Miang Tuna

Miang Tuna (Seared Herb-crusted Tuna in Pandanus Leaves)

Ingredients
1 ½ teaspoon nam pla
1 ½ teaspoon lime juice
1 ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
¼ pound tuna steak, cut into 6 by 1 ½ inch pieces
1 tablespoon uncooked rice, roasted and ground (See khao khua)
¼ cup jasmine rice, cooked
3 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 slices lime
1 teaspoon pandanus leaves, shredded
6 pandanus leaves, cut into 1 by 3 inch pieces
6 small wooden skewers
vegetable oil for deep-frying

Directions
Combine nam pla, lime juice and vinegar in a bowl and add the tuna pieces. Add ground rice, jasmine rice, scallions, garlic and pepper. Squeeze the juice from two lime slices onto the tuna and add the shredded pandanus leaves. Leave the mixture to marinade for one hour.


Wrap each piece of tuna in a piece of pandanus leaf. Thread onto a wooden skewer. Deep-fry the tuna skewers in plenty of vegetable oil for about 10 seconds.


For the Sauce:
2 cups tamarind water
1 cup nam pla
½ cup palm sugar


Mix all the ingredients together and simmer over low heat until it thickens. Allow to cool.


For the Condiments:
1 teaspoon lime, sliced
1 teaspoon shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon ginger, sliced
10 peanuts, roasted
10 dried shrimp, fried
6 pork rinds, fried
6 fresh betel nut leaves