สูตรยำต่าง ๆ Archives

Yam Jin Gai: A Symbol of Tradition and Family Unity (ยำจิ๊นไก่; yam jin gai)

In the mountainous region of Northern Thailand, the people share a profound connection with the spirits inhabiting the land, trees and rivers. This bond extends to ancestral spirits residing within their homes, providing protection and guidance to the family. It is believed that food is not only shared among the living but also with those who preceded us, bridging the gap between the natural world and the ethereal realm of the spirits. It is in this context that yam jin gai (ยำจิ้นไก่) holds a special significance. Once a delicacy served only on special occasions, this soup-like salad has come to symbolize the enduring bond between the people of Northern Thailand and their ancestral spirits. Families pay homage to their ancestors with offerings of food, fostering a sense of unity and connection that transcends mortality and even the present; although the dish is included on the menus of many restaurants, its roots remain grounded in the spiritual landscape of the northern forests.

ยำแหนมข้าวทอด

The dish was introduced to me by a street vendor in forsaken part of town some twenty years ago. Auntie Yai was a true character. She was wearing intensive makeup and I still remember her talkative hilarious manner. I and other customers waiting in line were regularly subjected to nonstop "interrogations" or "interviews". I must admit I enjoyed the peek into other people lives while waiting over an hour for her mouth watering curried rice croquettes. I loved how the pungent, vibrant swirl of ginger was setting off the fermented pork sourness just perfectly, how the nutty crunch of those peanuts was balanced by the vivid tone of fresh herbs.

Small Salad (ยำเล็ก; yam lek)

Yam lek, a Thai-Muslim vinegar-dressed salad with cucumber, mint, and bruised bird's eye chili. From the Islamic Cookbook, 1933.

Pork Liver Salad with Lemongrass (ยำตับหมูกับตะไคร้; yam dtap muu gap dta khrai)

Pork liver salad with lemongrass from Maawm Ying Soophaa's 1949 manuscript. Multiple blanching removes gaminess before mixing with aromatic lemongrass, toasted coconut, and peanuts.

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.

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.

Enhanced Fried Garlic with Bird's Eye Chilies and White Peppercorns (กะเทียมเจียวรสสูง; grateam jiaao rot suung)

Enhanced Fried Garlic, garlic pounded with bird's eye chilies and white peppercorns, fried in lard as a universal flavor enhancer. From Mom Ying Supha, 1949.

Yam "Goliath Special" (ยำ "โกไลพิเศษ"; yam go:h lai phi saeht)

Yam Goliath Special: eight boiled proteins — shrimp, pork, squid — dressed with pounded coriander root and garlic. Delicious Side Dishes, 1935.

Khaao man sohm dtam and the first-ever recorded recipe for papaya salad (ข้าวมันส้มตำ)

Snap Bean and Yardlong Bean Salad with Duck (ยำถั่วแขกถั่วฝักยาวกับเนื้อเป็ด; yam thuaa khaaek thuaa fak yaao gap neuua bpet)

Snap Bean and Yardlong Bean Salad with Duck combines two bean varieties with Chinese-style roasted duck and transparent shrimp. From Maawm Ying Soophaa's 1949 royal cuisine manuscript.

ยำส้มฉุน

ที่ท่านขุนฯ นำ "ส้มฉุนมารื้อฟื้น หรือนำมาให้รู้จักก็เพราะ ไม่อยากให้ตำรับ "ส้มฉุน" หายไป ก็ทั้งอย่างประเภทคาว ในที่นี้จะขอเรียกเป็น "ยำส้มฉุน" เพื่อให้ดูแยกกันกับ "ส้มฉุน" ที่เป็นอาหารหวาน ว่าเป็นตำรับคนละอย่างกัน ถึงจะชื่อเดียวกันก็เถอะ อาศัยกระแส "นิยมไทย" กลับมา ไม่ว่าจะการแต่งกายที่หันมาเน้นผ้าไทย และ อย่างไทย กันมากขึ้น ด้านการกีฬา คนไทยก็ได้รับการยอมรับในแวดวงกีฬาระดับโลกมากขึ้น เช่น แบดมินตัน เป้าบิน ฟุตบอลพรีเมียร์ลีก กอล์ฟ พีจีเอทัวร์ ฯลฯ ทำให้คนไทยตื่นตัว แม้กระทั่งวงการละคร การนำเสนอเรื่องราวสังคมย้อนยุค สมัยเก่าก็มีมากมายหลายเรื่อง ออกมาไม่ขาดตอน คนไทยยังจำบท "ส้มฉุน" ชื่อตัวละครเด็กไทยจอมซน ผู้มีบทบาทอยู่ใกล้ชิดนางเอก ตัวนำเรื่องอย่าง 'แม่นายนกยูง' คนในสมัยอยุธยา ที่หลงยุคมาในปัจจุบัน ในนวนิยายเรื่อง "เรือนมยุรา" ที่ผลิตออกมาเป็นทั้งภาพยนต์และละคร ได้อย่างไม่ลืม นี่ก็มีนัยมีกระแสว่าจะมีการนำกลับมาทำเป็นละครใหม่อีกครั้งหนึ่ง เหล่านี้ล้วนสร้างกระแส "นิยมไทย" กลับมาในสังคมปัจจุบันอีกเช่นกัน

Deluxe Cucumber Salad (ยำแตงกวาทรงเครื่อง; yam dtaaeng gwaa sohng khreuuang)

Deluxe cucumber salad of bias-cut cucumber, boiled pork belly, shrimp, and sea crab in a three-flavor dressing. From Princess Jongjittanom, 1978.

c1933 Sour bilimbi fruit and crispy candied peanut salad with pork, shrimp and pork fat (ยำตะลิงปลิง ; yam dtaling bpling)

A candied peanut bar might be considered an unlikely ingredient for an old-fashioned Siamese-style salad. Yet, peanut bars were familiar to the Siamese as early as the Ayutthaya period and were part of a broader set of Teochew Chinese sweets called, in Thai, “khanohm janap (ขนมจันอับ)”.

Passion Fruit Flower Salad (ยำดอกเสาวรส; yam daawk sao wa roht)

Passion Fruit Flower Salad, a delicate mix of floral elements with shredded pork, shrimp, and toasted coconut. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 Cookbook of Rice Companion Recipes.

ส้มตำไทยข้าวโพด

Bangkok's markets are busy from dawn until dusk, sometime even stay open when most of the city is asleep. Normally, the traffic of shoppers and crowds of office workers hurrying their way masks the busy stretch of shops and food stalls, making it difficult to pay close attention to details. Earlier this year, however, a strange silence had fallen on the city, civil unrest brought life in the city of angels to an eerie standstill, Bangkokians elected to stay home, and shops closed their doors.

Citrus-Infused Crumbled Duck Egg Yolk Salad (ไขเค็มพล่า; Khai Khem Phlaa)

This vibrant salad combines the richness of crumbled duck egg yolks with the zesty notes of citrus and aromatic herbs. Set against a backdrop of aromatics, the crumbled essence of cured duck egg yolks glow in a delicate orange-gold shade, evoking a shimmering sunlit dawn. The cured yolks bestow a rich, briny base that acquires even deeper undertones when seasoned with fish sauce and sugar. This base takes on a luxuriously silky texture, reminiscent of a finely whipped mousse, when mixed with juices of lime and kaffir lime, which also give the mix a crisp, clean citrusy finish.

Celestial Fish Salad (ยำมัจฉาสวรรค์; yam mat chaa sawan)

Celestial Fish Salad features acid-cured fish marinated in lime juice until firm, combined with lemongrass, basil, and toasted coconut. From Maawm Ying Soophaa's 1949 royal cuisine manuscript.

Royal-Style Roselle Bud Salad (ยำผลกระเจี๊ยบเสวย; yam phohn gra jiiap sa weeuy)

Royal-Style Roselle Bud Salad combines wine-ruby roselle buds with pork and crispy aromatics in a bitter orange dressing. Components remain separate until serving, per Maawm Ying Soophaa's 1949 manuscript.

Three Companions Fish Salad (พล่าปลาสามเกลอ; phlaa bplaa saam gluuhr)

Phlaa bplaa saam gluuhr: three grilled fish — smoke-dried, dried, and snakeskin gourami — with a tableside herb dressing. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Faux Frog Salad – A Salad of Coconut Braised Chicken with Young Coconut and Chili Jam Dressing (ยำกบเทียม; yam gohp thiiam)

Faux frog salad is a rich, elegant dish featuring tender chicken braised in coconut cream and young coconut flesh with a chili-jam based dressing. Utilizing an old-fashioned salad assembly technique – the ‘mix and layer’ – this is a visually striking salad with alternating layers of reds and whites. The name of this vintage dish – Faux Frog Salad – could be a reflection of the swinging social norms in Siam during the roaring twenties, a period of significant social change; as the country sought to navigate the challenges of modernization, Siamese society was shifting its dietary preferences away from the frog, once a common, versatile and popular ingredient. Thus, through the desire for distinction, chicken, an ingredient often compared to the taste of everything, was preferable to frog.

Mussel Salad (ยำหอยแมลงภู่; yam haawy maae lohng phuu)

Yam haawy maae lohng phuu, mussels tossed with lemongrass, kaffir lime, and toasted coconut. From Maawm Ying Soophaa's Salad Recipes, 1949.

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