Tirk Pahok

Sweet, sour and spicy, with delicious light flavoring fermented/pickle fish dipping sauce. This is an authentic Khmer recipe and the most popular dipping sauce in Kampuchea Krom. Sauce is very important in most Khmer dish. Therefor, it is very important that you adjust the sauce to your taste.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup water.
  
• 3 Tablespoons creamy style fermented/pickle fish paste “ pahok”.
  
• 2 Tablespoons minced fresh lemon grass.
  
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice.
  
• 1 Tablespoon sugar.
  
• 1 Tablespoon cooking oil.
  
• 1 Teaspoon grounded fresh chili paste. Prefer Sambal Olekek brand.
  
• 2 Gloves garlic. Minced.
  
• 3 Chopped fresh hot chili.(Option).
  
• ¼ Cup crushed, roasted, unsalted peanut.(Option).
  

Directions

Heat up a small saucepan in medium high temperature.
When the saucepan is hot, pour cooking oil and immediately add garlic and lemon grass. Stirs.
Pour water into the saucepan, when the water boiled, stirs “pahok” in. Stirs well.
Remove from the stove before add sugar, lemon juice and chili paste.
Taste the sauce, and increase or decrease ” pahok”, or sugar to your liking.
Top with chopped chili and peanut before serve.