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A dish, like a smell or a color, can be so evocative in its place or time. This dish always takes me back to the food stalls of Chiang Mai with its vivid color and tartly savor.
In this fast-moving world, it is good sometimes to pause for a moment and to have a dish that emphasizes relaxation and allows you to enjoy a feast of textures and colors because it is never eaten alone. It is served with a rich plate of accompanying vegetables pleasantly arranged, and with a group of good friends; all sharing the centrally placed bowl of the shiny red relish.
nam phrik ong chili relish traces its origins to the “Tai Yai” minority (ไทยใหญ่ Shan people) and is traditionally made with a local variety of grape tomatoes ( บะเขือส้ม; ba kheuua sohm) and fermented soybeans cakes (Tua Nao ; ถั่วเน่า). The local tomatoes variety is especially sour and juicy but you can safely substitute them with cherry tomatoes and skip the Tua Nao if not available.
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Ingredients
- 500 g minced pork meat (เนื้อหมูบด)
- 2 cups Northern Thai sour cherry tomatoes (มะเขือส้ม) halved and bruised.
- 1/2 cup neutral tasting cooking oil (น้ำมันพืช)
- 2 Chinese garlic (กระเทียมจีน)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (น้ำตาลทราย)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (เกลือทะเล)
Chili Paste Ingredients
- 10 dried red long chili (phrik chee fa) (พริกชี้ฟ้าแห้ง)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (เกลือทะเล)
- 1 fermented soy bean cake (tua nao)(ถั่วเน่า)
- 1 lemongrass (ตะไคร้) about 1/4 cup
- 12 Chinese garlic (กระเทียมจีน) about 1/2 cup
- 1/2 cup shallots (หอมแดง)
- 1 tablespoon fermented shrimp paste (kapi)(กะปิย่างไฟ) gabpi
Instructions
- Start preparing the chili paste by pounding in a mortar and pestle the dry chilies with the salt as abrasive. Pound it very fine.
- On an open flame lightly roast the Tua Nao until fragrant.
- Add roasted Tua Nao to the mortar and pound it fine.
- Add chopped lemongrass to the mortar and keep pounding until the lemongrass is well incorporated.
- Add shallots, garlic, and pound together until you get a smooth and homogeneous paste.
- Add fermented shrimp paste and mix well. Set aside.
- In a mortar and pestle pound the chili paste, minced pork and tomatoes until the chili paste is well incorporated into the pork.
- Set a wide frying pan with the oil on a medium heat and lightly fry the garlic until light golden.
- Add the chili paste, tomatoes and pork mixture and fry while constantly mixing until the pork is done. The pork will release its juices into the pan, keep frying until all the pork liquids evaporates and you can hear again the sizzling frying sounds.
- In a mortar and pestle roughly bruise the remaining tomatoes to release their juices.
- Add the tomatoes to the frying pan and keep frying on a medium low heat until the tomatoes soften and releases most of their juices.
- Season flavors with salt and sugar and add bit of water if too dry.
- Serve with an assortment of fresh seasonal vegetables.
c1937 Shrimp and tomato curry (แกงกุ้งกับมะเขือเทศ คู่มือการครัว นางสาวฉลวย กันตวรรณี พ.ศ. 2480; gaaeng goong gap makheuua thaeht)
Stocked with a contemporary brew of umami-rich ingredients, this ancient, bright and slightly sour coconut-based shrimp and tomato curry demonstrates how simple – yet clever – flavor-layering techniques can spotlight the shrimp and the spectacular savory tomatoes over the curry background.
Khanohm Jeen Naam Ngiaao – Shan-Style Tomato Broth over Fermented Rice Noodles with Pork, Chicken Feet and Chicken Blood Cakes (ขนมจีนน้ำเงี้ยว)
A popular noodle dish originating from the Northern region of the Kingdom, khanohm jeen naam ngiaao (ขนมจีนน้ำเงี้ยว) is characterized by its light – yet profound – multi-layered broth. This hearty broth includes an assortment of proteins braised with the dried pollens of cotton tree flowers, and Northern Thai sour cherry tomatoes (มะเขือส้ม); the tomatoes infuse the broth with a subtle tartness that refreshes a full-bodied profile comprising a multitude of fermented ingredients.
The naam ngiaao broth is served over fermented rice noodles and features minced pork, and braised baby back pork ribs with their tender meat clinging to the bone. As well, there are succulent, slow-cooked whole chicken feet, and cubes of slightly bouncy, mauve-hued chicken blood cakes. Served alongside the soup are various toppings, which can include shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, chopped coriander leaves, and spring onions, while dark red chili oil and glossy, charred-fried dried bird’s eye chilies offer a fiery intensity dialed up to your preferred spiciness. In addition, I like to add wok-smoked sour cherry tomatoes and broom-like, crispy-fried dried cotton tree pollen for a surprising textural contrast.
Though the dish is often described as “Shan style”, the word ‘ngiao’ was a derogatory expression for the Shan people. As the disparaging – and outdated – label suggests, the recipe might reflect societal biases and prejudices; thus, at least from the culinary perspective, the ‘ngiao’ in the name of the dish may simply be a nod to the flavors or ingredients favored by The Shan, rather than a claim of authenticity – which could also explain why the dish is based on a Siamese curry paste.
Rice Seasoned with Young Tamarind Relish, Sweetened Fish and Pickled Morning Glory (ข้าวคลุกน้ำพริกมะขามอ่อน ผักบุ้งดอง ปลาแห้งผัดหวาน และ ปลาดุกย่าง; Khaao Khlook Naam Phrik Makhaam Aawn Phakboong Daawng Bplaa Haaeng Phat Waan Lae Bplaa Dook Yaang)
Seasoned rice dishes have been a staple of rice-consuming societies almost since the first grains were cultivated. Adapted according to local resources, traditions and individual preferences, seasoned rice dishes are relished and savored across all walks of life. Within Siamese society, these dishes offer insight into the flavor instincts and eating habits across all demographics, revealing which food items were locally available and valued.
In this delicious seasoned rice recipe from the kitchens of the daughter of King Chulalongkorn, Princess Yaovabha Bongsanid (พระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าเยาวภาพงศ์สนิท) (1884-1934), the Princess uses a variety of common preserved and inexpensive ingredients, clearly drawing inspiration from the cuisine of the Central Plains with nods to the rural and coastal living atmosphere.
Slices of firm pork fat and pork liver are alternately layered on top of one another and tied into bite-sized bundles using green threads made […]
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