
the peanuts and chilis into the sauce mixture and pour over the fish. 
Leave a little expansion space at the top of the dish. 

Place the filled bowls in a steamer, and steam for 15 to 20 minutes 
(until the fish is cooked and the sauce has set into a custard like 
consistency). 

To serve  

Either serve the dishes 'as is' with the usual Thai table condiments, or 
for a more formal occasion, whip some thick coconut milk, and garnish 
each bowl with a couple of teaspoons of the whipped coconut milk and a 
slivered red chili. 

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Non chili version: 

sauce ingredients 

2 cups of coconut milk 
4 egg yolks 
2 tablespoons of fish sauce 
2 tablespoons of corn starch