- 10 to 18 (2- to 3-inch-long) prik haeng (dried red chiles), halved and seeds discarded
- 6 oz Chinese long beans, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 6 small shallots, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ga-pi (Thai shrimp paste)
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 lb red cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon nam pla (Asian fish sauce; preferably Thai)
- 4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1/2 head cabbage (1 1/2 lb), cut into 8 wedges (including core)
- Special equipment: a large (2-cup) mortar and pestle (preferably granite); a large (6-qt) wok
- Cut chiles into 1/4-inch pieces with kitchen shears and soak in warm water until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain in a sieve.
- While chiles soak, blanch beans in a saucepan of boiling salted water 1 minute, then transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain well.
- Pound chiles, shallots, garlic, salt, shrimp paste, and sugar to a coarse paste with mortar and pestle, about 8 minutes. Transfer half of paste to a small bowl, then add half of tomatoes to mortar and pound until tomatoes begin to break up and form a chunky sauce. Transfer tomato mixture to another bowl and pound remaining chile paste and tomatoes in same manner.
- Pat pork dry. Heat oil in wok over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook pork, stirring, until no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced and slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add fish sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute.
- Serve relish warm or at room temperature with vegetables on the side.