Stimulate your taste buds and experience the burst of Thai flavors in this bite sized appetizer.  Make this for your guests and sit back to see different reactions when they pop this spicy, salty, sour and sweet bite into the mouth.

INGREDIENTS

For the Appetizer

10-15 betel leaves (small and tender)

4 fresh thai chili peppers

1/2 cup lime segments

1/2 cup shallots

1/2 cup ginger

1/2 cup toasted peanuts

1/2 cup toasted peanuts

For the Sauce

1/2 cup dates

1 tablespoon tamarind sauce

1 tablespoon shallot

1 tablespoon ginger

2 tablespoons roasted peanuts

2 tablespoons pam sugar

2 tablespoons toasted coconut

PREPARATION

Step 1

Wash the betel leaves and pat dry.  Prepare the peanuts, and coconut by roasting them separately in a pan over low heat.  Remove these them once they are toasted and let them cool.

Step 2

Cut the fresh ingredients by chopping them into small pieces. Limes should be chopped with their skin

Step 3

Prepare the sauce by roasting the dry ingredients separately on a medium low-heat pan. Cut galanga, ginger, shallots into small pieces and roast them in a pan over medium heat, remove them once you see the are fully dried out and toasted. Add all the dry and wet ingredients, dates, palm sugar and tamarind sauce to the food processor and make a fine paste.  Heat the paste in a small sauce pan, add water if you find it to be sticky.

To serve this appetizer, take one betel leaf and spread a sauce in the middle. Then add the rest of the fresh and toasted ingredients to the leaf, wrap it like a paan and pop it into your mouth.