Grill and BBQ Archives

Beef Phanaeng Curry and Ancient Grilled Phanaeng Chicken Curry (พะแนงเนื้อ และ ไก่ผะแนง จากตำราอาหารที่เก่าสุดในสยาม)

Breaking news: The oldest Thai cookbook, as well as history’s first-ever recorded recipe for Phanaeng curry, are revealed for the first time on Thaifoodmaster.com - A 126-year-old cookbook written by one of Siam’s most revered singers, Maawm Sohm Jeen (Raa Chaa Noopraphan) (หม่อมซ่มจีน, ราชานุประพันธุ์), has been rediscovered, offering a unique glimpse into the culinary repertoire of 19th-century Siam. In this chapter we examine the different forms of phanaeng curry from the 1800s to the present day, as we reconstruct the 19th-century version and craft step-by-step a traditional beef phanaeng curry.

Satay Lue - Grilled beef satay with thick Muslim style peanut sauce (สะเต๊ะลือ กับ น้ำจิ้มอย่างแขก ; sadteh leuu kap naam jim yaang khaaek)

Grilling Fish, Various Meats, and Large Birds (ย่างปลา เนื้อสัตว์ต่างๆ และนกใหญ่; yaang bplaa neuua sat dtaang dtaang lae nohk yai)

Yaang bplaa: fish, meats, and large birds smoke-dried over smoldered coconut husk with banana leaf covering. Tamra Khraawp Lo:hk, 1929.

Fermented Rice Noodles Served with Pineapple, Fish Balls in Coconut Milk, Grilled Curried Fish Cakes, Young Ginger and Dry Shrimp Powder
(ขนมจีนซาวน้ำ ; khanohm jeen saao naam )

For the khanohm jeen saao naam version that we present today, we turn again to the writing of Thanpuying (Lady) Gleep Mahithaawn for her unique take on the dish. Her version is quite similar to the common recipe encountered nowadays, but Lady Gleep enhances it with more ingredients, elevating the dish yet another notch to the level of a majestic masterpiece.

c1941 Roasted Duck Curry with Grapes (Gaaeng Ho) (แกงเป็ดเหาะใส่องุ่น อย่างคุณถนอม ปาลบุตร พ.ศ. 2484; gaaeng bpet haw sai angoon)

Grapes have long been associated with prosperity, fertility and abundance across various cultures and historical periods due to the fruit’s large clusters and bountiful growth. In ancient China, grapes were considered a symbol of wealth and nobility, and often deployed as a status symbol among the elite. In Greek mythology, Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility, was often depicted holding a bunch of grapes, further emphasizing the connection between grapes and abundance. This association is also likely rooted in the fact that grapes were a valuable crop in antiquity – used to produce wine and other fermented products, and an important source of food and nutrition. In Indian Ayurvedic texts, grapes are referred to as vineaksha and utilized in treating a variety of ailments, including fever and indigestion. From the Siamese perspective, the incorporation of fruits in culinary preparations was viewed as a luxurious indulgence, as many fruits commonly available today were once difficult to obtain. Thus the pairing of an extravagant ingredient – such as fruit – with an equally opulent and exclusive delicacy like roasted duck resulted in a dish fit for royalty.

Krayathip (กระยาทิพย์; gra yaa thip)

Krayathip, spiced pork and coconut parcels wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 cookbook of Thai snacks and desserts.

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.

Chicken Satay (สะเต๊ะไก่; sa dteh gai)

Sa dteh gai: chicken on sugarcane skewers with bacon, basted with cream and breadcrumbs, served with a stewed-apple dip. Tamrap Sai Yaowapa, 1935.

Grilled Catfish-and-Roasted-Rice Pla Ra Relish (ปลาร้าปลาดุกข้าวคั่วปิ้ง; bplaa raa bplaa dook khaao khuaa bping)

Catfish-and-roasted-rice pla ra grilled in banana leaf with shallots, galangal and coconut cream until the leaf chars. From Lady Gleep Mahithaawn, 1949.

Chicken Wings in Black Pepper Caramel ปีกไก่พริกไทยดำซอสคาราเมล ; bpeek gai phrik thai dam sauce caramel

Here is a quick, tasty dish that allows me to be genuinely emotional: from the tears I shed each time I chop the mountain of shallots…to my delighted grin when I behold the beautiful, deep amber color flaunted by the chicken after less than 15 minutes of preparation - a hue that one might expect to see only in a gourmet magazine photo…

How to grill a catfish (วิธีย่างปลาดุก)

Catfish are not too fussy about the waters in which they swim. They can even flourish in stagnant waters and flooded rice fields. Thus, they have a slimy, scaleless skin and oily meat with a muddy after taste. They are most suitable for grilling, deep-frying or in curries.

Grilled Duck Dtai Raao - Grilled Duck Stir-Fried with Fermented Bean Curd and Morning Glory (เป็ดย่างไตราว; bpet yaang dtai raao)

Bpet yaang dtai raao: smoky grilled duck stir-fried with fermented bean curd and morning glory, tenderized in papaya leaves. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

The Art of Siamese Duck Curries - Theory and Practice (แกงเป็ด - ศิลปะ ทฤษฎี และ การปฏิบัติ)

Khaao bping - grilled banana leaf parcels filled with fermented shrimp paste relish seasoned rice, sweet pork, and crispy garlic (ข้าวปิ้ง อย่างพระวิมาดาเธอ หม่อมเจ้าสาย ลดาวัลย์)

Khaao bping (ข้าวปิ้ง) is a dish of seasoned rice mixed with sweet pork and crispy fried garlic, then wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. Unwrapping the parcel reveals a slightly charred rice cake that melts into a pleasantly chewy, smoky, and deliciously savory treat. Created by using basic ingredients of Siamese cuisine, the dish can be served on a bed of banana leaves or on fine porcelain plates, thus touching the hearts of diners from all walks of life.

c1949 Salad of grilled pork and coconut-cooked pumpkin by Maawm Ying Soophaa (ยำฟักทองกะทิ ตำราการปรุงอาหารยำ หม่อมหญิงสุภา พ.ศ. 2492; yam fak thaawng Gathi)

ไตปลาทรงเครื่อง ; Spicy Salad of Grilled Tiger Prawns, Mackerel, Lemongrass and Aromatics with Infused Fermented Fish Innards Dressing

Spicy Salad of Grilled Tiger Prawns, Mackerel, Lemongrass and Aromatics with Infused Fermented Fish Innards Dressing (ไตปลาทรงเครื่อง ; dtai bpla sohng khreuuang)

If we could strip away the spices, the seasonings, the vegetables and the herbs from savory dishes we could uncover their naked flavor profile core. There, we would encounter a strong savory-umami, sometimes coupled with other basic elements of smoke and fat. This flavor core is, for us humans, the sought-after taste of protein; our first sip of mother’s milk, and the primal experience of burned game meat on the fire. Today we would like to highlight a powerhouse for umami creation: the fermentation process. We will focus on fermented fish innards from southern Thailand (dtai bpla ไตปลา), one of about a dozen fermented products used in the country. We will show you how chefs for the capital’s elite, as early as or, before the reign of King Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai (Rama II, 1767-1824), harnessed its wild nature and created a dish similar to what we present today - a salad with infused fermented fish innards dressing.

Method of Grilling (วิธีปิ้ง; wi thee bping)

Method of Grilling (วิธีปิ้ง): bamboo-clamped indirect charcoal grilling of fish and meat for preservation. From Tamra Khraawp Lo:hk, 1929.

Grilled Pork Blood Sausage (ไส้กรอกเลือดสุกร; sai graawk leuuat soo gaawn)

Sai graawk leuuat soo gaawn, pork blood sausage with calico plant, grilled over coconut husk. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933, Rama II court.

Roasted Fish Pae Sa (แป๊ะซะปลาเผา; bpae sa bplaa phao)

Bpae sa bplaa phao: clay-roasted snakehead fish with chili jam and tamarind dressing, from Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 palace-style manuscript.

c1935 Char-grilled banana blossom stuffed and baked with tamarind relish fried rice (ข้าวปลี ตำรับสายเยาวภา พ.ศ. 2478 ; khaao bplee)

Whole Roasted Duck (เป็ดอบทั้งตัว; bpet ohp thang dtuaa)

Bpet ohp thang dtuaa, whole duck brandy-rubbed and air-dried before roasting with a nutmeg butter paste. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

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