Boiled, Stewed, Braised, Sautéd and Poached Archives

Luang Prabang Style Koi Fish Salad Recipe (Koi Pla)
(gaawy bplaa nin luang prabang ; สูตรทำก้อยปลานิลหลวงพระบาง)

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.

Dtohm Jiu Beef Soup (แกงต้มจิ๋ว; gaaeng dtohm jiu)

Dtohm Jiu Beef Soup: sirloin simmered soft with sweet potato, soured with tamarind, finished with bird's eye chili and lime. Tamrap Sai Yaowapa, 1935.

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.

Or Lam Gai Recipe - Velvety Laotian Stew of Chicken, Eggplants and Wild Pepper Vine (aw laam gai sai sakan) สูตรทำเอาะหลามไก่ใส่สะค้าน

This Laotian dish is popular in the mountainous region of Luang Prabang, the magical city in the northern part of Central Laos. It is a complex and mildly spicy stew, multi layered with flavors and textures, creating a unique, nutritious and delicious dish. It possesses a subtle harmony within a charismatic orchestra of flavors and textures; the taste of meat coupled with the sweetness of vegetables, opposing the bitterness of the greens and willingly surrendering to the aroma of fresh dill and fragrant lemon basil... but it's not all yet....

Chicken Corn (ข้าวโพดไก่; khaao pho:ht gai)

Chicken Corn, a delicate Thai snack where thinly sliced corn is simmered in chicken stock with shredded breast meat and salted egg yolk. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 cookbook.

Roasted Pounded Unripe Rice Served with Shrimp Relish and Grated Coconut (ข้าวเม่าเบื้อง ; khao mao beuuang)

Khao mao bueang and khao Mao Mee (ข้าวเม่าหมี่) are the only two known savory dishes from antiquity made from pounded unripe rice grains (ข้าวเม่า; khao mao). While khao mao mee (ข้าวเม่าหมี่) is still a well-known and widely available dish, very few people remember khao mao bueang. Therefore, we are pleased to reintroduce into the Thai culinary repertoire the delicious khao mao bueang.

Clear Soup of Bitter Gourd Stuffed with Pork and Glass Noodles ต้มจืดมะระยัดไส้หมูสับ ; dtohm jeuut mara yat sai muu sap

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. Also known as bitter melons, bitter gourds are pale green, with an irregular, warty surface. Typically, they are eaten following an initial treatment to remove some of the bitterness; often they are stuffed, to complement their somewhat eccentric bite.

Fresh Coconut Milk Tom Yum Soup Recipe of Grilled Banana Blossom and Chicken
(dtohm yam gathi huaa bplee yang sai gai ;
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.

Beef Curry Seasoned with Fermented Shrimp Paste Chili Relish (แกงรัญจวน ; gaaeng ranjuaan)

Gaaeng Ranjuaan is spicy, sour, sweet and salty beef curry seasoned with no more than fermented shrimp paste chili sauce. It should be served steaming hot, and must possess three distinct flavors, similar to fish Tom Yam soup. These modest ingredients and an intensely-flavored curry emerge from a story about love, things lost in translation and…leftovers.

Tom Yum Goong Soup Recipe of Prawns and SaNoh Flowers Fried Cakes (ต้มยำกุ้งทอดมันดอกโสน ; tom yum goong thaawt man daawk sanoh)

Today’s tom yum goong soup recipe is a refreshing addition to the tom yum soup repertoire. The fried SaNoh Flower Cakes sensationally enhance the shrimp’s natural sweetness, while the flower’s bittersweet aftertaste is a superb tropical match to the citrusy and aromatic hot and sour tom yum goong soup.

Golden Jackfruit Seeds
Thai Mung Bean Marzipan and Egg Yolk Dessert
(Met Khanoon ; 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.

Gabpi Khuaa, An Ancient Dip from The Central Plains (Lohn Gabpi Khuaa; หลนกะปิคั่ว)

In the Thai language, lon (lohn; หลน) means to simmer. In this ancient style dip, minced pork and fermented shrimp paste, along with smoked-charred dry fish, chilies and other aromatics, are slowly simmered in rich coconut cream to create a deep, multi-layered - yet subtle and silky – dip; a dip which is then lightly seasoned with just palm sugar and fish sauce. The dip is served with an array of fresh and fried vegetables, tempura-like cakes, crispy small fishes or tiny transparent salt-water shrimp. For a dish with so many subtle flavors, there is surprisingly little fuss.

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.

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.

Ancient Siamese Recipe for Tom Yum Soup with Snakehead Fish, Roasted Chili Jam and Green Mango (First Published in 1890) (Dtohm Yam Bplaa Chaawn, ต้มยำปลาช่อนแบบโบราณ อย่างหม่อมซ่มจีน ราชานุประพันธุ์ ร.ศ.๑๐๙)

An Ancient Siamese Recipe for Tom Yum Soup (First Published in 1890). Sour Spicy Tom Yum Soup with Snakehead Fish, Roasted Chili Jam and Green Mango (Dtohm Yam Bplaa Chaawn, ต้มยำปลาช่อนแบบโบราณ อย่างหม่อมซ่มจีน ราชานุประพันธุ์ ร.ศ.๑๐๙)

Tom yum soup from the late 19th-century Siam to present days. Including a step-by-step recreation of tom yum soup with snakehead fish (dtohm yam bplaa chaawn, ตัมยำปลาช่อน) as recorded by Maawm Sohm Jeen (Raa Chaa Noopraphan) (หม่อมซ่มจีน, ราชานุประพันธุ์) in her book “Tam Raa Gap Khao” (ตำรากับเข้า), published in 1890 (2433 BE, 109RE).

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.

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).

Gaaeng Raawn (แกงร้อน)

Gaaeng raawn (แกงร้อน) is a colloquial Thai term that refers to ‘hot curry’. Today, gaaeng raawn is used to denote soups or curries served with steamed rice. While the precise origin of the term is unclear, gaaeng raawn (แกงร้อน) was deployed in the 1800s for a specific dish – a Siamese soup featuring glass noodles, cooked as either a coconut or a water-based soup with an assortment of dry ingredients revered in Chinese cuisine. The soup’s potential health benefits, combined with its ease of preparation and subtle yet profound flavor, made it a popular choice for entertaining large groups of people, of all ages and backgrounds. The soup is often augmented with fresh proteins: in its more luxurious versions, multiple proteins may be added, including a combination of chicken, pork, shrimp, squid, and crab meat. Thus, over the years, gaaeng raawn (แกงร้อน) was established as a staple source of comfort and warmth for people of all walks of life in Siamese society.

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.

Yam Sohm Choon Mango Salad with Sweet Pork Condiment, Fermented Shrimp Paste, Shallots, and Crispy Deep-Fried Fluffy Fish (ยำส้มฉุน ; yam sohm choon)

Yam sohm choon is a sour green mango salad served with grilled fermented shrimp paste; roughly chopped shallots; sweet pork condiment, deep-fried fluffy grilled catfish and seasoned with fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice and topped with deep-fried dry chilies cut into small pieces. If you follow Thai movies and TV dramas, you probably remember Sohm Choon, the adorable boy ghost character from the period romance movie Reun Mayura (1997), which was a love story between a beautiful woman and a handsome man living in different periods of time.

Have a look at some of our favorite courses.

Aromatic Primer for Thai Cuisine - Part 1

Patterns – Decoding the Complexity of Siamese Curry Paste: A Multidimensional Exploration

Get Access – Join Thaifoodmaster Today

Practical and kitchen-tested recipes with a mix of theory, history, psychology, and Siamese culture tidbits.

Get access to everything right away. Unlock more than 50 Masterclasses, over 700 recipes and Articles
Access to Thaifoodmaster’s constantly growing library of prime professional classes, articles, recipes and videos on Siamese culinary topics, available nowhere else in English.
GET EXTRA - New Masterclasses and Daily Recipes
Gain access to NEW masterclasses as they become available. Access DAILY translations of heritage-recipes.
1-1 support from Hanuman
1-1 support from Hanuman to help you achieve your professional Thai culinary goals
Live Q&A Sessions
The opportunity to join a monthly live two-hour videoconference where I can answer your questions.
Great Value!
one year access for the price of 3 days in-person training.

You will get everything you need to:

To Get inspired
When you design or build a new menu for an event or restaurant or even prepare for dinner with friends.
To Satisfy your curiosity.
Finally !
To Master Your Craft
Master your Thai cooking skills and expand your repertoire.

It is truly brilliant with a revolutionary approach introducing aspects and concepts never broached by cookbooks.

Ian Westcott

Sourcing Wines for Discerning Private Clients