Gaaeng Ranjuaan: A sensuous yearning for a remarkably old-fashioned recipe.
Gaaeng Ranjuaan is spicy, sour, sweet and salty beef curry seasoned with no more than fermented shrimp paste chili sauce. It should be served steaming hot, and must possess three distinct flavors, similar to fish Tom Yam soup.
These modest ingredients and an intensely-flavored curry emerge from a story about love, things lost in translation and…leftovers.
Gaaeng Ranjuaan was created by the kitchen masters of Royal households from the uneaten food returned to the kitchen from grand events. Sagely combining pieces of meat and leftover naam prhrik kapi chili relish, the chefs concocted a new dish – forever yearned by all who tasted it.
Fermented shrimp paste (kapi) rests at the base of the Thai culinary tradition. It is widely used in curry pastes, stir-fried recipes and, of course, in chili relishes.
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The most well-known of all these sauces is probably naam prhrik kapi chili relish, a comfort food for any Thai person, whatever their social status. This hot, sour, sweet and salty chili sauce is commonly served with raw or cooked vegetables, and head-bent steamed and fried mackerel.
Many distinguished Thai chefs reintroduced gaaeng ranjuaan to restaurant menus after it was mentioned by culinary authority ML Neuuang Ninrat (1913-2010) (หม่อมหลวงเนื่อง นิลรัตน์), in a memoir describing her life in the royal courts of King Rama V and VI.
As well, Internet forums began to fill up with misleading information about the origin and preparation methods for gaaeng ranjuaan following its appearance in a popular TV series about five noble heirs desperately seeking love. In one episode, the leading actress prepared gaaeng ranjuaan curry to win the heart of the rich bachelor.
And the real story is…
In her book “Life in the Palace (ชีวิตในวัง ) ”, ML Ninrat describes how her grandmother, Princess Sabaai Ninrat (มจ.หญิงสะบาย นิลรัตน์), created this dish.[1]Ninrat, M.L. (หม่อมหลวงเนื่อง นิลรัตน์) (1998). ชีวิตในวัง (Life in the Palace), fifth edition Book 2, chapter 21, page 73. Bangkok, … Continue reading
One day, the kitchen had prepared food for former court staff; at the end of the dinner, there remained quite a large amount of a dish consisting of beef stir-fried with basil. No one dared to throw it away and waste it.
Princess Sabaai, who was the head chef for the royal cuisine of King Rama V, asked Jeg Ngee, her Chinese assistant, to separate the meat from the chilies and basil. The Princess then mixed it into a broth and added leftover naam prhrik kapi. She also added thinly-sliced lemongrass and a handful of whole shallot and garlic to the pot.
Everyone enjoyed this curry dish, and Princess Sabaai Ninrat called it “gaaeng ranjuaan” – in Thai, “ranjuaan” is “to yearn for”.
The original recipe uses whole shallots and excludes galangal. When the curry is boiling, remove the pot from the stove and add basil leaves. If it is not spicy enough, add more crushed chilies.
The original recipe calls for beef, but it can be prepared with any type of meat – as you wish…
Recommended prerequisites:
1. Siamese Chili Relishes – The Professional Chef’s Guide
2. How to prepare the basic fermented shrimp paste chili relish (น้ำพริกกะปิมาตรฐาน)
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Ingredients
To prepare basic beef stew
- 800 g beef shank (เนื้อน่องลาย)
- 4 lemongrass (ตะไคร้)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (เกลือทะเล)
- water (น้ำเปล่า) approximately 4-6 cups
To prepare Fermented Shrimp Paste Chili Relish.
- 5 tablespoons fermented shrimp paste (kapi)(กะปิย่างไฟ) Kapi
- 5 tablespoons Thai garlic (กระเทียมไทย)
- 1 tablespoon fresh bird’s eye chili (kee noo suan) (พริกขี้หนูสวนสด)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried shrimp pounded to powder (กุ้งแห้งป่น)
- 3 tablespoons palm sugar (น้ำตาลมะพร้าว)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (น้ำปลา)
- 4 tablespoons lime juice (น้ำมะนาว)
To prepare the Curry.
- 1 cup shallots (หอมแดง) peeled unsliced.
- 2 tablespoons Thai garlic (กระเทียมไทย)
- 1/2 cup Lemongrass, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup fermented shrimp paste chili relish (naam phrik kapi)(น้ำพริกกะปิ)
- 2 tablespoons fresh bird’s eye chili (kee noo suan) (พริกขี้หนูสวนสด) bruised
- 3/4 tablespoon lime juice (น้ำมะนาว)
- 1 cup Thai basil (ใบโหระพา) Horapa
Instructions
Making beef stew
- Cut the beef into large pieces.
- Stew the beef in water to together with a pinch of salt and bruised lemon grass stalks.
- Stew for about two hours, or until the beef is tender.
- Peel garlic and shallots, and set aside.
Making Fermented Shrimp Paste Chili Sauce
- Wrap kapi in banana leaves and grill over charcoal until fragrant.
- Remove the kapi from the banana leaves and set aside.
- In a pestle and mortar, crush the garlic.
- Add kapi.
- Pound the garlic and the kapi together, this stage is called in Thai “killing the Kapi” and helps to mellow down the kapi smell.
- Add bird’s eye chillies.
- Add pounded dry shrimp powder.
- Add Plam Sugar.
- Mix everything together.
- Add lime juice.
- Set the fermented shrimp paste chili sauce aside.
References[+]
↑1 | Ninrat, M.L. (หม่อมหลวงเนื่อง นิลรัตน์) (1998). ชีวิตในวัง (Life in the Palace), fifth edition Book 2, chapter 21, page 73. Bangkok, Thailand. ISBN: 9786167153520 |
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Perfumed Braised Beef and Potato Curry with Three Gingers, Thai Basil and Bitter Orange (แกงเนื้อใส่เปราะหอมสดและส้มซ่า; Gaaeng Neuua Sai Bpraw Haawm Soht Lae Sohm Saa)
Discovered in a memorial book for the funeral of SubLt. Soophoht Jeungpraphaa (ร.ต. สุพจน์ จึงประภา) (1925-1966), this beef and potato curry dish unites two distinct curry styles: Massaman curry, known for its sweet and warming complexity of dry spices, punctuated by the vibrancy of bitter orange juice; and gaaeng phet (แกงเผ็ด) spicy curry, dominated by a basil herbal identity. The recipe maintains a sense of traditional elegance despite the startlingly unusual culinary fusion; as these two cooking styles are woven together, their spiced comfort, earthy warmth, citrusy freshness, and cool herbaceous notes meld in a gentle refinement. Drawing upon familiar and novel elements, this curry is both comforting and stimulating.
Massaman curry typically presents as a deep, rich dish. Its unique flavor profile is derived predominantly from a range of dry spices that point to its Persian-inspired roots in Siamese cuisine, along with a curry paste that exudes a sense of freshness. The dried chilis are roasted to deepen their color; the rest of the ingredients, such as the shallots, garlic and dry spices, are roasted too, individually, before being pounded into the paste. Conversely, the gaaeng phet (แกงเผ็ด) curry integrates dry spices more sparingly and is known for flavor qualities that are based on a phrik khing (พริกขิง) paste made of fresh aromatics and a basil herbal identity.
Beef Phanaeng Curry and Ancient Grilled Phanaeng Chicken Curry (พะแนงเนื้อ และ ไก่ผะแนง จากตำราอาหารที่เก่าสุดในสยาม)
Breaking news: The oldest Thai cookbook, as well as history’s first-ever recorded recipe for Phanaeng curry, are revealed for the first time on Thaifoodmaster.com – A 126-year-old cookbook written by one of Siam’s most revered singers, Maawm Sohm Jeen (Raa Chaa Noopraphan) (หม่อมซ่มจีน, ราชานุประพันธุ์), has been rediscovered, offering a unique glimpse into the culinary repertoire of 19th-century Siam. In this chapter we examine the different forms of phanaeng curry from the 1800s to the present day, as we reconstruct the 19th-century version and craft step-by-step a traditional beef phanaeng curry.
Perfumed Muslim-style Curry of Fresh Chilies with Beef (แกงเขียวหวานเนื้อทรงเครื่อง; Gaaeng Khiaao Waan Neuua Sohng Khreuuang)
The Indian and Muslim cuisines present distinct approaches to using dried spices in curries, both of which influence Siamese cuisine in different ways. Indian-inspired Siamese curries spotlight chilies for their vibrant color, fragrance, flavor and heat, while spices like cumin and coriander play a supporting role. The spices complement and temper the chilies’ intensity, creating a rounded, multi-layered flavor profile; nonetheless, the chilies remain the star ingredient, gently complemented by the spices.
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Moreover, Siamese cuisine favors using rehydrated dried chilies in curries for their depth; this depth is highly appreciated, along with the complexity, and comparatively milder heat of the rehydrated dried chilies. As well, the harsh grassy notes of fresh chilies are not favored; they’re referred to in Thai as “green rank” or “men khiaao (เหม็นเขียว)”. Muslim curries often use fresh green chilies, tempering their vibrant, grassy taste with dry spices and thus shifting the flavor from bright and fresh to more subdued and earthy tones, resulting in a dish that is perceived to be layered, despite the burst of fresh chilies.
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.
Gaaeng raawn (แกงร้อน) is a colloquial Thai term that refers to ‘hot curry’. Today, gaaeng raawn is used to denote soups or curries served with steamed rice. While the precise origin of the term is unclear, gaaeng raawn (แกงร้อน) was deployed in the 1800s for a specific dish – a Siamese soup featuring glass noodles, cooked as either a coconut or a water-based soup with an assortment of dry ingredients revered in Chinese cuisine. The soup’s potential health benefits, combined with its ease of preparation and subtle yet profound flavor, made it a popular choice for entertaining large groups of people, of all ages and backgrounds. The soup is often augmented with fresh proteins: in its more luxurious versions, multiple proteins may be added, including a combination of chicken, pork, shrimp, squid, and crab meat. Thus, over the years, gaaeng raawn (แกงร้อน) was established as a staple source of comfort and warmth for people of all walks of life in Siamese society.
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