Thai-style gammon hock, cucumber, papaya, toasted rice, macadamias and hot-and-sour tamarind caramel

Name: Thai-style gammon hock, cucumber, papaya, toasted rice, macadamias and hot-and-sour tamarind caramel
Yield: For 6 as a main course or 10 as a starter
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 2 carrots, peeled, then peeled into strips; 2 tbsp white rice (any type); 1 x 400 g (14 oz.) papaya, peeled, seeds discarded, diced; 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthways, deseeded and thinly sliced; 200 g (7 oz./1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar; 6 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 tsp fish sauce; 3–4 tbsp tamarind paste (more or less to taste); 100 g (3½ oz./¾ cup) macadamia nuts, toasted and chopped; 1 medium bunch coriander (cilantro), picked; 1 shallot, thinly sliced into rings; 30 mint leaves, torn; 1 medium bunch coriander (cilantro), picked; 3½ tbsp soy sauce; 6 star anise; 2 gammon (ham) hocks (about 1.2 kg/2 lb. 10 oz. each) or knuckle ends; 2 gammon (ham) hocks (about 1.2 kg/2 lb. 10 oz. each) or knuckle ends; 2 red chillies, chopped (including seeds); 4 tbsp grated fresh ginger; 6 lime leaves; 1 lemongrass stem, bashed and halved

Preparation info

For
6
as a main course as a starter

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Savour

By Peter Gordon

Published 2016

About

This is a slightly time-consuming salad, but it’s really worth the effort. The sticky twice-cooked gammon (ham) is really tasty, and your home will have delicious aromas of star anise! You can cook the gammon (ham) a few days beforehand so there’s no need to feel rushed.

Ingredients

2 gammon (ham) hocks (about 1.2 kg/2 lb. 10 oz.

Asia
Thailand
Main course
Starter
South East Asia

Method

Put the gammon (ham) hocks in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain into a colander, then return to the saucepan and run cold water over them for 2 minutes. Drain again, then return to the saucepan and add the soy sauce, star anise, lime leaves, lemongrass, half the chopped chilli, half the ginger and half the garlic. Cover with water and br