yam jin gai
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.
Passion Fruit Flower Salad (ยำดอกเสาวรส; yam daawk sao wa roht)
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.
"กุ้งแนม" หรือ "กุ้งซ่อนกลิ่น" - ตำรับเครื่องว่างที่สืบทอดมาตั้งแต่ต้นกรุงรัตนโกสินทร์
ตำรับเครื่องว่างที่สืบทอดมาตั้งแต่ต้นกรุงรัตนโกสินทร์: "กุ้งแนม" หรือ "กุ้งซ่อนกลิ่น". ลักษณะพิเศษของการทำ "กุ้งแนม" นั้น วิธีการหลักคือ การทำให้เนื้อสัตว์สุกโดยใช้น้ำมะนาวหรือน้ำส้ม Thaifoodmaster จะขอนำตำรับของ ท่านผู้หญิงเปลี่ยน ภาสกรวงศ์ มาบันทึกเอาไว้ ณ ที่นี้ สำหรับให้ท่านผู้อ่านลองนำไปทำดูนะขอรับ...
pork skin salad
c1889 Faux Rhino Skin Salad (ยำโขนงเนื้อเทียม หรือ ยำหนังหมู ; yam kho:h nohng neuua thiiam reuu yam nang muu)
This old-fashioned Siamese pork skin salad is adapted from an 1889 rhino skin salad recipe. It features thin glossy slices of cooked pork skin, simmered in rich coconut cream, and mixed with dried shrimp, roasted coconut, sour fruits; it is seasoned with chili jam-based dressing.
Trinarong salad with ruby pomegranate seeds, translucent pomelo segments, and golden fried shallots glistening with lime dressing on a white plate
c1935 Trinarong Salad - Thai Three-Fruit Yam from Pathum Thani (ยำตรีณรงค์; yam dtreen rohng)
Central-style Thai salad combining pomelo, rose apple, and pomegranate with shrimp, chicken, and pork. From Ms. Booree Thohnsak's 1935 Pathum Thani memorial cookbook.
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.

Phla of Fresh Transparent Shrimp (พล่ากุ้งฝอยสด; phlaa goong faawy soht)
Phla of Fresh Transparent Shrimp (พล่ากุ้งฝอยสด; phlaa goong faawy soht)
Phlaa goong faawy soht, raw transparent shrimp dressed whole and unpeeled with mint, from Maawm Sohm Jeen's Tamra Gap Khao, c. 1890.
Yam "Goliath Special" (ยำ "โกไลพิเศษ"; yam go:h lai phi saeht)
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.
Three Companions Fish Salad (พล่าปลาสามเกลอ; phlaa bplaa saam gluuhr)
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.
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.
Spicy Salad with Crispy Fish and Bird's Eye Chili (ยำปลากรอบกับพริกเม็ดเล็ก; yam bplaak raawp gap phrik met lek)
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.
Mandarine Orange Peel Salad (ยำผิวส้มจีน; yam phiu sohm jeen)
Mandarine Orange Peel Salad (ยำผิวส้มจีน; yam phiu sohm jeen)
Yam phiu sohm jeen features carefully prepared mandarine orange peel combined with minced shrimp and pork. From Maawm Ying Soophaa's 1949 royal Thai culinary manuscript.
Duck and Cabbage Salad (ยำกระหร่ำปลีเนื้อเป็ด; yam graram bplee neuua bpet)
Duck and Cabbage Salad (ยำกระหร่ำปลีเนื้อเป็ด; yam graram bplee neuua bpet)
Duck and Cabbage Salad featuring shredded roasted duck, dried squid, and tender cabbage with a balanced sour-sweet dressing. From Maawm Ying Soophaa's 1949 manuscript.
lemongrass salad
Pomelo salad with salted shrimp and a lemongrass-infused coconut cream dressing (ยำส้มโอกุ้งเค็ม ; yam sohm o:h goong khem)
Exotic Beef Salad (ยำเนื้อวัวพิศดาร; yam neuua wuaa phit daan)
Exotic Beef Salad (ยำเนื้อวัวพิศดาร; yam neuua wuaa phit daan)
Exotic Beef Salad featuring grilled tenderloin with daikon radish, roasted peanuts, and coconut. From Maawm Ying Soophaa's 1949 Thai royal cuisine manuscript.
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.
Salad of grilled pork and coconut-cooked pumpkin by Maawm Ying Soophaa
c1949 Salad of grilled pork and coconut-cooked pumpkin by Maawm Ying Soophaa (ยำฟักทองกะทิ ตำราการปรุงอาหารยำ หม่อมหญิงสุภา พ.ศ. 2492; yam fak thaawng Gathi)
Santol Salad (ยำกระท้อน; yam gra thaawn)
Santol Salad (ยำกระท้อน; yam gra thaawn)
Yam gra thaawn, tart santol salad with pork, shrimp, and crushed peanuts. Fruit is salt-soaked and air-dried to reduce bitterness. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.
The Earliest Printed Recipe for Papaya Som Tum (ส้มตำมะละกอ; sohm dtam ma la gaaw)
Sohm dtam ma la gaaw, the first printed Siamese recipe for som tum — a Central Thai papaya salad with dried shrimp. Tamra Khraawp Lo:hk, 1929.
Small Salad (ยำเล็ก; yam lek)
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.
ยำขมิ้นขาวกุ้งเค็ม
This dish brings yet another angle to celebrate the essence of Thai cuisine. The Thais dare pairing ingredients, which at first seem to be unmatchable, strong players with opposite characteristics, white turmeric and salted prawns, and guess what? It works beautifully! The pairing actually has the intention to enhance the differences in flavor and texture, creating a playful dish, both in taste and in presentation. The delicate thin cut white turmeric juliennes with its crunchy-apple like texture matched well with the just made salted prawns chunks which still maintain some of their intrinsic sweetness.
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