อาหารภาคกลาง Archives

Stir-Fried Macaroni (มักกะโรนีผัด; mak ga ro:h nee phat)

Mak ga ro:h nee phat, macaroni stir-fried with garlic-lard paste, pork, shrimp, and roasted peanuts. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

งบปลาช่อน

I love this straightforward grilled Thai fish curry in banana leaves because it packs a punch with its aromatic curry mixture that embrace the white and tender fish meat with great flavors. It is a great addition for any Thai meal and very easy to prepare.

Snakehead fish, traditionally caught from irrigation ditches or flooded rice fields, benefits from the aromatic curry paste because it helps to eliminate unpleasant odors which wild caught fishes might acquire from their muddy habitat. Nowadays though, it is commercially farmed and one can safely cook it in various ways with no risk of those undesirable odors.

Saaeng Waa Shrimp (แสร้งว่ากุ้งสด; saaeng waa goong soht)

Saaeng waa goong soht, a shrimp relish of hand-torn just-cooked shrimp with pink ginger and kaffir lime. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Santol Salad (ยำกระท้อน; yam gra thaawn)

Yam gra thaawn, tart santol salad with pork, shrimp, and crushed peanuts. Fruit is salt-soaked and air-dried to reduce bitterness. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Shrimp Rice Soup (ข้าวต้มกุ้ง; khaao dtohm goong)

Khaao dtohm goong: garlic-fragrant rice soup with raw prawn cooked in the bowl and shrimp tomalley. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Chicken Curry Steamed in Young Coconut (ห่อหมกไก่มะพร้าวอ่อน; haaw mohk gai ma phraao aawn)

Chicken Curry Steamed in Young Coconut, featuring chicken cooked inside a coconut shell with a curry base of unpeeled peanuts and fermented shrimp paste. From Gingganok's 1948.

Mild Soup of Barramundi and Lily Bulbs (แกงจืดปลากะพงแป๊ะฮะ; gaaeng jeuut bplaa ga phohng bpae ha)

Gaaeng jeuut with barramundi and lily bulbs soaked until petals open. Thai-Chinese clear soup from Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 cookbook.

Stuffed Whole Chicken (ไก่สำเร็จ; gai sam ret)

Gai sam ret, whole chicken deboned through the neck, stuffed with pork, shiitake and lotus seeds, glazed with Maggi. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Pork and Three Beans Minced-Bird Style Curry with Fingerroot and Holy Basil (แกงคั่วหมูสับถั่วพู; Gaaeng Muu Sap Thuaa Phuu)

This contemporary minced-bird style curry uses pork rather than bird. However, since thicker, meatier curries have become associated in modern Thai cuisine with the bold presence of fingerroot – for example, in dishes such as fermented rice noodles in naam yaa thick fish curry (khanohm jeen naam yaa (ขนมจีนน้ำยา)) – this dish adopts the penetrating aromatic character of fingerroot along with the clove-like warmth of holy basil. Like crisp footsteps in a forest, this satisfyingly meaty curry features vibrant fresh red chilies and thinly sliced yardlong beans and winged beans. It is suitable to serve with rice or with fermented rice noodles (khanom jeen paeng mak), conveying an aromatic upcountry flair.

Spicy Chicken Curry (แกงเผ็ดไก่; gaaeng phet gai)

Gaaeng phet gai, chicken simmered in a pork-lard-fried red curry paste with optional brandy or sherry. From Maawm Sohm Jeen's Tamra Gap Khao, c. 1890.

Khaao man sohm dtam and the first-ever recorded recipe for papaya salad (ข้าวมันส้มตำ)

Beef-Stuffed Potato Croquettes (มันสอดไส้; man saawt sai)

Man saawt sai, mashed potato shells encasing a minced-beef filling pounded with ginger, turmeric and coriander, fried golden. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Slow-Braised Pork Belly with Chinese Daylily Flower (แกงต้มหมูหอง; gaaeng dtohm muu haawng)

Gaaeng dtohm muu haawng, pork belly slow-braised with Chinese daylily flower, star anise and tao chiao paste. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 Cookbook of Rice Companion Recipes.

Angel Visiting the Chamber: A Salad of Pomelo, Pork Skin and Shrimp with Chili Jam Dressing, circa 1920s (ยำนางฟ้าเยี่ยมห้อง; yam naang faa yiiam haawng)

The name of this dish, yam naang faa yiiam haawng (ยำนางฟ้าเยี่ยมห้อง), translates to ‘Angel Visiting the Chamber Salad’ in English. This celestial salad, which originated in the 1920s, is a playful chili jam-based salad that combines the textural gradients of pomelo, with its citrusy bursts, chewy cooked pork skin, and the sweet and slightly resilient cooked shrimp meat. The pomelo’s citrusy notes are further amplified with thinly sliced lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves sliced into hair-thin juliennes. I like to adjust the sourness and sweetness of the chili jam-based dressing based on the acidity of the pomelo. As our aim is to achieve a final sour-salty and sweet flavor profile, a sour-salty dressing is suggested if the pomelo is sweet, while a salty-sweet dressing pairs better with a sour pomelo.

ขนมจีนญี่ปุ่น

สูตรทำขนมจีนญี่ปุ่น - มีตำรับอาหารสมัยก่อนอย่างหนึ่ง เป็นสูตรของ ท่านผู้หญิงกลีบ มหิธร ดูเหมือนจะเป็นอาหารว่างคาว ให้ชื่อว่า “ขนมจีนญี่ปุ่น” ลองมาดูเครื่องปรุง และวิธีทำกัน ผู้อ่านจะบอกได้หรือไม่ว่า ตำรับนี้มีต้นกำเนิดจากดินแดนอาทิตย์อุทัย หรือไม่ประการใด ตำรับของท่านผู้หญิงกลีบ มีดังนี้

Golden Baked Coconut and Lotus Seed Custard (ขนมกุมภแกงเมล็ดบัว; khanohm goom pha gaaeng ma let buaa)

Khanohm goom pha gaaeng ma let buaa, a lotus seed custard with caramelized coconut solids, radiant-baked until golden. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

khanohm goom gaaeng thuaa (ขนมกุมแกงถั่ว; khanohm goom gaaeng thuaa)

Golden Baked Coconut and Mung Bean Custard (ขนมกุมภแกงถั่ว; khanohm pha goom gaaeng thuaa)

Khanohm goom gaaeng thuaa, a baked coconut and mung bean confection using top-heat charcoal baking, from Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 manuscript.

Tom Yam of Snakehead Fish (ต้มยำปลาช่อน; dtohm yam bplaa chaawn)

Dtohm yam bplaa chaawn: snakehead fish in milled-rice broth, the chili jam pounded off the fire and dissolved in the bowl. Tamra Gap Khao, 1890.

ข้าวเม่าบด

การดัดแปลงตำรับของหวานจากข้าวเม่า ท่านขุนฯ ว่า "ข้าวเม่าบด" นี่แหละคลาสสิกที่สุด ใช้ศิลปะ ในการปรุงแบบไทย ๆ มากที่สุด เพราะมีการนำข้าวเม่ามาบด มาคลุก มาปั้น ผ่านส่วนผสมแค่น้ำตาล และมะพร้าว ซึ่งเป็นหัวใจหลักของการทำขนมไทย พร้อมอบควันเทียนและร่ำกลิ่นดอกไม้ ที่เป็นขั้นตอนสุดท้ายของขนมไทย ตำรับข้าวเม่าชนิดอื่น ไม่มีอย่างนี้ ส่วนผสมใน "ข้าวเม่าบด" จึงมีแค่ 3 อย่าง คือ ข้าวเม่า น้ำตาล มะพร้าวห้าวคั้นกะทิ และ มะพร้าวทึนทึกขูด แค่นี้ก็ทำให้ขนมมีเสน่ห์ได้ขอรับ !!!

Seasoned Chicken Tongue Relish (ลิ้นระกาปรุง; lin ra gaa bproong)

Lin ra gaa bproong, pounded chicken tongue relish with ruaan shrimp and ginger, from Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 Cookbook of Rice Companion Recipes.

Crispy pork or sweet beef threads (หมูเค็มผัดฝอย; muu khem phat faawy)

Crispy sweet pork or beef threads (หมูเค็มผัดฝอย ; muu khem phat faawy)

This is a modern version of a classic sweet meat threads condiment that often complements chili relishes or is served as a side dish in classic Siamese samrub meals.

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