Thai Relishes, Naam Phrik & Lon Recipes Archives

ต้มข่าเป็ดแบบโบราณ ; An ancient Siamese recipe of Tom Kha Bpet (duck)

An Ancient Siamese Recipe for Tom Kha Pet (1890 AD) Duck Simmered in Light Coconut Cream and Young Galangal, and Served with Sour-Sweet Roasted Chili Jam
(Tom Kha Bpet; ต้มข่าเป็ด จิ้มน้ำพริกเผาแบบโบราณ)

Tom kha is a well-known and much-loved Thai soup: a creamy, soothing coconut blend, a warm, silky broth in which chicken, mainly, is simmered with young galangal, mushrooms, and, at times, charred-grilled banana blossoms. In other versions, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves are added, blurring the boundaries between tom kha and the coconut-based tom yam soup (tom yum kati; ต้มยำกะทิ). However, in the late 19th century, tom kha was not a soup at all: it was a dish of chicken or duck simmered in a light coconut broth with a generous amount of galangal. The coconut broth added sweetness to the meat, and the galangal helped to mellow the meat odor. It was then served with a basic roasted chili jam as a dipping relish seasoned along the salty-sour-sweet spectrum.

Fermented Soybean Paste Dipping Relish (เต้าเจี้ยวพล่า; dtao jiaao phlaa)

Dtao jiaao phlaa, fermented soybean paste relish bruised with lemongrass, kaffir lime, and tamarind. From Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Fried Kaffir Lime Chili Relish (น้ำพริกมะกรูดผัด ; naam phrik magruut phat)

Rice Seasoned with Young Tamarind Relish, Sweetened Fish and Pickled Morning Glory (ข้าวคลุกน้ำพริกมะขามอ่อน ผักบุ้งดอง ปลาแห้งผัดหวาน และ ปลาดุกย่าง; Khaao Khlook Naam Phrik Makhaam Aawn Phakboong Daawng Bplaa Haaeng Phat Waan Lae Bplaa Dook Yaang)

Seasoned rice dishes have been a staple of rice-consuming societies almost since the first grains were cultivated. Adapted according to local resources, traditions and individual preferences, seasoned rice dishes are relished and savored across all walks of life. Within Siamese society, these dishes offer insight into the flavor instincts and eating habits across all demographics, revealing which food items were locally available and valued. In this delicious seasoned rice recipe from the kitchens of the daughter of King Chulalongkorn, Princess Yaovabha Bongsanid (พระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าเยาวภาพงศ์สนิท) (1884-1934), the Princess uses a variety of common preserved and inexpensive ingredients, clearly drawing inspiration from the cuisine of the Central Plains with nods to the rural and coastal living atmosphere.

Tamarind flesh chili relish (น้ำพริกส้มมะขามเปียก; naam phrik sohm ma khaam bpiiak)

All-Purpose Sour, Sweet and Salty Chili Jam (Modern Version) (naam phrik phao; น้ำพริกเผาสมัยใหม่)

Thai Chili Jam - This is a chili jam similar to what is commonly sold under the name of roasted chili paste (naam phrik phao; น้ำพริกเผา). It is widely used as a condiment in salad dressings, soups, and seasoning for stir-fried dishes. I like to have control over my pantry ingredients, so I always use homemade naam phrik phao. Furthermore, since it is a basic ingredient used in so many dishes, anything less than the best will drastically impair the quality of your dishes.

Red Pickled Anchovies with Seasonings (ปลาแดงทรงเครื่อง; bplaa daaeng sohng khreuuang)

Fermented anchovy relish with dual citrus, grilled shrimp, and salt-worked ginger served with raw vegetables and fried catfish. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Grilled Eggplant Lohn Relish with Shrimp (หลนมะเขือเผากุ้งสด; Lohn Ma Kheuua Phao Goong Soht)

Lohn relish of grilled eggplant (หลนมะเขือเผากุ้งสด) captivates with its subtle contrasts and complex layering of flavors. Central to this dish is grilled eggplant, which is known for its inherent bitterness due to phenolic compounds like chlorogenic acid. However, this bitterness succumbs to a delightful transformation when the eggplant is simmered in coconut cream. The fats and sugars in the coconut cream effectively mask these bitter notes, resulting in a deep, satisfying savory relish that is both well-balanced and rounded. Accompanying the eggplant are roasted shallots and garnet-blushed grilled tomatoes. The grilled tomatoes not only add natural sweetness and brightness to the dish, but also contribute to its visual charm via their muted orangey reds. This color palette complements the eggplant’s earthy, slightly sweet taste, represented through rich, velvety white-green hues. The interplay of colors in the dish mirror the complexity of its flavors. The minced shrimp meat introduces a briny sweetness and a contrasting texture. The relish is seasoned to a sour-sweet leading salty to follow flavor profile, enhancing the smoky sweetness imparted by the grilled ingredients and creating a palette of flavor and color that is as attractive as it is delicious.

Grilled Catfish-and-Roasted-Rice Pla Ra Relish (ปลาร้าปลาดุกข้าวคั่วปิ้ง; bplaa raa bplaa dook khaao khuaa bping)

Catfish-and-roasted-rice pla ra grilled in banana leaf with shallots, galangal and coconut cream until the leaf chars. From Lady Gleep Mahithaawn, 1949.

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.

Ancient roasted chili jam (naam phrik phao bo:h raan ; น้ำพริกเผาโบราณ)

Completed Nam Phrik - Fermented Shrimp Paste Relish Parcels with Coconut Cream (น้ำพริกผักต้มสำเร็จ; naam phrik phak dtohm sam ret)

Naam phrik phak dtohm sam ret: grilled fermented shrimp paste (kapi) relish with blanched vegetables, wrapped in cabbage parcels with coconut cream and salted duck egg yolks. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Modified Roasted Shrimp Paste Relish (แปลงกะปิคั่ว; bplaaeng ga bpi khuaa)

Bplaaeng ga bpi khuaa: shrimp paste relish with salted black olive and smoke-dried fish, fried in broken coconut oil. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Fermented fish lohn relish (ปลาร้าหลน ; bplaa raa lohn)

Roasted Shrimp Paste Relish (เครื่องจิ้ม - กะปิคั่ว; khreuuang jim ga bpi khuaa)

Khreuuang jim ga bpi khuaa, fermented shrimp paste roasted with smoke-dried featherback fish in split coconut cream. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Fermented shrimp paste relish with bitter eggplant seeds (น้ำพริกมะเขือขื่น หรือ มะเขือเหลือง ; naam phrik makheuua kheuun)

Fermented shrimp paste relish with grilled pea eggplants (น้ำพริกมะเขือพวง ; naam phrik ma kheuua phuaang)

Salted Chinese black olive chili relish (น้ำพริกหนำเลี้ยบ; naam phrik nam liiap)

18 Seasoned fish sauce condiments (น้ำปลาปรุงรส ; naam bplaap roong roht)

Giant river prawn lohn (กุ้งหลวงหลน ; goong luaang lohn)

This lohn recipe is made using fresh river prawns. The recipe was altered by Lady Plean Passakornrawong (ท่านผู้หญิงเปลี่ยน ภาสกรวงศ์) to provide an alternative to lohn recipes that used pla ra-like fermented shrimp products called กุ้งเจ่า (goong jao) and กุ้งจ่อม (goong jaawm).

Goong Saawn Glin - A Thai Royal Appetizer of Flaky Acid-Cooked Shrimp, Peanuts and Pickled Garlic, with a Sour-Salty-Sweet Shrimp Tomalley Dressing. (กุ้งซ่อนกลิ่น)

กุ้งแนม" หรือ "กุ้งซ่อนกลิ่น - Goong naaem (goong saawn glin) according to the 1908 recipe in Lady Plean Passakornrawong’s “Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa (ตำราแม่ครัวหัวป่าก์)” cookbook. Flaky acid-cooked shrimp and the pork fat, along with thinly sliced roasted peanuts and very small unpeeled diced bitter orange (ส้มซ่า som saa), plus paper-thin slices of pickled garlic and julienned fresh red long chili peppers are mixed and seasoned with shrimp tomalley dressing. It is served in wrapped squares, using iceberg lettuce and young thaawng laang leaves.

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