The dish was introduced to me by a street vendor in a 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’s 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.
I am hearing that Auntie Yai is still selling this dish on the same street, and it is probably the best place in town to have it. I was told that now queues are building up fast and the average waiting time is two hours. In case you are not in town, your time is precious nor you are especially keen on “interviews”, here is a (so deeply) satisfying version of this delicious dish:
Soak the dry chilies in hot water until soft, than in a pestle and mortar pound them smooth with a bit of salt as abrasive. แช่พริกแห้งในน้ำอุ่นจนนิ่ม แล้วนำไปโขลกกับเกลือ
Add chopped galangal and lemongrass. ใส่ตะไคร้ซอย ข่าซอย ลงไปโขลก
Add garlic, shallots and kafir lime zest, and pound everything to a smooth and homogenous paste. ใส่กระเทียม หอมแดง และ ผิวมะกรูดลงไปโขลกต่อให้ละเอียด
Add the curry paste to a mixing bowl together with the cooked rice. นำเอาข้าวสวย 5 ถ้วยใส่ลงในอ่างผสม จานนั้นนำเอาน้ำพริกที่โขลกไว้แล้วใส่ลงไป 3 ช้อนโต๊ะ
Mix together until each grain of rice is tinted with the curry paste, add eggs and mix well. คลุกเคล้าส่วนผสมทั้งหมดให้เข้ากัน จากนั้นใส่ไข่ไก่ลงไป 2 ฟอง
Finley grate the white coconut flesh. ขูดเนื้อมะพร้าวให้ได้ 1/3 ถ้วย
Add the grated coconut and finely chopped kafir lime to the rice mix. เติมเนื้อมะพร้าวขูดที่ได้ และ ใบมะกรูดหั่นฝอยลงไปในอ่างผสม จากนั้นคนให้เข้ากันดี
Season with salt. ปรุงรสด้วยเกลือป่น
Season with sugar. เติมน้ำตาลทรายขาวลงไป
Mix all the ingredients until the mixture is workable and you can shape the rice into a ping pong size balls. คลุกเคล้าให้เข้ากันจนเม็ดข้าวสามารถจับตัวให้ปั้นเป็นก้อน ๆ ได้ และ ปั้นข้าวเป็นรูปกลม ๆ ขนาดประมาณเท่าลูกปิงปอง
Mix the tempura flour with water. ผสมแป้งสำหรับชุบทอดกับน้ำเปล่า
Heat oil for deep frying. นำกะทะตั้งไฟกลาง ใส่น้ำมันสำหรับทอดให้เยอะ ๆ หน่อย ดูให้พอท่วมขนาดของข้าวปั้นที่ทำเอาไว้แล้ว
When the oil is hot, deep each of rice ball in the tempura mixture and fry. เมื่อน้ำมันร้อนได้ที่แล้ว นำเอาข้าวปั้นลงไปชุบแป้ง และนำไปทอด
Fry until golden and crispy. ทอดจนข้าวปั้นเริ่มเป็นสีทอง กรอบ
set aside to remove excess oil on kitchen towels. จากนั้นนำขึ้นจากน้ำมัน และ วางลงบนกระดาษซับน้ำมัน
To prepare the salad, break with your fingers two rice croquettes into bite size pieces. นำเอาข้าวทอด 2 ลูก บี้ให้เป็นชิ้นเล็ก ๆ
Thai desserts are usually made from common ingredients and therefore very popular. However, it was only during the 17th century that desserts and sweets actually became part of everyday meals. In the old days, they were served only at auspicious occasions and ceremonies.
During wedding ceremonies, for example, four kinds of sweets are usually served, collectively known as “the four plates dessert” (ขนมสี่ถ้วย ; khanohm see thuay). The ancient Thai expression “To eat four cups of dessert” (กินสี่ถ้วย ; gin see thuay ) used in the central region of the kingdom as an idiom referring to a wedding banquet.
The sweet leading sour coconut cream based sauce, enriched and thickened with fragrant freshly roasted peanuts and golden beans are a wonderful coat to dress the sweet shrimp meat. The aromatics are being extracted in every possible way, by roasting, and frying, boiling and reducing, pounding and grounding. All the culinary methods are being fully employed to guarantee an absolute real first class dish.
If you want to start some real Thai cooking going at your home, have the time and access to all the ingredients, than I really want you to try this dish. The building blocks of flavors work so well here and it will open you a great window to see the beginning of what is possible in Thai cuisine.
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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Practical and kitchen-tested recipes with a mix of theory, history, psychology, and Siamese culture tidbits.
Access to Thaifoodmaster’s constantly growing library of prime professional classes, articles, recipes and videos on Siamese culinary topics, available nowhere else in English.
Gain access to NEW MONTHLY masterclasses as they become available.
1-1 support from Hanuman to help you achieve your professional Thai culinary goals
The opportunity to join a monthly live two-hour videoconference where I can answer your questions.
one year access for the price of 3 days in-person training.
You will get everything you need to:
When you design or build a new menu for an event or restaurant or even prepare for dinner with friends.
Finally !
Master your Thai cooking skills and expand your repertoire.