9 small dried red chiles
2 stalks fresh lemongrass
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped shallot
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
9 whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup coconut cream
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pound sea bass, snapper, cod, or other saltwater fish fillet, cut
crosswise into 1-inch pieces
Banana leaves for wrapping
9 fresh wild lime leaves, sliced crosswise in thin strips, or 2 tablespoons
freshly grated lime zest
1 cup stemmed small spinach leaves
Stem the chiles and shake out and discard the seeds. Chop coarsely and place in a small bowl. Add warm water to cover and soak for 20 minutes.
Trim the lemongrass stalks. Cut away and discard the grassy tops, leaving a stalk about 3 inches long. Cut away any hard root sections to leave a clean, smooth, flat base at the root end below the bulb. Remove and discard tough outer leaves. Slice each stalk crosswise very thinly. Finely chop the slices.
Drain the chiles and place in a heavy mortar. Add the garlic, shallot, lemongrass, turmeric, salt, and peppercorns. With a pestle, pound and grind until a coarse paste forms, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the curry paste with the coconut cream, sugar, and fish, and stir well. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the banana leaves into 4 rectangles each about 8 inches by 11 inches. Cut 4 additional rectangles about 3 inches by 6 inches. Place the large rectangles before you on a cutting board; place a smaller rectangle in the center of each. Stack several leaves of spinach on each small rectangle.
Stir the lime leaves into the fish curry, mixing well, and then divide the mixture evenly among the 4 sets of banana leaves, mounding it atop the spinach leaves. Fold the long edges of each large rectangle in to meet and overlap slightly in the center, forming a tube shape, and then carefully fold in the narrow ends to enclose the curry in the packet securely. Turn each packet over to enclose the curry in the packet securely. Turn each packet over so that it is seam side down, and then tie the packets loosely with long, thing strips of banana leaf, or thick cotton string.
Fill the bottom of a steamer pan or wok with water and bring to a rolling boil. Place the packets on a plate atop a steamer rack above the water. Cover the pan and begin timing. Cook over vigorously boiling water for 10 minutes.
Carefully transfer the packets to a serving platter and serve at once. let each diner open his or her own packet.