Baa Yir (Deep-Fried Yellow Bean Paste)

Ingredients

• 4 oz. dried moong beans
• soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 2 tsp. red curry paste
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 kaffir lime leaves
• rolled into a cigarette and finely sliced into slivers
• Oil for deep-frying
• 4 tbsp. sugar
• 6 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. In a mortar pound the drained moong beans to form a paste.
2. Add the other ingredients in turn, stirring well.
3. Pluck a small piece of the paste and form into a ball the size of a walnut.
4. Do not mould too tightly.
5. Deep-fry the balls until golden brown; drain and serve with the thick sweet sauce below.
6. Sauce: Gently heat the three ingredients until the sugar dissolves.
7. Allow to cool before serving.