Central Plains and Bangkok Cuisine Archives

“Sang-de-Boeuf Porcelain” Fermented Rice Noodles by Princess Jongjittanom Dissakul (ขนมจีนครามแดง อย่าง หม่อมเจ้าหญิงจงจิตรถนอม ดิศกุล ; khanohm jeen khraam daaeng)

Khanohm faawy or Khanohm handtraa A Forgotten Thai Dessert and Snack ขนมฝอย หรือ ขนมหันตรา

Known as Khanohm faawy (ขนมฝอย) or Khanohm handtraa, this sweet or savory packet can be a dessert or a snack. The dessert has a sweet filling of silky mung beans and a coconut marzipan-like paste, while the snack’s savory filling consists of shrimp and pork minced and seasoned with garlic, coriander root and white peppercorns. Each is theatrically wrapped in a striking nest of skillfully crafted duck’s egg thread.

c1941 Magical beef curry (แกงเนื้อวิเศษ พ.ศ. 2484 ; gaaeng neuua wisaeht)

Swamp Eel Triple-Layered Red Curry with Fingerroot, Bitter Ginger, Sand Ginger and Thai Basil Flowers (แกงเผ็ดปลาไหลทรงเครื่อง ; Gaaeng Phet Bplaa Lai Sohng Khreuuang)

This eel curry includes a greater-than-usual quantity of aromatics used over three stages. First, the eel is cleaned and sliced into segments; then it is fried with a generous amount of lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and shallots. These help to counter its muddy and somewhat iron-like odor, which disappears along with the liquids and the aromatics. This eel curry recipe is adapted from the vintage book: “Gap Khaao O:H Chaa Roht” by Ging Ga Nohk) (กับข้าวโอชารส โดย กิ่งกนก – กาญจนาภา พ.ศ. 2485). This rare book was written in 1942 during WWII, a period of global turmoil in which Thailand was invaded by the Japanese. That same year marked a decade from the ending of absolute monarchy rule in 1932, and one generation away from the peak of the Siamese culinary renaissance that flourished in the court of King Rama V (1868-1910): a nostalgic era for its children who are still with us to remember and reflect on those times.

grilled-banana-leaf-parcels-with-chicken-fried-rice

Grilled banana leaf parcels filled with butter-fried rice with chicken, chicken offal and dried spices, served with a sour-sweet coconut-base vegetable relish (ข้าวงบไก่ อาจาดอังวะ ; khaao ngohp gai aajaat angwa)

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.

c1889 Faux Rhino Skin Salad (ยำโขนงเนื้อเทียม หรือ ยำหนังหมู ; yam kho:h nohng neuua thiiam reuu yam nang muu)

This old-fashioned Siamese pork skin salad is adapted from an 1889 rhino skin salad recipe. It features thin glossy slices of cooked pork skin, simmered in rich coconut cream, and mixed with dried shrimp, roasted coconut, sour fruits; it is seasoned with chili jam-based dressing.

Mandarine Orange Peel Salad (ยำผิวส้มจีน; yam phiu sohm jeen)

Yam phiu sohm jeen features carefully prepared mandarine orange peel combined with minced shrimp and pork. From Maawm Ying Soophaa's 1949 royal Thai culinary manuscript.

The Ambassador’s House Style Noodle Soup (หมี่น้ำบ้านราชทูต; Mee Naam Baan Raat Thuut)

This soup dish features crispy rice vermicelli noodles, a chicken broth that has a three-flavor profile infused with the aroma of bitter orange, and a plethora of other ingredients such as crispy fried tofu, chicken, pork, crab and pickled garlic. In Thai, the phrase mee naam baan raat thuut refers to a rice vermicelli noodle soup in the style of the Ambassador’s house. The dish was not new when it appeared in the 1956 book Snacks, Tea Nibbles, Hors D’oeuvres and Drinking Food (ตำราอาหารว่าง - เครื่องน้ำชา และ เครื่องเคี้ยว หรือ กับแกล้ม) by Jeeb Bunnag (จีบ บุนนาค), as noodle dishes were often the preferred ingredient for light meals or snacks. In Grandparents Recipes: 100 Years Old Recipes (จานอร่อยจากปู่ย่า สูตรโบราณ 100 ปี), a volume printed in 2014 that highlights recipes from the kitchens of fifteen prominent families, a similar version of the dish is referred to as mee naam baan bpaak naai leert (หมี่น้ำบ้านปาร์คนายเลิศ) and is associated with Nai Lert.

Grilled Rawaaeng Curried Rice Parcels in Banana Leaves (ระแวงขาวปิง; ra waaeng khaao bping)

Ra waaeng khaao bping, rice parcels with duck and coconut cream wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 Thai appetizer cookbook.

Chicken Curry with Fresh Lychee (แกงไก่กับลิ้นจี่สด; gaaeng gai gap lin jee soht)

Gaaeng gai gap lin jee soht: coconut chicken curry with whole fresh lychee, added last to preserve its floral aroma. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Crab and Spring Onion Coconut-Based Curry (แกงคั่วปูกับต้นหอม; Gaaeng Khuaa Bpuu Gap Dtohn Haawm)

Preparing a crab curry is an exercise in culinary diplomacy, wherein the challenge lies in negotiating the distinct flavors of land and sea into a cohesive understanding and capturing the perfect balance. This golden gastronomic horizon is where the delicate whispers of the ocean meet earth’s bold declarations – and at its core is a straightforward question: How do we craft a curry that testifies, via crab, to the ocean’s bounty, yet remains grounded in the earth’s aromatic flora, with roots like galangal and turmeric? In addition, it is challenging to create a curry that is luxuriously creamy, yet light and not too greasy; where the crab’s delicate natural sweetness surfaces as a pleasant sea breeze, levitating above the pitfalls of being too fishy or overly sweetened. Another hurdle is achieving the precise color – produced by red chilies, golden turmeric and peppercorns – that reflects the culinary traditions of southern seashore fishing communities. I like mine set to about a 70:30 ratio of yellow to red and, if using black peppercorns, with a deep brown undertone.

Into The Woods – The Story of Jungle Curry (แกงป่า; gaaeng bpaa)

Date Palm in Coconut Milk (อินทผาลัมน้ำกะทิ; in tpha lam naam ga thi)

In tpha lam naam ga thi, date palm hand-torn and served in freshly pressed coconut milk, lightly salted. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Stir-Fried Gao Lao Buut (ผัดเกาเหลาบูด; phat gao lao buut)

Phat gao lao buut, chicken offal and pork belly stir-fried in rendered pork fat, sweet-sour seasoned. From Maawm Ying Soophaa, 1951.

Pumpkin Simmered in Coconut Milk with Pounded Dried Shrimp and Shrimp Scored to Lie Straight (แกงต้มกะทิฟักเหลือง; gaaeng dtohm ga thi fak leuuang)

Pumpkin and shrimp in coconut milk, seasoned with pounded dried shrimp and white pepper, the shrimp scored to stay straight. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

The Narratives of Aesthetics and Patterns in Chuu Chee Dishes (เรื่องฉู่ฉี่)

Santol and Shrimp Curry (แกงคั่วกุ้งกับกระท้อน; gaaeng khuaa goong gap gra thaawn)

Gaaeng khuaa goong gap gra thaawn: santol double-soaked in salt water to draw out tannins, stir-fried with phrik khing paste. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Roasted Tomato Salad, or Banana Chili Salad (ยำมะเขือเทศ (หรือพริกหยวก); yam ma kheuua thaeht)

Yam ma kheuua thaeht: flame-roasted tomatoes, peeled and seeded, dressed with ground dried shrimp and madan. Lady Gleep Mahithaawn, 1949.

Chuu Chee Chicken Curry (แกงฉู่ฉี่ไก่; gaaeng chuu chee gai)

Chuu Chee Chicken Curry, a rich aromatic dish simmered in thick coconut cream with lemongrass and dried chilies. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 Cookbook of Rice Companion Recipes.

c1889 Garee Curry with Shrimp and Cucumber (แกงกะหรี่กุ้งกับแตงกวา; gaaeng garee goong gap dtaaeng gwaa)

In this old-fashioned coconut-based curry, orangey shrimp and bright green cucumber shine in a golden haze of curry powder, caressed by the light breeze of Indian flare. Cucumbers are used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine as a coolant, to offset internal heat and to resolve fevers. Thus, like a refreshing oasis in the middle of a shimmering desert, the cucumber counterbalances the chili’s internal heat energy and mellows the fragrant, earthy undertones of the spice blend in the dish.

Shrimp Ball Soup (แกงลูกชิ้นกุ้ง; gaaeng luuk chin goong)

Gaaeng luuk chin goong, shrimp balls pounded and slapped for springy texture in clear broth with garland chrysanthemum. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

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