Central Plains and Bangkok Cuisine Archives

Shorea Flower Curry (แกงพวงพยอม; gaaeng phuaang pha yaawm)

Shorea Flower Curry, a rare royal Thai dish combining floral notes with dried fish and pork belly. From Maawm Ying Soophaa's 1949 manuscript 'Divine Dishes'.

All-Purpose Sour, Sweet and Salty Chili Jam (Modern Version) (naam phrik phao; น้ำพริกเผาสมัยใหม่)

Thai Chili Jam - This is a chili jam similar to what is commonly sold under the name of roasted chili paste (naam phrik phao; น้ำพริกเผา). It is widely used as a condiment in salad dressings, soups, and seasoning for stir-fried dishes. I like to have control over my pantry ingredients, so I always use homemade naam phrik phao. Furthermore, since it is a basic ingredient used in so many dishes, anything less than the best will drastically impair the quality of your dishes.

(c1941) Heavenly Clear Soup (แกงจืดสวรรค์; gaaeng jeuut saawan)

Spicy Salad with Crispy Fish and Bird's Eye Chili (ยำปลากรอบกับพริกเม็ดเล็ก; yam bplaak raawp gap phrik met lek)

Yam bplaak raawp gap phrik met lek - smoke-dried fish salad with fried aromatic herbs and salt-tempered bird's eye chilies. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

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.

Stir-Fried Wild Duck with Salted Duck Egg Dumpling and Mustard Greens (ผัดฟองวิหคโสภณ; phat faawng wi hohk so:h phohn)

Phat faawng wi hohk so:h phohn: wild duck stir-fried with ornamental salted egg yolk dumplings in naam khlook khlik sauce. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Side dish - Birds Resting in the Nest (นกนอนรัง; nohk naawn rang)

Birds Resting in the Nest, baya weavers stuffed with peppery pork and draped in fine duck egg threads. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

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.

18 Seasoned fish sauce condiments (น้ำปลาปรุงรส ; naam bplaap roong roht)

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.

Naam Yaa Neuua – Northern Style Naam Ya according to Lady Plean Passakornrawong (น้ำยาเหนือ)

This fermented rice noodle dish is served with a slow-cooked, chili-less broth made from pounded fish meat and aromatics cooked in coconut cream. Creamy in color and velvety in texture, the broth is seasoned either with fish sauce, fermented fish or salted fish according to one’s preferences. The broth is allowed to slow-cook, achieving its full richness over a couple of hours. Once ready, the broth is poured over the noodles, which are then topped with a glossy-orangey layer of minced shrimp meat fried with their tomalley in pork lard. Complementing this richness are crunchy yellowish bean sprouts blanched in turmeric-tinted water, a sprinkle of sweet, golden crispy-fried shallots and, finally, green lemon basil leaves that endow the dish with a unique, rustic herbal persona.

(c1932) Sour water-based curry of pork, salted fish and vegetables blanched in pork lard (gaaeng sohm raang roong ; แกงส้มร่างรุ้ง แกงส้มหมูกับปลาเค็มใส่ผักตี่น้ำมัน )

Roasted Stuffed Duck Breast with Chestnuts and Mackerel (เป็ดยัดไส้เกาลัดรมควัน; bpet yat sai gaolat rohm khwan), circa 1935

Smoked duck stuffed with a mackerel and chestnut filling is a dish that defies cultural boundaries. An exemplar of blended culinary influences, featuring inviting colors and an elegant presentation that serve as a prelude to the complex flavors and textures that await, the dish is an eloquent testament to the cooking style of Mrs. Samaknantapol (Jeep Bunnag, who went by the pen name “the granddaughter of Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa”). In the 1930s. Mrs. Jeep Bunnag published her first cookbook. Following in the footsteps of her revered grandmother-in-law, Lady Plean Passakornrawong, she continued to document the art of Siamese cuisine through the treasured books she published and was known for her ability to merge culinary traditions into beautiful and innovative dishes that represent an era. The rich, dark color of the smoked duck’s skin is visually striking and appetizing, evoking a sense of indulgence and luxury. The smoky flavors that permeate the meat reflect our deep connection to primal cooking techniques, a fascinating juxtaposition to the refined presentation of the dish. When the smoked duck is sliced, its succulent pink meat is revealed, surrounding the golden filling of chestnuts and mackerel.

Country-Style Curry (แกงบ้านนอก; gaaeng baan naawk)

Gaaeng baan naawk, a country soup of prawns, pork belly and snakehead fish built on a pounded grilled-fish base. Tamrap Sai Yaowapa, 1935.

Taro and Crab Fritters (ทอดมันปูเผือก; thaawt man bpuu pheuuak)

Thaawt man bpuu pheuuak: finely shredded taro and sea crab in coconut-cream batter, fried in flat molds. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

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.

bplaa naaem (ปลาแนม) - A Siamese aristocratic small plate snack

Salted Indian salmon chili relish (น้ำพริกปลากุเลาเค็ม; naam phrik bplaa goo lao khem)

Coconut Balls Rolled in Ground Roasted Unripe Rice (ข้าวเม่าบด ; khaao mao boht)

This ball-shaped dessert has a sweet coconut filling (gracheek), surrounded by a thin crust of pounded unripe rice crumbs, along with a tempting fragrance enriched with a Thai dessert candle or fresh flowers. Demonstrating brilliant creativity and attention to detail, this classical Thai dessert uses only three basic ingredients. In this article, we have elected to follow the traditional recipe published in 1908 by Thanpuying Plean Passakornrawong.

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.

Naam Yaa Jeen - Fermented Rice Noodles with Chinese Sauce by HRH Prince Krom Luang Pitak Montri (น้ำยาจีน อย่างกรมหลวงพิทักษมนตรี)

Among the various curries that can be poured over khanom jeen fermented rice noodles, this broth, known as Chinese-style “naam yaa,” is unique in that it is a water-based curry that does not have chilies. As such, rather than the typical reddish-rust color of most coconut-based naam ya dishes from the Central Plains of the Kingdom, the sauce glows with a soft, light ivory hue, beautifully reflecting the dish’s natural sweet-savoriness, which is derived from slow-braising three proteins – chicken, pork and shrimp – along with a curry paste galvanized by smoke-dried fish and aromatic roots like galangal, fingerroot and sand ginger. The naam ya broth is served over a bed of fermented rice noodles and garnished with toppings such as delicate pulled chicken breast threads, golden-crispy fried shallots and garlic, and vivid green fresh coriander leaves and spring onion. All these elements add a visual grace and a hint of freshness to the robust broth – the signature dish of Prince Krom Luang Pitak Montri (กรมหลวงพิทักษ์มนตรี).

Have a look at some of our favorite courses.

Aromatic Primer for Thai Cuisine - Part 1

Patterns – Decoding the Complexity of Siamese Curry Paste: A Multidimensional Exploration

Get Access – Join Thaifoodmaster Today

Practical and kitchen-tested recipes with a mix of theory, history, psychology, and Siamese culture tidbits.

Get access to everything right away. Unlock more than 50 Masterclasses, over 700 recipes and Articles
Access to Thaifoodmaster’s constantly growing library of prime professional classes, articles, recipes and videos on Siamese culinary topics, available nowhere else in English.
GET EXTRA - New Masterclasses and Daily Recipes
Gain access to NEW masterclasses as they become available. Access DAILY translations of heritage-recipes.
1-1 support from Hanuman
1-1 support from Hanuman to help you achieve your professional Thai culinary goals
Live Q&A Sessions
The opportunity to join a monthly live two-hour videoconference where I can answer your questions.
Great Value!
one year access for the price of 3 days in-person training.

You will get everything you need to:

To Get inspired
When you design or build a new menu for an event or restaurant or even prepare for dinner with friends.
To Satisfy your curiosity.
Finally !
To Master Your Craft
Master your Thai cooking skills and expand your repertoire.

It is truly brilliant with a revolutionary approach introducing aspects and concepts never broached by cookbooks.

Ian Westcott

Sourcing Wines for Discerning Private Clients