Instructions: For those of you who felt that yesterdays offering was too mild to appear in the chili-heads list, here is a - shall we say more robust - version.

Dont be fooled by the slight increase in the "heat" ingredients: the overnight marination in oil that has been used to saute chilis and curry paste makes this a dish that many folk would need to approach with a degree of caution (not that it is anything excessive for the denisons of this spool).

phra ram long song (meat in a peanut sauce)

There are a number of possible translations of the title of this dish, which is from the milder "Royal Thai" tradition. Phraram is the name given in Thai to the God Rama, or the title of the King. The title can be translated by those of a poetic nature to mean food so good it makes the king cry...

Typically this is a mild Royal Thai dish, but this method, with virtually the same ingredients, and a method differing only in adding a marinading period, is somewhat fuller bodied.

This dish can be made with pork, beef, chicken or shrimp. shrimp require less cooking and beef rather more. This version is made with pork

Note that phak bung is very common - almost a weed - in Thailand. In the West where it is probably unobtainable, use spinach or kale.

Heat a wok, and add three tablespoons of peanut oil, add the garlic, ginger, chilis. Stir fry for 1 minute. Remove the flavorants, and use the flavored oil to stir fry the peanuts for 5 minutes. Remove the peanuts, and when cool, grind to a fine paste. To the flavored oil, add the 1 tablespoon of curry paste and fry until aromatic. Cool, and then with the garlic, ginger and chilis, process to a fine paste, adding a little of the pork stock to thin it. Marinade the meat in this mixture overnight.

Reheat the meat and the marinade in a wok, and add the remaining curry paste, and stir until thoroughly mixed, then add the coconut milk, and stir until it comes to a simmer. Add the remaining stock, and mix thoroughly.

When the sauce returns to a simmer, add the remaining ingredients, except the vegetables. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Finally add the vegetables, turn the heat up and boil vigorously for 1 minute. Serve with jasmine rice.

We cooked this to check the recipe in a 16" wok that is 6" deep - if your wok is smaller or shallower you may not wish to have this much sauce in a wok, and of course you can complete the recipe in a medium saucepan.

Of course you can increase the amounts of chili, ginger and curry paste if you desire.

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