Side Dishes (เครื่องเคียง) Archives

Neuua thip, beef rump stir-fried in thick coconut milk with Indian turmeric, served on cabbage with a chili dipping sauce. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

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 and firm pork fat fried in batter (มันสลับตับสุกร; man salap dtap soogaawn)

The Narratives of Aesthetics and Patterns in Chuu Chee Dishes (เรื่องฉู่ฉี่)

Sour-Sweet Savory Crispy Rice Vermicelli with Bitter Orange (Mee Krob) (หมี่กรอบส้มซ่าทรงเครื่อง ; Mee Graawp)

mee graawp sohng khreuuang (หมี่กรอบทรงเครื่อง), is an exquisitely regal dish of crispy rice vermicelli. The delicate noodles strands are washed and dried, then fried to a crisp light-golden hue. They retain their brittle crunch and airy texture even after being stir-fried with a clinging sticky sauce that encases the noodles in a thin layer of sheen. This sauce, mixed into the noodles together with other ingredients such as thin slices of pickled garlic and bitter orange peel, impart the dish with a light, fresh sweet and sour, and slightly salty and citrusy glaze.

Crispy Cooked Liver (ตับสุกกรอบ; dtap sook graawp)

Dtap sook graawp, pork liver boiled then deep-fried in a coconut cream batter with garlic and coriander root. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

c1908 Haaw Mohk steamed savory curried cakes featuring crab meat, chicken, and pork (ห่อหมกทรงเครื่อง อย่างท่านผู้หญิงเปลี่ยน ภาสกรวงศ์ แม่ครัวหัวป่าก์ พ.ศ. 2451 ; haaw mohk sohng khreuuang)

This festive and rich recipe is for a coconut-based haaw mohk featuring chicken, crab and pork meats. This recipe was chosen from the various versions available at the time by Lady Plean Passakornrawong, for inclusion in her epic cookbook Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa (MKHP) (ท่านผู้หญิงเปลี่ยน ภาสกรวงศ์ตำราแม่ครัวหัวป่าก์).

Pork Belly Coated with Salted-Fish and Green Mango Chili Relish (น้ำพริกมะม่วง หมูเคลือบเค็ม พ.ศ. 2476; naam phrik ma muaang mu khleuuap khem)

In this dish, slices of pork belly are coated with a sticky sauce; the sauce is reduced from braising a slice of grilled salted fish with coriander roots, garlic and white peppercorns (saam gluuhr). The dish is served with a sour-leading green mango chili relish that adds tartness with fiery accents to the saltiness of the pork. The salted fish gives the pork an initial fishy aroma that, although robust, gives way to a sense of home as it merges into the sourness and fruitiness of the mango chili relish. As an ingredient commonly used in the kitchens of rice-growing communities, salted fish signifies a comforting familiarity that conveys simplicity and warmth to the table. I like to pair the salted, fishy pork with seasoned rice dishes in which sour-leading relishes are mixed with rice along with other condiments.

Stir-Fried Salted Beef with Coconut Milk (ผัดเนื้อกะทิ; phat neuua ga thi)

Stir-Fried Salted Beef with Coconut Cream (ผัดเนื้อกะทิ; phat neuua ga thi)

Phat neuua ga thi, grilled sun-dried salted beef shredded and wok-tossed in thick coconut cream with shallots. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Crispy pork or sweet beef threads (หมูเค็มผัดฝอย; muu khem phat faawy)

Crispy sweet pork or beef threads (หมูเค็มผัดฝอย ; muu khem phat faawy)

This is a modern version of a classic sweet meat threads condiment that often complements chili relishes or is served as a side dish in classic Siamese samrub meals.

Coconut-Braised Spiced Beef (เนื้อสัมฤทธิ์; neuua samrit)

Neuua samrit — beef tenderloin dry-braised in coconut milk with roasted coriander and cumin, glazed dry. Lady Gleep Mahithaawn, 1949.

Battered Fried Firm Pork Fat, also called Muu Gradoht (ทอดมันมันหมูแข็ง; thaawt man man muu khaeng)

Muu gradoht — firm pork fat boiled, sliced, and fried in a rice-flour coconut batter tinted with red limestone solution. Lady Gleep Mahithaawn, 1949.

Taro and Crab Fritters (ทอดมันปูเผือก; thaawt man bpuu pheuuak)

Thaawt man bpuu pheuuak: finely shredded taro and sea crab in coconut-cream batter, fried in flat molds. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Roasted Stuffed Duck Breast with Chestnuts and Mackerel (เป็ดยัดไส้เกาลัดรมควัน; bpet yat sai gaolat rohm khwan), circa 1935

Smoked duck stuffed with a mackerel and chestnut filling is a dish that defies cultural boundaries. An exemplar of blended culinary influences, featuring inviting colors and an elegant presentation that serve as a prelude to the complex flavors and textures that await, the dish is an eloquent testament to the cooking style of Mrs. Samaknantapol (Jeep Bunnag, who went by the pen name “the granddaughter of Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa”). In the 1930s. Mrs. Jeep Bunnag published her first cookbook. Following in the footsteps of her revered grandmother-in-law, Lady Plean Passakornrawong, she continued to document the art of Siamese cuisine through the treasured books she published and was known for her ability to merge culinary traditions into beautiful and innovative dishes that represent an era. The rich, dark color of the smoked duck’s skin is visually striking and appetizing, evoking a sense of indulgence and luxury. The smoky flavors that permeate the meat reflect our deep connection to primal cooking techniques, a fascinating juxtaposition to the refined presentation of the dish. When the smoked duck is sliced, its succulent pink meat is revealed, surrounding the golden filling of chestnuts and mackerel.

Coconut Cream-Based Chuu Chee of Pork and Shrimp Glazed with Shrimp Tomalley (แกงฉู่ฉี่หมูกับมันกุ้ง; gaaeng chuu chee muu gap man goong)

In the context of Siamese samrub meal planning, this thick chuu chee of pork and shrimp with a reddish coconut-based, curry-like sauce is considered a side dish (ของจาน; khaawng jaan). It consists of small, equal-sized slices of pork meat and shrimp fried in coconut cream together with a phrik khing curry paste. With no other vegetables or herbs, the dish is seasoned using fish sauce and palm sugar to a salty and only slightly sweet profile. Finally, it is glazed with shrimp tomalley poured on top and left unstirred, then cooked covered with the lid on, until the tomalley is baked-cooked. When serving, garnish with hair-thin juliennes of kaffir lime leaves and hand-picked coriander leaves.

Lattice-Wrapped Shrimp Bites (ล่าเตียง; laa dtiiang)

Laa dtiiang: shrimp and coriander filling folded in a finger-drizzled duck egg lattice. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 Cookbook of Rice Companion Recipes.

c1949 Quick-cured oysters with ginger and kaffir lime zest by Maawm Ying Soophaa (หอยนางรมดอง โดย หม่อมหญิงสุภา พ.ศ. 2492; haawy naang rohm daawng)

Spiced Skewers of Grilled Pork Neck and Firm Pork Fat with Fresh Pineapple (หมูปิ้งสัปปะรด; Muu Bping Sapbparoht)

Known as muu bping sapbparoht (หมูปิ้งสัปปะรด) and translated as grilled pork with pineapple, this dish showcases cubes of grilled pork meat and firm fat with fresh pineapple. The pork meat is marinated in light soy sauce and an array of dry spices, giving it earthy and slightly spicy notes. The cubes are then threaded onto skewers, interspersed with evenly sliced pieces of firm pork fat. When grilled, these pieces of pork fat introduce an additional layer of richness and juiciness to the meat. The preferred cut of choice for this dish is pork neck, a cut highly valued for its optimal ratio of lean meat to fat, culminating in a pleasingly succulent texture when grilled. In Thai cuisine, it is common practice to sprinkle grated coconut over glowing charcoal while grilling. The heat-induced combustion of aromatic fats within the coconut introduces an additional dimension of sweet, smoky richness to the dish. Meanwhile, the charring of the edges of the meat catalyzes the caramelization of its natural sugars, yielding a delightful sweetness that further enhances the smoky undertones of the meat.

Haaw Mohk and Ngohp (ห่อหมก และ งบ)

Grilled banana leaf parcels with shrimp curried rice (ข้าวงบกุ้ง)

Grilled banana leaf parcels filled with curried rice, shrimp meat grated coconut, and herbs. (ข้าวงบกุ้ง อย่างพระวิมาดาเธอ หม่อมเจ้าสาย ลดาวัลย์ ; khaao ngohp goong)

The khaao ngohp goong (ข้าวงบกุ้ง) of Mom Chao Sai Ladawan (Princess Saisawali Phirom) is a dish of seasoned curried rice mixed with shrimp meat, shrimp tomalley, grated coconut, and herbs. The rice mix is then wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. Unwrapping the parcel reveals an intense orange- and russet-brown colored rice cake that is rich, savory and naturally sweet. It is served with a drizzle of thickened coconut cream and herbs.

Crispy Chicken Offal (เครื่องในไก่กรอบ; khreuuang nai gai graawp)

Khreuuang nai gai graawp, chicken offal spiced with white pepper and nutmeg, deep-fried and served with kapi relish. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

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