Tam Khao Pod Kai Kem (Thai Corn Salad With Salted Duck Egg)

In a medium Dutch oven, combine coconut milk, salt and granulated sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to help dissolve salt and sugar. Add corn, and use tongs to turn ears until evenly coated on all sides with coconut milk. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, checking and turning occasionally with tongs, until corn is tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer corn to a cutting board and allow to cool slightly; remove coconut milk mixture from heat and reserve. Vicky Wasik Once corn is cool enough to handle, working with one ear at a time, use a sharp knife to cut kernels off of cob in large planks, rotating ear 90 degrees onto freshly cut side between cuts. Do your best to keep corn pieces as large as possible and not separate into individual kernels. Repeat with remaining ears of corn; discard cobs, and set corn aside. Vicky Wasik Using a sharp knife, halve salted duck egg lengthwise, cutting through the shell. Scoop egg out of the shell with a spoon; discard shell. Using clean hands, crumble egg into small pieces, and set aside. Vicky Wasik In a clay or wooden mortar and pestle, combine garlic and chiles and pound to a very coarse paste, about 30 seconds. Add palm sugar and dried shrimp and pound until slightly broken down, about 20 seconds. Add tomatoes and long beans, and pound lightly until beans are lightly crushed and tomatoes have released some of their juices but are still mostly intact, about 15 seconds. Take care not to over-pound; you want the ingredients to maintain their integrity and texture. Add fish sauce and lime juice, and using the pestle, stir in a circular motion, applying gentle pressure to the mortar to fully dissolve the palm sugar, about 15 seconds. Vicky Wasik Add reserved corn and salted duck egg. Using a large spoon, mix gently to combine, while doing your best to keep corn in large clusters (some of the corn will break down into individual kernels, and that’s fine). Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with 1/4 cup (60ml) of reserved coconut milk mixture. Serve immediately with cooked jasmine or sticky rice. Vicky Wasik