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ไตปลาทรงเครื่อง ; Spicy Salad of Grilled Tiger Prawns, Mackerel, Lemongrass and Aromatics with Infused Fermented Fish Innards Dressing

Spicy Salad of Grilled Tiger Prawns, Mackerel, Lemongrass and Aromatics with Infused Fermented Fish Innards Dressing (ไตปลาทรงเครื่อง ; dtai bpla sohng khreuuang)

If we could strip away the spices, the seasonings, the vegetables and the herbs from savory dishes we could uncover their naked flavor profile core. There, we would encounter a strong savory-umami, sometimes coupled with other basic elements of smoke and fat. This flavor core is, for us humans, the sought-after taste of protein; our first sip of mother’s milk, and the primal experience of burned game meat on the fire. Today we would like to highlight a powerhouse for umami creation: the fermentation process. We will focus on fermented fish innards from southern Thailand (dtai bpla ไตปลา), one of about a dozen fermented products used in the country. We will show you how chefs for the capital’s elite, as early as or, before the reign of King Phra Phutthaloetla Naphalai (Rama II, 1767-1824), harnessed its wild nature and created a dish similar to what we present today - a salad with infused fermented fish innards dressing.

Siamese Chili Relishes - The Professional Chef's Guide - น้ำพริก และ เครื่องจิ้ม

Chili Choices in Curry - Crafting Flavor, Heat, and Aroma

The type of chilies – fresh, dried or rehydrated – and how they are processed into the curry paste have a significant influence on the dish’s flavor, color, aroma and heat profile. Fresh chilies inject an immediate, sharp spike of heat that rushes in with a piercing, punctuating intensity, a grassy aroma and fruity liveliness. Dried chilies, on the other hand, impart a subtle warmth alongside rich, earthy notes that gradually build up into a steady, lingering burn. The choice of the chili variety will also shape the curry’s flavor. Through an informed selection and processing of chilies, cooks can navigate between mild and spicy, fruity and earthy, and bright and mellow flavors, creating a complex and nuanced heart for their curries.

kao_kua

How to prepare ground roasted rice (ข้าวคั่ว ; khaao khuaa)

How to prepare firm pork fat for salads (วิธีเตรียมมันหมูแข็งสำหรับเมนูยำต่างๆ)

seasoned fish sauce

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

how to make crispy garlic

How to make crispy fried garlic (วิธีทำกระเทียมเจียว ; haawm jiaao)

pickled garlic

Three flavors pickled garlic (or elephant garlic) (กระเทียมหรือกระเทียมโทนดองสามรส ; gra thiiam daawng saam roht)

cooking with blood

Cooking with blood - How to prepare fresh blood วิธีเตรียมเลือดสดสำหรับการทำอาหาร

While the general assumption is that cooking with blood is associated with regional and rustic cuisine, in fact, animal blood was part of the aristocracy’s diet as well

dried_fish_scales

How to prepare dried fish scales (เกล็ดปลาแห้ง ; glet bplaa haaeng)

Dried fish scales can be used fried as a crunchy element for fish laap dishes or as a new crispy ingredient in your creative cooking.

Coconut Batter for Fried Accompaniments (แป้งชุบเครื่องทอด; bpaehng choop khreuuang thaawt)

Coconut Batter for Fried Accompaniments (แป้งชุบเครื่องทอด; bpaehng choop khreuuang thaawt)

Coconut Batter for Fried Accompaniments, a rice flour mixture kneaded with limestone solution until glossy. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 cookbook of Thai snacks and desserts.

naa-pla-ra

How to prepare seasoned fermented fish sauce (น้ำปลาร้าปรุงรส ; naam pla rapruung roht)

To mellow the fishy-umami aggressiveness of the fermented fish, as well as to ensure hygiene, the fermented fish and its broth are boiled with equally strong aromatics until each element releases its aroma and together help to counter the fishy odor of the fermented fish.

Fermented Thai Pork Sausage Recipe

Making Fermented Thai Pork Sausage (แหนมหมู ; naem moo)

Naem is a fermented sausage made with pork, pork skins, cooked sticky rice (glutinous), fresh garlic, salt, sugar and bird’s eye chilies. The sausage is wrapped in banana leaves or synthetic casings, and fermented for 3-5 days at about 30 degrees (C) and 50% humidity. The fermentation process enables the growth of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, mostly lactobacilli, which accounts for the sourness of the sausage. The salt acts as an inhibitor - preventing the meat from going rotten, allowing the lactic acid bacteria and yeasts to feed on the rice and sugar, and fermenting the meat to perfection.

How to prepare the basic fermented shrimp paste chili relish (น้ำพริกกะปิมาตรฐาน ; naam phrik gabpi maatdtrathaan)

The Direction of the Cut - Following the Structure Across Thai, Chinese, and Japanese Culinary Traditions: Verbs, Chemistry, and the Architecture of the Knife Cut

Pick up a shallot. The thin lines running from root to tip are not cosmetic - they are the bulb's structural axis, the direction along which its cells elongated as it grew. The choice you make at the cutting board is the angle at which your knife will sever those cells. The decision turns out to be governed by the same principle whether you are slicing shallots, butchering meat, preparing sashimi, or scoring squid. This essay follows that principle across the Thai, Chinese, and Japanese culinary traditions - through their verbs, their chemistry, and the architecture of the cut. It is one of the deepest patterns in cooking, and one of the least discussed.

lemongrass pomelo salad

How to prepare roasted coconut (วิธีทำมะพร้าวคั่ว ; maphraao khuaa)

weight conversion calculator

Traditional Thai weight units calculator - มาตราชั่งน้ำหนักโบราณของไทย

how to make crispy shallots

How to make crispy fried shallots (วิธีทำหอมแดงเจียว ; haawm jiaao)

chili kam

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.

Introduction to Thai Clear Soups

Introduction to Thai Clear Soups - The complexity of simplicity

laap seasoning mix

Northern laap seasoning mix (น้ำพริกลาบ ; naam phrik laap)

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