Ingredients

• 20 leaves Betel leaves (chaphlu)
• 1/2 cup Toasted grated coconut
• 1/2 cup Roasted unsalted peanuts
• 2 cm Fresh ginger, finely diced
• 2 small Shallots, finely chopped
• 1 fruit Lime, finely diced (with skin)
• to taste Bird's eye chilies, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Dried shrimp, chopped (optional)
• 100 g Palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 tablespoons Tamarind paste
• 2 tablespoons Fish sauce (Nuoc Mâm)
• 1 teaspoon Fresh galangal, grated or finely chopped
• 60 ml Water

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the sauce: In a small saucepan, combine palm sugar, tamarind paste, fish sauce, galangal, and water. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes syrupy. Let cool.

2. 2

   Prepare the fillings: Finely chop the ginger, shallots, lime (with skin), and bird's eye chilies. Arrange them in separate small bowls.

3. 3

   Toast the grated coconut in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. 4

   In the same pan, lightly toast the peanuts if they are not already roasted. Let cool and coarsely chop them.

5. 5

   If using dried shrimp, finely chop them and quickly toast them in a dry pan until crispy.

6. 6

   Arrange the washed and dried betel leaves, the cooled sauce, and all the small bowls of fillings on a large serving platter.

7. 7

   To enjoy, take a betel leaf, add a spoon of sauce, then add a little of each filling according to your taste. Fold the leaf to form a small bite and enjoy immediately.