Jeow Mak Len (Lao Tomato Dipping Sauce)
User Reviews
5
Jeow Mak Len (Lao Tomato Dipping Sauce)
Description
The sauce begins by charring medium tomatoes, shallots, unpeeled garlic cloves, Bird's eye chilies, and most of the green onions on a grill or under a broiler until they're blistered and slightly blackened. The peeling and removal of stems or seeds from chilies can adjust heat intensity. In a mortar and pestle, peeled garlic is mashed into a paste, followed by chopped chilies and shallots, and then the grilled green onions. The tomatoes are roughly chopped and mashed with the other ingredients, forming a textured sauce. Fish sauce and pinch of salt season the mixture, and chopped cilantro is folded in for fresh herbal notes. Thinly sliced green onions garnish the final sauce.
Jeow Mak Len has a smoky char flavor from grilling combined with the heat of fresh chilies and umami from fish sauce. It is served as a flavorful condiment alongside sticky rice, grilled seafood, or meats, enhancing dishes with bright, spicy, and savory notes. The coarse texture adds contrast to smooth or tender main dishes.
Ingredients
- 3 tomato medium
- 2 shallots unpeeled, small
- 4-7 Red Bird's eye Chilies
- 4 garlic unpeeled, cloves
- 3 green onions divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- Pinch salt
- 1/4 cup cilantro roughly chopped
Instructions
- Arrange the tomatoes, shallots, chilies, unpeeled garlic cloves and two of the green onions over a grill pan or on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Cook, turning occasionally, on a heated grill or under a broiler until blistered and charred on all sides (but not completely burnt). Remove the garlic, green onions, chilies, and shallots as they become charred before the tomatoes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Using a large mortar and pestle, peel the garlic cloves and mash into a paste.
- Remove the stems (and seeds for less heat) from the chilies, chop, and add to the garlic. Peel the shallots and chop along with the charred green onions, then mash with the garlic and chilies.
- Roughly chop, and mash the tomatoes with the rest of the vegetables to form a textured sauce. Mix in the fish sauce, salt, and cilantro. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Thinly slice the remaining green onion and sprinkle over the sauce for garnish along with a few pieces of cilantro.
- Serve with sticky rice, grilled meat, and vegetables.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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