Tomato and Vietnamese balm jeow

Ingredients 
•  1 head garlic 
•  1 handful red or brown shallots
•  5 – 7 small red chillies (or 2 – 3 larger ones) 
•  2 large tomatoes 
•  1 t salt 
•  2 T fish sauce sugar and lime juice to taste (optional) 
•  ⅓ C Vietnamese balm leaves (dried leaves or lemon balm may be substituted) or coriander leaves substitute 
•  2 T stock or water to adjust jeow consistency

Method
1.  Thread the chillies on toothpicks or a bamboo satay skewer. 
2.  Place the head of garlic, shallots, threaded chillies and tomatoes on a wire rack or mesh screen and grill over a low flame using a charcoal or gas burner. Alternatively, place the ingredients on a sheet of tinfoil and grill over an electric element or under an oven grill for the same durations. 
3.  Turn the ingredients frequently while grilling. The chillies should be grilled until black and soft inside (about 12 minutes). When each is ready, remove from the grill and place on a plate. Deskewer the chillies and peel the garlic cloves, shallots and the tomato. 
4. Place the salt, fish sauce and a small amount of sugar in a mortar or food processor. 
5. Add the chillies, garlic and shallots to the mortar and pound several minutes. Add the tomatoes and pound until smooth. 
6. To finish, add the finely chopped Vietnamese balm and up to 2 tablespoons of water or liquid stock until a thick paste is formed. Taste and adjust flavour with extra salt, sugar and/or souring agent

Information by Food from Northern Laos (The Boat Landing Cookbook)

Video by  Nuck Khmu