ผัดปลาแห้งโบราณ (อย่างคุณม่วง ราชนิกูล) Khoon Muaang Raatniguun’s Fried Dried Fish with Watermelon and Pineapple
The ideal summer dish should be refreshing and cooling. It should also be unintimidated by the relentless summer heat, and able to withstand being left outside on the kitchen table without spoiling.
As such, it would make sense to use fewer ingredients, and choose only those which store well.
Here is a summer dish that showcases the wisdom of creating complex flavors through simplicity. Using just lightly salted semi-dried snakehead fish, golden deep-fried shallots and a sweetening agent (either sugar or coconut), we create a condiment that partners perfectly with pieces of sweet juicy watermelon.
The dry fish is rinsed, let to dry again, and then its meat is separated from the bones and skin. It is crumbled until it is fluffy, and then roasted or fried until completely dry. The final product is seasoned to a sweet-salty mixture which is sprinkled on top of cold, juicy and refreshing watermelon, pineapple or even sticky rice enriched with sweet coconut cream and a pinch of salt (khaao niaao naa bplaa; ข้าวเหนียวหน้าปลา).
The Modern Version is called bplaa haaeng dtaaeng mo:h (ปลาแห้งแตงโม), in which the fish is roasted to a dry powdery form before it is seasoned with granulated white sugar and mixed with deep-fried crispy shallots.
ผัดปลาแห้งแตงอุลิต Fried Dried Fish with Watermelon
Khoon Muaang Raatniguun’s version – Early 19th century Coconut cream is slowly cooked until it cracks and separates to oil (khee lo:h ขี้โล้); to this, crumbled dried fish meat is added, with the fish bestowing its saltiness and umami essence to create an unusually complex flavor. It is slowly fried in the coconut oil until it caramelizes, absorbing the sweetness of the coconut. Once crispy and brown, it is mixed with sweet and crispy shallots deep-fried in khee lo:h oil for extra crunch and sweetness, and served either on watermelon or on pineapple.
In hot weather, coconut cream goes sour in couple of hours, but khee lo:h oil can still be made from spoiled coconut cream.
This version is called Phat Bplaa Haaeng (ผัดปลาแห้ง) or Fried Dried Fish, and is mentioned in the savory dishes section of Lady Plean Passakornrawong’s (c. 1908) cookbook “Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa”. (แม่ครัวหัวป่าก์, ท่านผู้หญิงเปลี่ยน ภาสกรวงษ์).
It is said that Lady Plean received this recipe from Um Daaeng Lim (อำแดงลิ้ม), the Chinese servant of Khoon Muaang Raatniguun (คุณม่วง ราชนิกูล).
Khoon Muaang Raatniguun passed away in the early 19th century, at the beginning of the reign of King Rama III.
Later on, her servant, Um Daaeng Lim, cooked the dish for the regent to King Rama V, Sohmdet Jao Phrayaa Ohng Yai [สมเด็จเจ้าพระยาองค์ใหญ่] also known as Sohmdet Jao Phrayaa Baawn Mohm Haa Sooriyawohng (Chunag Bunnag) [สมเด็จเจ้าพระยาบรมมหาสุริยวงศ์ (ช่วง บุนนาค)].
As the regent’s favorite dish, Sohmdet Jao Phrayaa Ohng Yai rewarded Um Daaeng Lim with money worth 5 dtam-leung (๕ ตำลึง).
Granma Bpiiam version – Early 19th century There’s another recipe from Khoon Yaai Bpiiam, the grandmother of Lady Plean Passakornrawong, who lived in the same period as Khoon Muaang in the early 19th century.
In this version Khoon Yaai Bpiiam uses pork fat, shallots and dried fish. She cuts the fat into long strips and fries it until the fat is rendered out, and the crackling becomes crunchy. She then fries sliced shallots, one by one, along with fluffy dried fish meat. When the fish is crispy and golden, she adds back the pork crackling and sprinkles with the deep-fried shallots
Cooking tips:
Thoroughly wash the dried serpent-head fish. Than roast dry it again.
For the modern version of the recipe, use almost the same quantities of dried fish, crispy shallots and granulated sugar; add maybe a just bit more dried fish meat to get a balanced taste.
When making khee lo:h (ขี้โล้) oil, crack the coconut milk in a wok until the oil separates – don’t allow it to change color.
Fry the dried fish slowly over low heat; make sure it is done slowly or it will change its color and become bitter. If the heat is too low, the fish will not become crispy.
Fried Dried Fish with Watermelon Recipe
Hanuman and Chef Thapakorn Lertviriyavit (Gorn)
Here is a summer dish that showcases the wisdom of creating complex flavors through simplicity. Using just lightly salted semi-dried snakehead fish, golden deep-fried shallots and a sweetening agent (either sugar or coconut), we create a condiment that partners perfectly with pieces of sweet juicy watermelon.
For the khanohm jeen saao naam version that we present today, we turn again to the writing of Thanpuying (Lady) Gleep Mahithaawn for her unique take on the dish. Her version is quite similar to the common recipe encountered nowadays, but Lady Gleep enhances it with more ingredients, elevating the dish yet another notch to the level of a majestic masterpiece.
This recipe would probably change your perception about the term “salad”, maybe because its dressing has a multi layered, curry-like personality, rather than the common sour vinaigrette-like dressing, or maybe because it takes some good few hours to prepare, somewhat longer than simply opening a bag of hydroponic greens.
This salad is the fruit of the dedication of court ladies from aristocratic households, that for centuries perfected and elaborated on the art of cooking through detailed and calculated process, to create sophisticated dishes that are not only delicious but also very healthy and visually pleasing.
These ladies made a very large commitment for small things, and they attended all their time and efforts to make minor things better and getting the small things just right.
Naam phrik lohng reuua (น้ำพริกลงเรือ) – Literally translated as “boat embarking chili relish”, this particular boat seems to have drifted a long way from port and these days, the actual dish served in Thai restaurants is far away from the original version. We want to tell you the real story behind this dish and to present you with the original version’s recipe in its true character – as if the boat is still moored at the dock.
This Thai spicy catfish recipe gives catfish a new and fabulous spin. You can either use farmed or game fish with the same phenomenal results. The intensity of the wild ginger combined with aromatic fresh peppercorn will turn even muddy flavor fish into a delicacy.
Slice the fish are first, then role it in flour and deep-fry it to a crispy crunch. Quickly stir-fry the crispy fish with wild ginger and the peppercorns releasing their aromatic oils, creating wonderful flavors. While seasoning with light soy sauce and oyster sauce, our fish is now regaining heavenly moisture without losing its tempting crispiness.
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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.