The greens of phak kum have to be pickled for at least three days the same way as pickling mustard greens (phak kat). This recipe calls for roasted dried chilies. (Noi Chamrat, personal communication, June 18, 2007)
Pickling method
1. Wash the greens and dry in the sun for a few hours
2. Mix salt into the greens
3. Add steamed sticky rice and enough liquid from rinsing the rice to cover the greens. Cover the jar with banana leaves or a plastic sheet and tie with a string. Leave for 3-5 days until fermented.
Method of cooking
1. Chop the pickled greens coarsely and put back in the pickling juice.
2. Mix in fermented liquid from fermented fish, shrimp paste, and pulverized chilies and galangal. Add lemongrass and eggplant slices.
3. Top with chopped coriander and spring onions.
Leave greens to dry in the sun until slightly wilted before proceeding to pickling them.
