Step 1

Add coconut milk to a wok and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add red curry paste and stir to mix with the coconut milk, then keep cooking and stirring until very thick and the coconut oil will start to separate from the paste.

Step 2

Add the ground pork and toss to mix with the curry paste, turning the heat up to medium high. Keep stirring until fully cooked.

Step 3

Add sugar and water chestnuts and toss to mix. Then taste and add fish sauce as needed.

Step 4

Put coconut milk in a small pot.

Step 5

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Then add about half of the dissolved cornstarch to the coconut milk. Turn the heat on high and stir CONSTANTLY until it comes to a boil.

Step 6

Once boiling, look to see if it needs to be thickened further (it will thicken a bit more once it cools down). If so, add more of the the cornstarch slurry. You want it to still be easily pourable but thick enough that it won't run all over the place once you drizzle it on the taco. If you've added too much cornstarch, just add more coconut milk to thin it out.

Step 7

Add salt and lime juice, then taste and adjust as needed. You want it to be just a bit tart (no more than sour cream or yogurt-level).

Step 8

To make the dressing, in a mortar pound chilies until fine (or you can finely mince).

Step 9

Add the sugar and swirl with the pestle to help break down the chili skins even more.

Step 10

Add fish sauce, lime juice, and stir to dissolve the sugar.

Step 11

Add shallots and tomatoes and stir to allow some of the tomato juices to mix in with the dressing. Set this aside until close to serving, don't toss it with the cabbage too far in advance.

Step 12

When ready to use, pour the dressing over the cabbage and add chopped green onions and cilantro to taste. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.