lemongrass salad
Pomelo salad with salted shrimp and a lemongrass-infused coconut cream dressing (ยำส้มโอกุ้งเค็ม ; yam sohm o:h goong khem)
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.
Sea Crab Phlaa with Crisp-Fried Potato (พล่าปูทะเล; phlaa bpuu tha laeh)
Sea Crab Phlaa with Crisp-Fried Potato (พล่าปูทะเล; phlaa bpuu tha laeh)
Sea crab phlaa dressed sour-sweet with pounded garlic and chili, tossed with flower-cut cucumber and topped with fried potato. From Puang Bunnag, 1931.
Yam of Beef Innards (ยำเครื่องในโค; yam khreuuang nai kho:h)
Yam of Beef Innards (ยำเครื่องในโค; yam khreuuang nai kho:h)
Yam khreuuang nai kho:h, beef innards cleaned with slaked lime and dressed without coconut. From Maawm Sohm Jeen's Tamra Gap Khao, c. 1890.
ยำส้มฉุน ; yam sohm choon
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.
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.
Spicy Som Tam Recipe of Gelatinous White Corn
(sohm dtam thai khaao phoht ; 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.
Emerald Yam (ยำมรกฎ; yam maawn goht)
Emerald Yam (ยำมรกฎ; yam maawn goht)
Emerald Yam (ยำมรกฎ; yam maawn goht) - A historical Thai recipe from Dtam Raa Gap Khao Naree Napparat (ตำรากับเข้านารีนพรัตน์).
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.
angel
Angel Visiting the Chamber: A Salad of Pomelo, Pork Skin and Shrimp with Chili Jam Dressing, circa 1920s (ยำนางฟ้าเยี่ยมห้อง; yam naang faa yiiam haawng)
The name of this dish, yam naang faa yiiam haawng (ยำนางฟ้าเยี่ยมห้อง), translates to ‘Angel Visiting the Chamber Salad’ in English. This celestial salad, which originated in the 1920s, is a playful chili jam-based salad that combines the textural gradients of pomelo, with its citrusy bursts, chewy cooked pork skin, and the sweet and slightly resilient cooked shrimp meat. The pomelo’s citrusy notes are further amplified with thinly sliced lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves sliced into hair-thin juliennes. I like to adjust the sourness and sweetness of the chili jam-based dressing based on the acidity of the pomelo. As our aim is to achieve a final sour-salty and sweet flavor profile, a sour-salty dressing is suggested if the pomelo is sweet, while a salty-sweet dressing pairs better with a sour pomelo.
cured oysters
c1949 Quick-cured oysters with ginger and kaffir lime zest by Maawm Ying Soophaa (หอยนางรมดอง โดย หม่อมหญิงสุภา พ.ศ. 2492; haawy naang rohm daawng)
smoked grilled duck salad
Salad of smoked grilled duck breast with roasted shallots and bitter yellow eggplants (พล่าอกเป็ดรมควันกับมะเขือเหลืองและหอมเผา ; phlaa ohk bpet rohm khwan gap ma kheuua leuuang lae haawm phao)
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.
grilled beef mangosteen salad
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.
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.
Chinese Water Chestnut Salad (ยำแห้วจีน; yam haaeo jeen)
Chinese Water Chestnut Salad (ยำแห้วจีน; yam haaeo jeen)
Chinese Water Chestnut Salad combining crisp water chestnuts with seafood and pork in a salty-sweet-sour dressing. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 cookbook.
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.
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 (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.
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.
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.
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.
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