One Plate Dishes Archives

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.

Yam Naem Khao Thot Recipe
Spicy Salad of Curried Rice Croquettes, Fermented Pork, Ginger and Peanuts
(yam naaem khaao thaawt)
สูตรทำยำแหนมข้าวทอด

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.

c1901 Siamese seasoned mix rice Javanese style (ข้าวนาซิประจิต หรือ ข้าวประดับ ; khaao naasi prajit or khaao bpradap)

Fermented rice noodles with multi-sour aromatic chicken sauce by Lady Gleep Mahithaawn (ขนมจีนน้ำพริกไก่ อย่างท่านผู้หญิงกลีบ มหิธร พ.ศ. 2492; khanohm jeen naam phrik gai)

c1949 Fermented rice noodles with multi-sour aromatic chicken sauce by Lady Gleep Mahithaawn (ขนมจีนน้ำพริกไก่ อย่างท่านผู้หญิงกลีบ มหิธร พ.ศ. 2492; khanohm jeen naam phrik gai)

Surya Rice (ข้าวพระสุรี่ย์; khaao phra soo ree)

Surya Rice, pandan-infused rice served with dried beef, shrimp, fish floss, and chili relish. From Jeeb Bunnak's 1945 Thai cookbook.

Khanohm Jeen Naam Yaa (ขนมจีนน้ำยา) - Fermented Rice Noodles with Minced Fish in Aromatic Coconut Curry

In the Central Plains of the Kingdom, fermented rice noodles are inextricably linked to a dish known as naam yaa. Composed of a dense, coconut-based minced fish curry, the dish is infused with layers of salted fish and possesses the distinctive, invigorating and purifying notes of fingerroot. Typically, naam yaa is served with fresh lemon basil as the herb of choice along with an array of side dishes collectively known as meuuat khanohm jeen (เหมือดขนมจีน). These include blanched bean sprouts seasoned with a touch of turmeric for color, fresh lemon basil leaves, thinly sliced three colored chilies, and ground chili for added heat. More elaborate versions will add blanched Chinese bitter gourd slices, batter-fried young morning glory shoots, and fresh shrimp minced and fried with its tomalley in pork lard, as well as crispy-fried shallots as the finishing touch.

Beef Tongue with Sauce Hussarde (ลิ้นอุสุราช; lin oo soo raat)

Lin oo soo raat, saltpeter-cured braised beef tongue with mace and cinnamon, from Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 Cookbook of Rice Companion Recipes.

c1908 Fermented rice noodles and golden coconut chicken sauce with an Indian flair (ขนมจีนแขก หรือ ไก่ต้มขนมจีน ; khanohm jeen khaaek)

Southern Thai Style Savory Eggs Mousse
(khai dtoon gabpi naam ; ไข่ตุ๋นกะปิน้ำ)

Do you remember hearing the ocean through a large conch shell when you were a kid? This stylish yet simple dish is made from only a few ingredients and will dip your taste buds in flavorful, rich and creamy ocean's essence, like that conch shell. In the southern provinces of Thailand, those bordering the sunny beaches of the Andaman sea, one can find yet another type of fermented shrimp product, "liquid fermented shrimp" (gabpi naam ; กะปิน้ำ).

Fish Miang Naem (เมี่ยงแนมปลา; miiang naaem bplaa)

Miiang naaem bplaa, grilled snakehead fish with fire-roasted galangal juice and bitter orange, served in lettuce cups. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts Recipe (สูตรทำไก่ผัดเม็ดมะม่วงหิมพานต์; gai phat met mamuang himmaphan)

The dish captures the eye with its vivid color – It is beautiful! It is bright! It is happy! - and it fits well within the comfort zone of most westerners. It is not surprising that this dish has made its way to the top of the charts, consistently ranked among the top ten tastiest Thai dishes served abroad.

Bird Fried Rice (ข้าวผัดนก; khaao phat nohk)

Khaao phat nohk, field fowl or any small bird stir-fried with pork ham and mustard powder. From Lady Gleep Mahithaawn, 1949.

Three-Color Vegetable Fried Rice (ข้าวผัดผักสามสี; khaao phat phak saam see)

Three-color vegetable fried rice with diced chicken, carrot, peas and radish, the beans boiled in ash water to stay green. From Paan Nanthaaphiwat, 1953.

Fermented Rice Noodles and Golden Coconut Chicken Sauce with an Indian Flair (ไก่ต้มขนมจีบ; gai dtohm khohn ma jeep)

Gai dtohm khohn ma jeep, a coconut-simmered chicken sauce with Indian influences served with fermented rice noodles. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 cookbook.

The Ambassador’s House Style Noodle Soup (หมี่น้ำบ้านราชทูต; Mee Naam Baan Raat Thuut)

This soup dish features crispy rice vermicelli noodles, a chicken broth that has a three-flavor profile infused with the aroma of bitter orange, and a plethora of other ingredients such as crispy fried tofu, chicken, pork, crab and pickled garlic. In Thai, the phrase mee naam baan raat thuut refers to a rice vermicelli noodle soup in the style of the Ambassador’s house. The dish was not new when it appeared in the 1956 book Snacks, Tea Nibbles, Hors D’oeuvres and Drinking Food (ตำราอาหารว่าง - เครื่องน้ำชา และ เครื่องเคี้ยว หรือ กับแกล้ม) by Jeeb Bunnag (จีบ บุนนาค), as noodle dishes were often the preferred ingredient for light meals or snacks. In Grandparents Recipes: 100 Years Old Recipes (จานอร่อยจากปู่ย่า สูตรโบราณ 100 ปี), a volume printed in 2014 that highlights recipes from the kitchens of fifteen prominent families, a similar version of the dish is referred to as mee naam baan bpaak naai leert (หมี่น้ำบ้านปาร์คนายเลิศ) and is associated with Nai Lert.

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.

Potato Rice Soup (ข้าวต้มันฝรั่ง; khaao dtohm man farang)

Potato Khao dtohm Rice Soup, featuring a clear seafood broth with pork meatballs, served with crispy fried potatoes on the side. From Gingganok's 'Delicious Side Dishes,' 1935.

"Sang-de-Boeuf Porcelain" Fermented Rice Noodles (ขนมจีนครามแดง; khanohm jeen khraam daaeng)

Sang-de-Boeuf Porcelain Fermented Rice Noodles featuring a coconut sauce infused with roasted shallots, garlic and mung beans. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1945.

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.

Delicious Rice (ข้าวน่าอร่อย; khaao naa a raawy)

Delicious Rice, a royal Thai fried rice combining shrimp, pork and chicken with elaborate garnishes including pickled vegetables and salted egg. From Jeeb Bunnak's 1945 cookbook.

Rice Seasoned with Shrimp Paste
(khaao khlook gabpi ; ข้าวคลุกกะปิ)

สูตรทำข้าวคลุกกะปิของ หม่อมเจ้าจงจิตรถนอม ดิศกุล - Rice Seasoned with Shrimp Paste Recipe - Each of the dish’s components is separately prepared and set aside, and mixed individually for each serving. A pleasant harmony of several flavors is created – complex and profound in taste, the dish is a stunning display of confidence. There are many variations of this dish: I have chosen to publish the version described by Prince Johngjit thanaawm Disagoon. This is the very same version prepared for King Chulalongkorn the Great during his unforgettable trip to Italy.

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