ต้ม และ ตุ๋น Archives

This is an aromatic stew that leans into the sweet spectrum of the palate. An all-time Thai favorite, moo palo was introduced locally by the Chinese-Cantonese and Tae Chiew immigrants who flocked to the Kingdom in the early nineteenth century. The name of this dish originates from two Chinese words: pah ziah and lou.

ต้มยำกะทิหัวปลีย่างใส่ไก่

It will not be an overstatement to say that banana trees accompany Thai people from their birth to the afterlife. Starting with the decorative objects made out of banana leaves newborns receive to invite protective spirits, and continues their entire life with the endless uses for banana leaves, trunks and fruits; finally ending with the female spirit ghost, maae praai taanee (แม่พรายตานี), who resides in banana trees and Thai beliefs.

ขนมลอดช่องน้ำกะทิ หรือ นกปล่อย

Thai desserts are usually made from common ingredients and therefore very popular. However, it was only during the 17th century that desserts and sweets actually became part of everyday meals. In the old days, they were served only at auspicious occasions and ceremonies.

During wedding ceremonies, for example, four kinds of sweets are usually served, collectively known as "the four plates dessert" (ขนมสี่ถ้วย ; khanohm see thuay). The ancient Thai expression "To eat four cups of dessert" (กินสี่ถ้วย ; gin see thuay ) used in the central region of the kingdom as an idiom referring to a wedding banquet.

Chicken Sam-oi (ไก่สำออย; gai sam aawy)

Gai sam aawy, whole chicken steamed with sugarcane inside, then simmered in coconut cream with coriander seed and cumin. From Tamrap Sai Yaowapa, 1935.

ต้มจืดมะระยัดไส้หมูสับ

Bitter gourds have long been prized in Asia for a trait considered a defect in cucumbers: bitterness. We tend to believe that anything bitter is medicinal and, in this case, we could be correct. The bitter gourd is said to cure a wide range of ailments - from gastrointestinal conditions to cancers, and from diabetes to HIV.

Beef Teochew Meatball and Pumpkin Coconut Curry (แกงบะช่อเนื้อโคกะทิ; gaaeng ba chaaw neuua kho:h ga thi)

Gaeng ba chaaw, Teochew-style beef meatballs seasoned with coriander root paste, simmered in coconut milk with pumpkin. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

ก้อยปลานิลหลวงพระบาง

A marvelous Luang Prabang style fish salad recipe (Koi Pla), which is very easy to prepare and even though it looks simple, its flavors are complex and clever.

Fresh fish fillet is sliced into thin strips which are quick blanched in lemongrass infused boiling water - a cooking method that presenting it’s natural flavors with an uplifting citrusy notes. The white fish slices are then mixed with, deep golden brown caramelized mix of fried garlic, shallots and lemongrass, which are not just visually pleasing but also add a unique sweetness and richness to the dish.

มะระขี้นกเชื่อม

Our ancestors, the early humans, had to base their food selection only on their senses. Sweet was energy, umami indicated the presence of proteins and saltiness was the sign for the much needed minerals. Generally, they avoided sour taste because it represented rotten or spoiled food, and bitter was the taste tonics and remedies were made of, and yes, it is now confirmed that bitter gourds are good for you.

ก้อยปลานิลเวียงจันทน์

In 1833 Prince Mongkut, who later became King Rama IV, found a square stone inscription, known today as “The Ramkhamheang’s Inscription”, believed to be written 541 years earlier, in 1292, by King Ramkhamheang - the third king of The Sukhothai Dynasty (1279-1298).

In this inscription King Ramkhamheang tells the story of the Sukhothai regime; He includes details of the systems of law and describes how he ruled the people wisely, in a kind and personal, like father and son manner. King Ramkhamheang – (who was an outstanding warrior, statesman, scholar and diplomat who expanded his control from the Khmer kingdom of Angkor in the east, through much of what is today central and southern Thailand, to northern parts of Laos and Burma) – gives a picture of his kingdom as idyllic and free of constrains.

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.

ขนมเม็ดขนุน

It is believed that this dish was introduced to the Siamese royal cuisine in the middle of the seventeenth century by Portuguese traders. Later, along with other egg yolk-based golden sweets like the golden drops (thong yot ทองหยอด), golden flowers (thong yip ทองหยิบ) and golden threads (foi thong ฝอยทอง), these royal desserts were passed to commoners outside the court.

For the marzipan filling I am using, beside the mung beans, both the flesh and the water of fragrant young coconuts. It gives a rich, sweet and almost nutty flavor which works perfectly with the silky texture of the mung beans and the creamy golden egg yolks coating.

แกงต้มกะทิเนื้อโคเค็ม อย่าง จีบ บุนนาค (พ.ศ. ๒๔๘๔)

ภูมิปัญญาไทยโบราณท่านมีความอัจฉริยะล้ำเลิศ คิดปรุงตำรับอาหารที่ได้ผลออกมาอย่างลงตัว ดังที่กล่าวมาในบทก่อนหน้า วิถีไทยอาศัยการถนอมอาหารด้วยการทำเค็มหรือตากแห้ง และเมื่อจะนำมารับประทาน ความรุ่มรวยทางวัฒนธรรมการกิน บวกกับความมีศิลปะแห่งการปรุง คนสมัยก่อนสามารถรังสรรค์ของใกล้ตัว ให้ออกมาเป็นตำรับที่วิเศษได้โดยง่าย ง่ายด้วยกรรมวิธี ง่ายด้วยวัตถุดิบเครื่องปรุง ให้เป็นของอร่อยแบบไทยแท้ หนึ่งในตำรับนั้นคือ "ต้มกะทิเนื้อโคเค็ม"....

Three-Style Pork (สุกรสามวรรณ; soo gaawn saam wan)

Soo gaawn saam wan: fatty pork reduced three ways—fish sauce with palm sugar, garcinia leaf juice, and fermented bean curd. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

ข้าวเม่าคลุก

รู้หรือไม่ว่า..ก็เป็นด้วย "ข้าวเม่าคลุกกับกล้วยไข่" ธรรมดา ๆ นี่แหละ ถึงได้พัฒนาตำรับไปเป็น "ข้าวเม่าทอด" แพงามน่ากิน และพอถูกนำพาเข้าเมือง ข้าวเม่าที่โดน "ราง" จนกรอบพอง เพื่อให้เก็บได้นาน ก็ได้รับการยกระดับ ถูกจับแต่งเติมเสริมสวย กลายเป็น "ข้าวเม่าหมี่" เพราะดัดแปลงจากผัดหมี่กรอบบ้าง "ข้าวเม่าเบื้อง"ที่ดัดแปลงจากขนมเบื้องบ้าง ดูหรูหราเจริญหูเจริญตา เป็นสาวชาวกรุงไปเสียเลย

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.

ขนมจีนซาวน้ำ อย่างท่านผู้หญิงกลีบ มหิธร

กลับจากวัดแล้ว เพลาเที่ยงพอดี ท่านขุนฯ ตั้งโต๊ะเลี้ยงสมาชิกบนเรือน ด้วยการทำ "ขนมจีนซาวน้ำ" ตามคำขอ ช่วงนี้จะทำอาหารอย่างขนมจีน สัก ๒ ตำรับ ให้ได้ชิมกันทั่วเรือนเรา แต่อย่าแค่กระนั้นเลย ขึ้นชื่อว่า ขุนวิเสทเลือดเย็น มีหรือจะทำอาหารไทยให้เหมือนคนอื่น ตำรับของเราต้องเป็นไทยแท้ และเป็นตำรับโบราณแบบที่คนปัจจุบันไม่เคยรู้มาก่อน จะทำให้ลูก ๆ หลาน ๆ ของเรางงกันเป็นไก่ตาแตกเลยทีเดียว....

ยำทวาย

This recipe would probably change your perception about the term "salad", maybe because its dressing has a multi layered, curry-like personality, rather than the common sour vinaigrette-like dressing, or maybe because it takes some good few hours to prepare, somewhat longer than simply opening a bag of hydroponic greens.

This salad is the fruit of the dedication of court ladies from aristocratic households, that for centuries perfected and elaborated on the art of cooking through detailed and calculated process, to create sophisticated dishes that are not only delicious but also very healthy and visually pleasing.

These ladies made a very large commitment for small things, and they attended all their time and efforts to make minor things better and getting the small things just right.

Braised Duck with Ginkgo Nuts or Lotus Seeds (เป็ดตุ๋นแบ๊ะก๊วยหรือเม็ดบัว; bpet dtoon bae guay reuu met buaa)

Braised Duck with Ginkgo Nuts, a Thai-Chinese dish where fried duck is slow-simmered with aromatic spices and ginkgo nuts. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 cookbook.

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).

ต้มแจ่วปลา

Dtom Jeaw Pla is a rustic and spicy fish soup that is far from being unsophisticated. There is something humble, genuine, and unpretentious about it, which makes you fall in love with it.

Its humble countryside charm and surfeit of tastes quickly placed it high on my personal list of favorite dishes.

The fresh essence of fish cooked to perfection melds with the earthy tones of the grilled ingredients, the eggplants, shallots, chilies and garlic. It has a heavenly silky broth with a scent of lemongrass, which is generously lifted up by a handful of fresh herbs, lemon basil, saw coriander and spring onions.

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.

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