Ancient Chilli and Coconut Relish
Fermented chilli, toasted coconut and palm sugar relish that turns plain rice electric.
Prik Gap Gleua
David Thompson's Thai Food includes a modern prik gap gleua that transforms a bowl of rice into a savoury, crunchy, fiery meal. This rendition leans on fermentation for deeper funk so the relish hits sweet, salty, hot, and nutty notes all at once.
Use a proper mortar and pestle—ideally one with some weight—because the pounding step builds the sticky matrix that keeps toasted coconut suspended. A blender tears the coconut into dust and the relish turns flat.
I ferment the chilli component for complexity. The moisture that arrives with fermentation shortens its shelf life, but the relish rarely survives longer than a few dinners anyway.
Ingredients
Chilli is the backbone. Keep things simple with fermented bird's eye chillies, spike the mix with a young habanero, or use a vinegar-pickled red chilli if that's what you have. Just make sure the chilli brings brightness alongside heat.
Palm sugar is non-negotiable: its nutty caramel note is what makes the relish cling to rice. Cheap refined sugar leaves the mix hollow.
Recipe
Toast the coconut in a dry pan over medium heat until evenly browned and fragrant, then cool completely.
Pound the fermented chillies, optional habanero and salt with a mortar and pestle until they form a coarse paste.
Work in the yellow bean and palm sugar until sticky, then fold in the toasted coconut so the relish binds while the shreds stay textural.