1 1/2 cup coconut milk                                                                                                                     
1 cup water
3 1/2 oz or 100 gram minced chicken or salmon*
3 tbsp fermented soybeans**
5-7  fresh chile peppers, sliced into short length
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot
1 tbsp coconut sweetener or sucanat
2-3 tbsp tamarind juice***


Place the coconut milk and water into the pot over medium heat until it boils. Add minced pork or chicken in coconut milk and wait until it starts to boil and pork is cooked. Season to taste with fermented soybeans, palm sugar and tamarind juice. Follow with chile pepper and shallot. When it returns to the boil, remove from the heat. Serve hot with rice.

The taste will be a great combination between little bit salty from fermented soybeans, sour, sweet and also spicy from chile peppers. Adjust for your personal taste. Fermenting your own soybeans will not be salty so adjust the soup with sea salt and pepper, if needed.  

*For a vegetarian option, cook a 1/2 cup for French green lentils or sprinkle in ¼ cup ground hemp seeds just before serving.

**Look in Asian grocery or specialty stores for fermented black beans or natto. To ferment you own cooked soybeans, cooked the soybeans or buy a can of organic, salt free soybeans or black beans. Rinse cooked beans, and place in a bowl, Cover with water and add 1 tsp sea salt and 1-2 tablespoons real apple cider vinegar. Let it sit overnight, uncovered. Rinse and use as needed. Fermenting over night improves digestibility and will provide the extra health protection of fermented soy, however it will not taste “fermented” For a more traditional fermented taste, let sit for 5 days.

*** Tamarind juice is also found in Asian stores. You can substitute 2 tablespoons orange juice and 1 tablespoon to lime juice.