Deep-Fried Yellow Bean Paste (Baa Yir)

4 oz Dried moong beans

-- soaked in water for 30 -- minutes, and drained 1 tb Plain flour

2 ts Red curry paste

1 tb Light soy sauce

1 ts Sugar

2 Kaffir lime leaves

- rolled into a cigarette & - finely sliced into slivers Oil; for deep-frying ---------------------------------THE SAUCE--------------------------------- 4 tb Sugar

6 tb Rice vinegar

1/2 ts Salt

In a mortar pound the drained moong beans to form a paste. Add the other ingredients in turn, stirring well. Pluck a small piece of the paste and form into a ball the size of a walnut. Do not mould too tightly. Deep-fry the balls until golden brown, drain and serve with the thick sweet sauce below. THE SAUCE: Gently heat the three ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool before serving. Source: Thai Vegetarian Cooking by Vatcharin Bhumichitr Typed for you by Karen Mintzias