Gaawy goong suay is a rich, mildly spicy, sour-salty, and slightly sweet chili relish enriched with peanuts and charged with the flavor and metaphysical properties of the shrimp. It is eaten with acid-cured shrimp meat flakes and egg threads; tossed with cooked pork skin, firm pork fat, aromatics and herbs; and served alongside vegetables.
This dish showcases the early Siamese cooking style rooted in Ayutthaya, and the flavors once celebrated only within the boundaries of the palace walls. At one time this dish was a favorite among the aristocracy – so beloved that King Rama II dedicated an entire verse to it in his famous Boat Poem. However, in subsequent years, this chili relish fell out of vogue and was almost forgotten.
In this Masterclass, we trace the history of the dish from its first appearance in the early 18th century and examine six recipes spanning sixty years of culinary literature, reaching from 1908 until it fell out of fashion in the late 1960s. This immersive culinary journey will culminate with Thaifoodmaster’s revival version of the dish – a version inspired by and based on suggestions and techniques gleaned from those who documented the dish over the years.
Class Content
เมนูในวันนี้ที่หนุมานจะมานำเสนอคือ “ต้มยำกุ้งทอดมันดอกโสน” ซึ่งรสชาติความหวานอมขมของดอกโสนนั้น สามารถเข้ากันได้ดีกับความหวานของเนื้อกุ้งและความแซบของต้มยำอีกด้วย หรือแม้กระทั่งทอดมันดอกโสนเปล่า ๆ ยังสามารถทานเป็นอาหารว่างได้อีก
The khaao ngohp goong (ข้าวงบกุ้ง) of Mom Chao Sai Ladawan (Princess Saisawali Phirom) is a dish of seasoned curried rice mixed with shrimp meat, shrimp tomalley, grated coconut, and herbs. The rice mix is then wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. Unwrapping the parcel reveals an intense orange- and russet-brown colored rice cake that is rich, savory and naturally sweet. It is served with a drizzle of thickened coconut cream and herbs.
Originating in the early 1800s, Metropolitan Chili Relish is cheerful and complex, yet unassuming – a subtly epic relish composed of more than 20 ingredients, some of which are seasonal. The relative absence of this relish from contemporary menus could be attributed to its difficult-to-assemble ingredient list, coupled with a dwindling number of chefs who are adept at its preparation.
However, despite its intricate composition, the relish adheres to the same foundational culinary principles of other shrimp paste (kapi) chili relishes. Here, though, the savoriness is strengthened with smoke-dried fish, grilled shrimp and pork fat crackling; and the relish is seasoned to a citrus-infused, fruity, sour-sweet leading and salty to follow flavor profile, to which numerous sour and sour-sweet elements are mixed in – akin to a deep-rooted tree extending its branches to bear colorful fruits that shine in varying shades of a tartness.
