Home > Thai food recipes by their origin > Central Plains and Bangkok Cuisine
Fermented rice noodles with multi-sour aromatic chicken sauce by Lady Gleep Mahithaawn (ขนมจีนน้ำพริกไก่ อย่างท่านผู้หญิงกลีบ มหิธร พ.ศ. 2492; khanohm jeen naam phrik gai)
c1949 Fermented rice noodles with multi-sour aromatic chicken sauce by Lady Gleep Mahithaawn (ขนมจีนน้ำพริกไก่ อย่างท่านผู้หญิงกลีบ มหิธร พ.ศ. 2492; khanohm jeen naam phrik gai)
Tom Yam Kung Recipe, Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp (tom yum goong ; ต้มยำกุ้ง)
Tom Yam is a type of soup with distinct sharp hot and sour flavors, scented with pleasant citrusy aroma. Tom Yam is known to seduce many westerners to fall in love with Thailand, its people and food. Many trips memories to Thailand were written in diaries, others are etched on film but all are stained by the Tom Yam charm. I still remember with vivid colors my first bowl of Tom Yam, in the night market of the old neighborhood on a hot night in a ragged, unfashionable part of Bangkok. Where the smell of cooking and the glare of florescent lights decorated the alley where JeMoi used to own a restaurant, a very simple and very good one, decorated with cheap bamboo chairs and peeling orange walls. I would enjoy watching the streets of the early night turning into mornings, eating, drinking and sweating. It was hard to say if I was sweating from the hot and humid weather, the cheap whiskey or JeMoi’s spicy food. I still smile when I think of her, standing by my table with a winning smile, as if she knew how much I enjoy the food.
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.
khao-phat-garee
Golden Chestnut Fried Rice with Mint and Tomato (ข้าวผัดกาหรี่; khaao phat garee), circa 1935
Dating from the early 1900s, this tempting fried rice dish highlights how the Siamese aristocracy savored their golden rice, perfumed with an alluring blend of imported spices. The dish can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a larger meal featuring curries and soups.
Seasoned Pickled Razor Clam Relish (หอยเสียบดองปรุง; haawy siiap daawng bproong)
Seasoned Pickled Razor Clam Relish (หอยเสียบดองปรุง; haawy siiap daawng bproong)
Haawy siiap daawng bproong, pickled razor clam relish seasoned with three acids—kaffir lime, lime, and tamarind. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.
Curry of Black Ear Catfish or Iridescent Shark with Lemon Basil (แกงปลาเทโพหรือปลาสวายกับใบแมงลัก; gaaeng bplaa thaeh pho:h reuu bplaa sawaai gap bai maaeng lak)
Curry of Black Ear Catfish or Iridescent Shark with Lemon Basil (แกงปลาเทโพหรือปลาสวายกับใบแมงลัก; gaaeng bplaa thaeh pho:h reuu bplaa sawaai gap bai maaeng lak)
Gaaeng bplaa thaeh phoh, water-based catfish curry with lemon basil, tamarind, and a pounded dry spice paste. Mrs. Paan Nanthaaphiwat, 1953.
แกงเขียวหวานเป็ดย่าง - Thai Green Curry with Roasted Duck and Young Chilies
Thai Green Curry with Roasted Duck and Young Chilies (แกงเขียวหวานเป็ดย่าง ; gaaeng khiaao waan bpet yang)
Green curry, with its mellow, creamy green color and rich coconut base, has both fresh and mature flavors. Like new growth on plants, it brings brightness, youthfulness, spring and rebirth to the meltdown of flavors created in the curry paste. The green curry paste uses mainly the same standard ingredients as Thai spicy-red curry paste: lemongrass, coriander roots, kaffir lime zest, galangal, garlic, shallots, white peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, salt and kapi.
shrimp-cucumber-curry
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.
heavenly clear soup
(c1941) Heavenly Clear Soup (แกงจืดสวรรค์; gaaeng jeuut saawan)
Slow-Braised Pork Belly with Chinese Daylily Flower (แกงต้มหมูหอง; gaaeng dtohm muu haawng)
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.
naam phrik roy rot
Salted Indian salmon chili relish (น้ำพริกปลากุเลาเค็ม; naam phrik bplaa goo lao khem)
Dry-Fried Salted Spanish Mackerel Relish (ปลาอินทรีคั่ว; bplaa in see khuaa)
Dry-Fried Salted Spanish Mackerel Relish (ปลาอินทรีคั่ว; bplaa in see khuaa)
Bplaa in see khuaa — grilled salted mackerel pounded with seven aromatics, fried in roasted coconut oil. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.
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.
Green Mango Salad with Puffed Fish (ยำมะม่วงปลาฟู; yam ma muaang bplaa fuu)
Green Mango Salad with Puffed Fish (ยำมะม่วงปลาฟู; yam ma muaang bplaa fuu)
Yam ma muaang bplaa fuu, green mango salad with snakehead fish grilled, air-dried, then lard-fried until puffed. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.
Italian Tube Pasta (แป้งหลอดอิตาเลียน; bpaaeng laawt i dtaa liian)
Italian Tube Pasta (แป้งหลอดอิตาเลียน; bpaaeng laawt i dtaa liian)
Bpaaeng laawt i dtaa liian, macaroni in clear bone broth with steamed pork meatballs, prawns, and shredded chicken. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.
Coconut Braised Sun-Dried Salted Beef with Bamboo Shoots (แกงต้มกะทิเนื้อโคเค็ม ; gaaeng dtohm gathi neuua khoh khem)
Coconut-Braised Sun-Dried Salted Beef with Bamboo Shoots (แกงต้มกะทิเนื้อโคเค็ม ; gaaeng dtohm gathi neuua khoh khem)
แกงต้มกะทิเนื้อโคเค็ม - In this dish, umami-charged, salted sun-dried beef is gently grilled over charcoal, adding smoke and caramelized elements that emerge in the core of the flavor profile, alongside the umami and the savor of fat. The meat is then cut into bite-size pieces, and slowly braised in thick coconut milk. The coconut fits perfectly onto the triangle of umami, fat and smoke. It brings its own umami and fatty shades, and introduces a rich sweetness that pairs seamlessly with the caramelized character of the grilled beef. The braising also rehydrates the beef and softens it. Bamboo shoots, shallots, galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves are added, perfecting the dish with a complementary sweetness, echoing the umami hues, and cutting citrusy notes while creating hidden astringent layers. The dish is finished with fresh chili peppers and hair-thin julienned kaffir lime for a fresh aroma and piquant bite.
“International Style” Spicy Curry (แกงเผ็ด แบบสากล; gaaeng phet baaep saa gohn)
“International Style” Spicy Curry (แกงเผ็ด แบบสากล; gaaeng phet baaep saa gohn)
Gaeng phet baaep saa gohn — beef pre-seared with fish sauce, curry paste bloomed in cracked coconut cream. green tomatoes or hairy-fruited eggplant (maeuk) and dual basils - Gingganok Gaanjanaaphaa, 1935.
The Secret Healing Powers of Siamese Curries – A Closer Look at Gaaeng Yaa (แกงยา)
cured oysters
c1949 Quick-cured oysters with ginger and kaffir lime zest by Maawm Ying Soophaa (หอยนางรมดอง โดย หม่อมหญิงสุภา พ.ศ. 2492; haawy naang rohm daawng)
naam phrik roy rot
Chili relish of salted duck egg yolks (น้ำพริกไข่เค็ม ; naam phrik khai khem)
grilled beef mangosteen salad
Grilled beef and mangosteen (or grape) salad with mint dressing, by Princess Jongjittanom Dissakul (ยำเนื้อย่างกับมังคุดหรือองุ่น; yam neuua yaang gap mangkhoot reuu angoon)
This grilled beef salad with luscious mangosteen (or grapes) is seasoned with a crisp, cooling dressing of fermented shrimp paste and mint. The mangosteen’s tropical character – a flavor redolent of many other fruits – dominates its fruity essence and is a perfect complement to both the grilled meat and the lingering, sour-salty-sweet, minty dressing. Furthermore, citrusy notes of thinly sliced lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, coupled with richness of thickened coconut cream, unite the caramelized, meaty elements with the dish’s fruity spectrum.
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