Snacks and light meals recipes (ตำราอาหารว่างอย่างไทย) Archives

Miang on Golden Trays (เมี่ยงถาดทอง; miang thaat thaawng) (กระทงทอง)

Miang thaat thaawng, palm-pressed fried pastry cups filled with crab, pork, pickled garlic, and bitter orange zest. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

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.

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.

Chicken-Stuffed Taro (ผะอบไก่เผือก; pha ohp gai pheuuak)

Pha ohp gai pheuuak: taro carved into a lidded vessel, filled with phrik khing paste, chicken, and sea crab. Jeeb Bunnag, 1945.

Rice Crackers with Sichuan Style Naa Dtang Savory Topping (น่าตั้งเสฉวน; naa dtang saeh chuaan)

Naa dtang saeh chuaan, a seafood-meat umami topping served with assorted crispy accompaniments. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 cookbook of Thai appetizers.

Perplexing Mee Suaa (หมี่สั้วฉงน; mee suaa cha ngohn)

Mee suaa cha ngohn: wheat noodle bundles bound with shrimp-corn paste, steamed, served in clear pork-crab broth. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Vegetable Broth with Fried Bread Croutons (ชุบผักกับขนมปังทอด; choop phak gap khanohm bpang thaawt)

Choop phak gap khanohm bpang thaawt, six vegetables simmered and strained to a clear umami broth, topped with fried croutons. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Nang Laweng Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียวนางละเวง; khaao niaao naang la waehng)

Khaao niaao naang la waehng, black glutinous rice balls deep-fried in lard with spiced beef and potato filling. Delicious Side Dishes, 1935.

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.

Delicious Rice Noodle Rolls (ฑำแรยำซ แป้งหลอดอร่อย; tham raae yam sa bpaaeng laawt a raawy)

Delicious Rice Noodle Rolls (แป้งหลอดอร่อย; tham raae yam sa bpaaeng laawt a raawy)

Delicious Rice Noodle Rolls, a Thai appetizer of rice sheets wrapped around seafood-pork filling and tied with spring onion. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 cookbook.

Fermented Rice Noodles with Sweet Prawn-and-Mung-Bean Sauce (ขนมจีนน้ำพริก; khanohm jeen naam phrik)

Khanohm jeen naam phrik: fermented rice noodles with pounded prawn, roasted mung bean and tamarind-coconut sauce. Lady Gleep Mahithaawn, 1949.

Crispy Rice - Khaao Graawp (ข้าวกรอบ อย่างหม่อมเจ้าสาย ลดาวัลย์)

Suan Sunandha Palace was the permanent residence of Mom Chao Sai Ladawan (HRH Princess Saisawali Phirom, พระวิมาดาเธอ หม่อมเจ้าสาย ลดาวัลย์), the Royal Consort to Rama V. In the kitchen of Suan Sunandha Palace, the Princess presided over a peak era of culinary innovation until her passing on June 24, 1929. Reflecting her practicality, the Princess’ recipes frequently incorporated the era’s common pantry ingredients in new and surprising combinations. For example, in her boat-embarking chili relish (น้ำพริกลงเรือ; naam phrik lohng reuua), a relish still enjoyed today, the Princess pairs fermented shrimp paste chili relish with sweet pork, crispy fried fish, salted duck eggs and hairy-fruited eggplant (maeuk) (มะอึก). Another example is her gaaeng ran juaan (แกงรัญจวน) – the Princess prepares a vibrant spicy and sour soup, fragrant with the aroma of Thai basil, from the leftovers of a stir-fried beef dish and fermented shrimp paste chili relish, which she cooked together with lemongrass, shallots and garlic. Mom Chao Sai Ladawan’s recipes, many already recreated here at Thaifoodmaster, were recorded by Princess Sadap Ladawan (เจ้าจอมหม่อมราชวงศ์สดับลดาวัลย์), a key figure in the Palace’s culinary affairs, and subsequently compiled and published by Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University in a volume dedicated to seasoned rice dishes and chili relishes. In this dish called khaao graawp (ข้าวกรอบ), or “crispy rice” the Princess seasons cooked jasmine rice with chili jam, and adds four fried components, each highlighting a different element of the crispiness indicated by the dish’s name.

The Elegance of Khanohm Khaang Khaao (ขนมค้างคาว)

If palaces represent grandeur and wealth within a society, and poems often focus on emotional experience or the beauty of language, then the significance of a dumpling may be inferred by its structured elegance and minimalism – each fold and pleat a deliberate act, and each filling a curated experience constructing comfort in its most elemental form. Khanom khaang khaao (ขนมค้างคาว) is a traditional Siamese fried, triangular-shaped dumpling with obvious Chinese origins. Its earliest recorded recipe can be traced back to Jao Khraawk Thaawng Yuu (เจ้าครอกทองอยู่), a distinguished aristocrat from the royal court of Ayutthaya. Historical records indicate that, from the early days of the Rattanakosin era, her recipe was a favored snack within the Siamese royal court. These dumplings are shaped like triangles and, according to some, resemble bats: For this reason, they are called khanom khaang khaao (ขนมค้างคาว) – ‘the bat’s treat’. The dumpling’s dough is made from rice and mung bean flours; its filling is prepared by combining grated coconut and shrimp meat, which are cooked together into a dense, flavorful mixture that brings out the nutty-sweet taste of the grated coconut and the savory-sweet flavors of the shrimp. Kaffir lime leaves, sliced into hair-thin juliennes, add a hint of citrus.

The Ambassador’s House Style Rice Vermicelli in Broth (หมี่น้ำบ้านราชทูต; mee naam baan raat thuut)

The Ambassador's House Style Rice Vermicelli features crispy rice noodles in a complex sweet-sour broth with multiple proteins. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1945.

Magical Turtle Egg Dumplings (ขนมไข่เต่าวิเศษ; khanohm khai dtao wiset)

Khanohm khai dtao wiset, oval rice flour dumplings in salty coconut cream with shrimp tomalley, from Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 cookbook.

Steamed Dumplings with Scalloped Edges (ปั้นขลิบนึ่ง; bpan khlip neung)

Steamed Dumplings with Scalloped Edges featuring a savory pork, chicken, and peanut filling wrapped in a special rice flour dough. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 royal cookbook.

"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.

Decorated Corn (ข้าวโพดประดับ; khaao pho:ht bpra dap)

Decorated Corn, a palace-style appetizer featuring spiced chicken molded around baby corn and adorned with kernels. From Jeeb Bunnak's 1945 Thai cookbook.

“Sang-de-Boeuf Porcelain” Fermented Rice Noodles by Princess Jongjittanom Dissakul (ขนมจีนครามแดง อย่าง หม่อมเจ้าหญิงจงจิตรถนอม ดิศกุล ; khanohm jeen khraam daaeng)

New-Style Vietnamese Crispy Khanom Beuuang Crepes (ขนมเบื้องญวนใหม่; khanom beuuang yuan mai)

Khanom beuuang yuan mai: a rice-mung bean crepe kneaded with limewater for crispness, filled with shrimp tomalley and lotus seeds. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Alternating Colored Conch Shells (สังข์สลับสี; sang sa lap see)

Alternating Colored Conch Shells, multicolored dumplings tinted with natural dyes and shaped like conch shells. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 dessert cookbook.

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