Mohk is a cooking technique that involves wrapping food in leaves (haaw) and then placing the leaf-wrapped parcel directly over the burning charcoal, or burying it in the hot ashes (mohk).
The term haaw mohk (ห่อหมก) is used today to describe steamed curried cakes; when grilling is involved, the dishes are referred to as ngohp (งบ).
This Masterclass covers grilled ngohp dishes and coconut-based steamed curried haaw mohk dishes, both ancient and modern, as well as other banana leaf-wrapped regional dishes.
The steamed, coconut-based haaw mohk is an ancient Siamese dish that has the enviable reputation of being one of the hardest dishes to master – a dish that can’t be rushed through a haphazard process or prepared with any other than the best ingredients.
The Central Plains-style haaw mohk can be described as a savory mousse, a custard-like steamed curried cake made by mixing proteins, usually fish, with coconut cream, eggs, and a curry paste. It is seasoned to a mildly spicy, salty, and sweet flavor profile. Portions of the mixture are placed atop a bed of herbs, then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.
A well-cooked haaw mohk is judged by its texture, which should be soft, yet somewhat chewy, slightly gummy, and springy. Still, most important, haaw mohk celebrates the pleasant, sweet and appetizing scent of the curry paste. The curry paste masks completely the undesirable odor of the proteins, yet emphasizes their rich, natural sweetness, which is further scented with herbaceous, astringent and slightly bitter notes from the bed of aromatics on which the haaw mohk rests.
To meet these exacting standards, haaw mohk preparation adheres to strict protocols throughout the cooking process. This Masterclass offers a detailed scientific and chemical interpretation of the old-school Siamese cookery instructions that cooks were expected to follow. It also covers the dish’s background and comprehensive explanations of the ingredients, tools and equipment that are used.
When you complete this Masterclass, you will be proficient in cooking creamy – yet light and airy – steamed, savory curried cakes that reflect the country’s regional variations.
This recipe is for a coconut-based haaw mohk featuring clown featherback fish meat (เนื้อปลากราย) and slices of firm snakehead fish (ปลาช่อน). It is a classic recipe that follows the ancient haaw mohk tradition with a contemporary accent.
This festive and rich recipe is for a coconut-based haaw mohk featuring chicken, crab and pork meats. This recipe was chosen from the various versions available at the time by Lady Plean Passakornrawong, for inclusion in her epic cookbook Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa (MKHP) (ท่านผู้หญิงเปลี่ยน ภาสกรวงศ์ตำราแม่ครัวหัวป่าก์).
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.
The khaao ngohp gai (ข้าวงบไก่) recipe by Mom Chao Sai Ladawan (Princess Saisawali Phirom) evokes the flavor and aesthetics of Muslim-style cooking. First, cooked rice, chicken, and chicken offal are fried with butter and perfumed with whole spices. The buttery fried rice is wrapped in banana leaves and then grilled, forming a crispy outer crust of spiced-infused rice grains.
For the khanohm jeen saao naam version that we present today, we turn again to the writing of Thanpuying (Lady) Gleep Mahithaawn for her unique take on the dish. Her version is quite similar to the common recipe encountered nowadays, but Lady Gleep enhances it with more ingredients, elevating the dish yet another notch to the level of a majestic masterpiece.
