In the Central Plains of the Kingdom, fermented rice noodles are inextricably linked to a dish known as naam yaa. Composed of a dense, coconut-based minced fish curry, the dish is infused with layers of salted fish and possesses the distinctive, invigorating and purifying notes of fingerroot. Typically, naam yaa is served with fresh lemon basil as the herb of choice along with an array of side dishes collectively known as meuuat khanohm jeen (เหมือดขนมจีน). These include blanched bean sprouts seasoned with a touch of turmeric for color, fresh lemon basil leaves, thinly sliced three colored chilies, and ground chili for added heat. More elaborate versions will add blanched Chinese bitter gourd slices, batter-fried young morning glory shoots, and fresh shrimp minced and fried with its tomalley in pork lard, as well as crispy-fried shallots as the finishing touch.

This fermented rice noodle dish is served with a slow-cooked, chili-less broth made from pounded fish meat and aromatics cooked in coconut cream. Creamy in color and velvety in texture, the broth is seasoned either with fish sauce, fermented fish or salted fish according to one’s preferences. The broth is allowed to slow-cook, achieving its full richness over a couple of hours. Once ready, the broth is poured over the noodles, which are then topped with a glossy-orangey layer of minced shrimp meat fried with their tomalley in pork lard. Complementing this richness are crunchy yellowish bean sprouts blanched in turmeric-tinted water, a sprinkle of sweet, golden crispy-fried shallots and, finally, green lemon basil leaves that endow the dish with a unique, rustic herbal persona.

Among the various curries that can be poured over khanom jeen fermented rice noodles, this broth, known as Chinese-style “naam yaa,” is unique in that it is a water-based curry that does not have chilies. As such, rather than the typical reddish-rust color of most coconut-based naam ya dishes from the Central Plains of the Kingdom, the sauce glows with a soft, light ivory hue, beautifully reflecting the dish’s natural sweet-savoriness, which is derived from slow-braising three proteins – chicken, pork and shrimp – along with a curry paste galvanized by smoke-dried fish and aromatic roots like galangal, fingerroot and sand ginger. The naam ya broth is served over a bed of fermented rice noodles and garnished with toppings such as delicate pulled chicken breast threads, golden-crispy fried shallots and garlic, and vivid green fresh coriander leaves and spring onion. All these elements add a visual grace and a hint of freshness to the robust broth – the signature dish of Prince Krom Luang Pitak Montri (กรมหลวงพิทักษ์มนตรี).

With a history dating to the 7th century, gaaeng buaan (แกงบวน) is one of the oldest known Siamese dishes and a significant culinary treasure offering a fascinating glimpse into the eating habits of a bygone civilization. The dark, hunter-green broth of gaaeng buaan is replete with various large animal offal, including heart, lungs, liver, stomach and intestines. These ingredients are simmered with a brew of medicinal leaf extracts, aromatic herbs, and a rustic paste featuring roasted ingredients, along with an array of salted and fermented fish ingredients. These elements bestow the dish with a complex, savory persona holding a range of different flavor notes, depending on the specific type of leaves used. This distinctive dish reflects the Mon-Dvaravati culture, pre-dating the mid-16th-century culinary revolution precipitated by the introduction of the spicy red chili peppers that brought a red-tinted gloss to Siamese cuisine.

According to ancient medical inscriptions found at Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho), a temple in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district, curry dishes were once prescribed to treat various ailments. These curries were formulated with nutritious proteins, medicinal roots, and healing herbs, each possessing unique curative powers.

Gaaeng yaa (แกงยา), which translates to “medicinal curry”, is a thick water-based dish that was advised in treating a specific group of conditions collectively referred to as grasai sickness (โรคกษัย). Its broth is based on a sharp and distinctive curry paste; drawing its profound savoriness from salted fish, the dish is thickened with grilled fish meat, while wild pepper leaf gives it a long-lasting peppery-herbal aftertaste.

In this Masterclass, we explore gaaeng yaa culinary and medicinal blending theories as reflected in historic medical documents inscribed in the early 1800s but reflecting nearly five centuries of knowledge and certainly preceding the earliest Siamese cookbooks. As well, we unearth centuries-old recipes and classical methods for combining ingredients for both culinary and medicinal purposes.

In the case of gaaeng yaa, we are offered a rare and fascinating opportunity to examine dishes through manuscripts that predate the earliest Siamese cookbooks by almost a century.

In the mountainous region of Northern Thailand, the people share a profound connection with the spirits inhabiting the land, trees and rivers. This bond extends to ancestral spirits residing within their homes, providing protection and guidance to the family. It is believed that food is not only shared among the living but also with those who preceded us, bridging the gap between the natural world and the ethereal realm of the spirits.

It is in this context that yam jin gai (ยำจิ้นไก่) holds a special significance. Once a delicacy served only on special occasions, this soup-like salad has come to symbolize the enduring bond between the people of Northern Thailand and their ancestral spirits. Families pay homage to their ancestors with offerings of food, fostering a sense of unity and connection that transcends mortality and even the present; although the dish is included on the menus of many restaurants, its roots remain grounded in the spiritual landscape of the northern forests.

In the world of Siamese watery dishes, soups and curries are typically named in a straightforward manner that indicates the type of curry and the main ingredients. Some dishes, however, bore distinctive or poetic names conferred by their creators; this was particularly applicable during the Siamese neoclassical culinary period extending from the 1930s to the 1950s (ยุคหลังเปลี่ยนแปลงการปกครอง). In this era, cooks were encouraged to use local ingredients and were free to think and conceive beyond the Court’s boundaries and code of manners. This creative freedom was often expressed by bestowing vivid names on both new and existing dishes.

Thaifoodmaster is excited to present a distinctive curry recipe called gaaeng jao dtao (แกงเจ้าเต่า), a curry with a rustic flair, a neoclassical period dish originating in the kitchen of a noble family. Gaaeng jao dtao (แกงเจ้าเต่า), a sour curry of catfish featuring young tamarind leaves, fingerroot and lemon basil, was created by Lady Gleep Mahithaawn (ท่านผู้หญิงกลีบ มหิธาวรรณ) (1876-1961) and appeared in her 1949 book Recipes for Teaching Children and Grandchildren (หนังสือกับข้าวสอนลูกหลาน).

Gaaeng jao dtao (แกงเจ้าเต่า) is a dish that showcases Lady Gleep’s appreciation for vernacular cuisine while highlighting her classical training. Unlike other aristocratic cooks, Lady Gleep was able to combine two staple dishes into one: gaaeng jao dtao (แกงเจ้าเต่า) is a unique merger of a sour curry and a water-based gaaeng aawm curry (แกงอ่อม).

Mrs. Paan Nanthaathiwat (คุณปาน นันทาถิวัฒน์) (1893-1955) was known for her kitchen skills. She often cooked for friends and family, spending time in the kitchen with her best friend, Mrs. Yim Pichaiyat Bunnag (คุณยิ้ม พิชัยญาติ บุนนาค (1892-1976). Thus, it was not a surprise when in 1953 she authored a recipe book as part of her merit offering on her 60th birthday. Sadly, Mrs. Paan passed away a year later and the publication, titled Hoong Khaao Dtohm Gaaeng (หุ้งข้าวต้มแกง), was later printed as a memorial book for her funeral. In 1977, the volume was reprinted for the funeral of her best friend, Mrs. Yim.

It is unclear why Mrs. Paan named this citrusy, sour, and salty seasoned rice dish after Lord Shiva, calling it “Phra Suli (พระศุลี ; phra soolee)”. Yet I believe the name of the dish is meant to evoke the elegance and delicacy of the deity rather than to reference cultural authenticity or tradition.

Smoked duck stuffed with a mackerel and chestnut filling is a dish that defies cultural boundaries. An exemplar of blended culinary influences, featuring inviting colors and an elegant presentation that serve as a prelude to the complex flavors and textures that await, the dish is an eloquent testament to the cooking style of Mrs. Samaknantapol (Jeep Bunnag, who went by the pen name “the granddaughter of Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa”). In the 1930s. Mrs. Jeep Bunnag published her first cookbook. Following in the footsteps of her revered grandmother-in-law, Lady Plean Passakornrawong, she continued to document the art of Siamese cuisine through the treasured books she published and was known for her ability to merge culinary traditions into beautiful and innovative dishes that represent an era.

The rich, dark color of the smoked duck’s skin is visually striking and appetizing, evoking a sense of indulgence and luxury. The smoky flavors that permeate the meat reflect our deep connection to primal cooking techniques, a fascinating juxtaposition to the refined presentation of the dish. When the smoked duck is sliced, its succulent pink meat is revealed, surrounding the golden filling of chestnuts and mackerel.

Dating from the early 1900s, this tempting fried rice dish highlights how the Siamese aristocracy savored their golden rice, perfumed with an alluring blend of imported spices. The dish can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a larger meal featuring curries and soups.

This article explores two methods of preparing Mee Fried Rice – the traditional Khao Mee Fried Rice and the lighter, seasoned rice alternative known as khaao mee yaang khlook. Discover the flavor chemistry at play and choose your preferred method for a delicious meal.

This soup dish features crispy rice vermicelli noodles, a chicken broth that has a three-flavor profile infused with the aroma of bitter orange, and a plethora of other ingredients such as crispy fried tofu, chicken, pork, crab and pickled garlic.

In Thai, the phrase mee naam baan raat thuut refers to a rice vermicelli noodle soup in the style of the Ambassador’s house. The dish was not new when it appeared in the 1956 book Snacks, Tea Nibbles, Hors D’oeuvres and Drinking Food (ตำราอาหารว่าง – เครื่องน้ำชา และ เครื่องเคี้ยว หรือ กับแกล้ม) by Jeeb Bunnag (จีบ บุนนาค), as noodle dishes were often the preferred ingredient for light meals or snacks. In Grandparents Recipes: 100 Years Old Recipes (จานอร่อยจากปู่ย่า สูตรโบราณ 100 ปี), a volume printed in 2014 that highlights recipes from the kitchens of fifteen prominent families, a similar version of the dish is referred to as mee naam baan bpaak naai leert (หมี่น้ำบ้านปาร์คนายเลิศ) and is associated with Nai Lert.

mee graawp sohng khreuuang (หมี่กรอบทรงเครื่อง), is an exquisitely regal dish of crispy rice vermicelli. The delicate noodles strands are washed and dried, then fried to a crisp light-golden hue. They retain their brittle crunch and airy texture even after being stir-fried with a clinging sticky sauce that encases the noodles in a thin layer of sheen. This sauce, mixed into the noodles together with other ingredients such as thin slices of pickled garlic and bitter orange peel, impart the dish with a light, fresh sweet and sour, and slightly salty and citrusy glaze.

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.

When it comes to pairing fruits with meats in savory dishes, it’s hard to match the bold tangy-luscious combination of apples and prunes in this old-fashioned coconut-based spicy curry with braised duck. The dish is seasoned to a spicy, salty, and sour-sweet flavor profile, which is further intensified by the prunes’ subtle nectareous, savory-sweetness and the apples’ fruity, sweet-tartness. This curry is a perfect example of how fruits can complement the already complex and profound aromatic relationships between meaty-savory flavors, the curry paste’s aromatic identity, and the dish’s herbal character of Thai basil and fresh peppercorns – creating a most memorable flavor impression.

Grapes have long been associated with prosperity, fertility and abundance across various cultures and historical periods due to the fruit’s large clusters and bountiful growth. In ancient China, grapes were considered a symbol of wealth and nobility, and often deployed as a status symbol among the elite. In Greek mythology, Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility, was often depicted holding a bunch of grapes, further emphasizing the connection between grapes and abundance. This association is also likely rooted in the fact that grapes were a valuable crop in antiquity – used to produce wine and other fermented products, and an important source of food and nutrition. In Indian Ayurvedic texts, grapes are referred to as vineaksha and utilized in treating a variety of ailments, including fever and indigestion.

From the Siamese perspective, the incorporation of fruits in culinary preparations was viewed as a luxurious indulgence, as many fruits commonly available today were once difficult to obtain. Thus the pairing of an extravagant ingredient – such as fruit – with an equally opulent and exclusive delicacy like roasted duck resulted in a dish fit for royalty.

The hairy-fruited eggplant, known as ‘maeuk’ in Thai, is similar to the tomato in its unique confluence of sweetness, fruitiness, and savoriness. This ingredient is used in a wide range of Siamese dishes, including curries, salads, relishes, and seasoned rice dishes. This recipe, from the central region of Thailand, is a traditional duck khuaa sohm curry (แกงคั่วส้มเป็ด) that commonly uses garden ingredients to achieve sourness, including the madan (garcinia schomburgkiana) (มะดัน), the sour bilimbi fruit (averrhoa bilimbi) (ตะลิงปลิง), and the hairy-fruited eggplant.

Duck meat is flavorful, hearty and full-bodied but, to create sumptuous curries, Siamese cooks first had to master the art of deodorizing the meat’s fatty, gamey aroma. In traditional Siamese cuisine, gaaeng phet (แกงเผ็ด) and gaaeng khuaa sohm (แกงคั่วส้ม) are two coconut-based curry styles that frequently include duck as the main protein. Each cooking style complements the duck meat differently: gaaeng khuaa sohm pairs the duck with sweet and sour fruits, while gaaeng phet uses a blend of carefully chosen dry spices.

This masterclass presents a unique opportunity to delve into the taste awareness and culinary trends of a bygone era, and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of traditional Siamese duck curries. By studying recipes found in some of the most reputable and trustworthy Siamese cookbooks from the early 1900s and by drawing on the teachings and personal cooking style of the authors – some of the greatest culinary masters of their time – participants will gain insight into the history and flavors of these dishes. As the culinary world continues to evolve, it is important for anyone who cooks Thai food to be attentive to the broader, more nuanced aromatic patterns conveyed by these recipes, so they may cook and imbue these dishes with a sense of longing for what their creators had envisioned.

In Anglo-Indian cuisine, potatoes were used liberally in the curries; alongside the favorite sour chutneys, curries were also accompanied by fried, baked, boiled or mashed potatoes. Although the potato gradually found its way into many iconic Indian dishes, and even into Siamese cuisine, the tuber never replaced the rice of South Asia, despite the intentions of both the British and East Indian company officials.

In the 1935 book Sai Yaowapa (ตำรับสายเยาวภา), Princess Yaovabha Bongsanid (พระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าเยาวภาพงศ์สนิท) reflects the Anglo-Indian style gaaeng garee in her composition of bitter orange-fragrant beef gaaeng garee, which she serves in individual bowls made of fried potatoes, per a recipe recorded by M.L. Terb Gamphu (ม.ล. เติบ กำภู) and M.R. Tuang Sanitwong (ม.ร.ว.เตื้อง สนิทวงศ์).

I discovered this unusual curry recipe hidden in a 1970 memorial book for Ms. Bootree Gralaksa. Born in Bangkok in 1898, Ms. Bootree spent her entire life, from childhood on, in a wooden house on Maha Chak Road (Pra Nakorn). One could say that she was born to be a great cook; just fourteen years old when her mother died, Ms. Bootree became the sole caregiver for her four siblings, a duty that she performed with a love and attention that endowed her with remarkable cooking skills. Her memorial book showcases now-forgotten dishes that were popular in the Bangkok of the early 1900s, such as Beautiful Curry (แกงหงษา ; Gaaeng Hohng Saa), and also includes some of her one-of-a-kind culinary creations – such as this dish, which she dubbed “Chiang Mai-Style Spicy Curry”.

In this old-fashioned coconut-based curry, orangey shrimp and bright green cucumber shine in a golden haze of curry powder, caressed by the light breeze of Indian flare. Cucumbers are used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine as a coolant, to offset internal heat and to resolve fevers. Thus, like a refreshing oasis in the middle of a shimmering desert, the cucumber counterbalances the chili’s internal heat energy and mellows the fragrant, earthy undertones of the spice blend in the dish.

Gaaeng naawk maaw is a light and refreshing soup served at room temperature. The ingredients are meticulously sliced as if for a salad, placed in a serving bowl, and covered with a salty and naturally sweet shrimp broth. At the table, diners can adjust the soup to their preferred flavor profile using granulated sugar, lime juice, or pickled garlic brine; hence the name – gaaeng naawk maaw – which literally means “a curry dish outside the pot” or “to cook curry outside the pot”. (Note: The word gaaeng (แกง) in Thai is both a verb and a noun).

Over the centuries, the Siamese culinary identity was shaped by foreign influences, absorbing and reflecting the culinary codes and gastronomy cultures of neighboring countries with more sophisticated gastronomic traditions such as Jambudvipa (India) and China. Then, on April 18, 1855, the Bowring Treaty was signed. This agreement between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Siam liberalized foreign trade in the Kingdom, opening Siam to the western world, Indian labor, opium – and curry powder.

Siamese cuisine is precise in terms of the aromatic profile of its curries, relying on complex pastes that contain a large number of aromatics, both fresh and dried. The culinary literature is rife with efforts to understand how to gauge the magical ratios for Siamese curry pastes, which are the secret behind the complexity of the curries.

Conversely, the Anglo-Indian cuisine favored dishes with a low body of heat, diluted broths, and a washed, singular aromatic profile. The curry powder condensed the entire diversity of the Indian subcontinent’s cuisine into a single blend of spices that could be stored in a bottle – a one-stop solution for the curry needs of the English. Their growing infatuation with curry powder-based curries, along with the flourishing foreign trade and the importance of Indian labor in the empire economy, resulted in the introduction of curry powder worldwide. Curry powder eventually became a timeless symbol of Anglo-Indian cuisine, much like the Taj Mahal was the symbol of undying love.

The Siamese aristocracy also hurried to embrace the curry powder; after all, it was a spice mix said to be imbued with the most authentic fragrances of Indian curries, transported directly from the civilized world.

This chapter examines the dishes created along this culinary suture line, where the two different cooking styles interact.

This Masterclass explores the path of Jungle dishes from their first appearance in Siamese culinary literature, investigates their characteristics from the standpoint of the nobility, and investigates the emergence and culture of jungle restaurants.

This is my take on the famous jungle curry from the Saen Tung district in Trat province. In Trat it is usually cooked with game meat and thinly sliced pineapple shoots (แขนงสับปะรด).

This recipe is adapted from a recipe I obtained from a jungle food restaurant in Kanchanaburi province. The paste is a downgrade of a phrik khing paste – it omits the coriander roots and shallots. In addition, the recipe substitutes the fermented shrimp paste (kapi) with maawn fermented fish paste (กะปิมอญ; gabpi maawn), which is a popular ingredient among the Mon-Burmese population of the western province. The lack of shallots eliminates any sweetness that might impair the sharpness and heat of the dish. Furthermore, a double hit of citrus notes from holy basil are infused into the dish: from the holy basil flowers added to the paste and the holy basil leaves added to the curry.

This is a coconut-based jungle curry of catfish featuring fresh green chilies, sand ginger and an upcountry herbal charm.

Phat phrik khing (ผัดพริกขิง) is a dried, fried dish made by frying curry paste in pork lard. It is seasoned with fish sauce and sugar and contains no additional ingredients. As the dish evolved, however, other ingredients such as pork fat cracklings, dried shrimp, smoke-dried fish or fried, fluffy, crispy fish were added. Other examples include the addition of crunchy elements such as fried lotus seeds and fried golden beans; crispy vegetables like morning glory and yardlong beans are also common.

Made to last, an old-fashioned phat phrik khing uses only common pantry ingredients and is relatively simple to prepare. Furthermore, similar to relishes and condiments, it is an adequate accompaniment for rice since it is flavorful and satisfying even in small quantities.

These characteristics – and the fact that it can be stored for many days – make phat phrik khing the perfect food for a long journey. In fact, we learn from the writings of ML Neuuang Ninrat (หม่อมหลวงเนื่อง นิลรัตน์), that the dish was an essential component in the royal travel gear, ensuring that the King and his entourage would not sacrifice a great dining experience, even while traveling.

Phat phrik khing no longer serves as a travel companion nor is it associated with royal cuisine. Instead, the dish has settled into the national food consciousness as a wet, stir-fried dish, similar to phat phrik gaaeng (ผัดพริกแกง), with slices of meat cooked in a curry sauce and yardlong beans, served in curry shops and fast-fry-to-order restaurants across the Kingdom.

This Masterclass follows the path of phat phrik khing from the era of its royal glory and explores its contemporary assimilation into stir-fries and street food.

Eight ingredients consist of the basic chili relish: fermented shrimp paste (kapi) and garlic, dried shrimp and salt, chilies, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice. What follows are detailed instructions for making the basic chili relish.

The flavor intensity and consistency of the basic chili relish are adjusted according to the side dishes and vegetables being served. This relish is the prototype of all fermented shrimp paste (kapi) based relishes, which in turn are made by adding other ingredients, enabling an almost endless range of relishes.

Mohk is a cooking technique that involves wrapping food in leaves (haaw) and then placing the leaf-wrapped parcel directly over the burning charcoal, or burying it in the hot ashes (mohk).

The term haaw mohk (ห่อหมก) is used today to describe steamed curried cakes; when grilling is involved, the dishes are referred to as ngohp (งบ).

This Masterclass covers grilled ngohp dishes and coconut-based steamed curried haaw mohk dishes, both ancient and modern, as well as other banana leaf-wrapped regional dishes.

When you complete this Masterclass, you will be proficient in cooking creamy – yet light and airy – steamed, savory curried cakes that reflect the country’s regional variations.

This recipe is for a coconut-based haaw mohk featuring clown featherback fish meat (เนื้อปลากราย) and slices of firm snakehead fish (ปลาช่อน). It is a classic recipe that follows the ancient haaw mohk tradition with a contemporary accent.

This festive and rich recipe is for a coconut-based haaw mohk featuring chicken, crab and pork meats. This recipe was chosen from the various versions available at the time by Lady Plean Passakornrawong, for inclusion in her epic cookbook Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa (MKHP) (ท่านผู้หญิงเปลี่ยน ภาสกรวงศ์ตำราแม่ครัวหัวป่าก์).

The khaao ngohp goong (ข้าวงบกุ้ง) of Mom Chao Sai Ladawan (Princess Saisawali Phirom) is a dish of seasoned curried rice mixed with shrimp meat, shrimp tomalley, grated coconut, and herbs. The rice mix is then wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. Unwrapping the parcel reveals an intense orange- and russet-brown colored rice cake that is rich, savory and naturally sweet. It is served with a drizzle of thickened coconut cream and herbs.

The khaao ngohp gai (ข้าวงบไก่) recipe by Mom Chao Sai Ladawan (Princess Saisawali Phirom) evokes the flavor and aesthetics of Muslim-style cooking. First, cooked rice, chicken, and chicken offal are fried with butter and perfumed with whole spices. The buttery fried rice is wrapped in banana leaves and then grilled, forming a crispy outer crust of spiced-infused rice grains.

The grilled rice parcels are served alongside a small bowl of a cooling, sour-sweet coconut-vinegar relish of fresh vegetables called ajat angwa (อาจาดอังวะ).

Princess Saisawali Phirom’s khaao bping (ข้าวปิ้ง) is a dish of seasoned rice mixed with sweet pork and crispy fried garlic, then wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. Unwrapping the parcel reveals a slightly charred rice cake that melts into a pleasantly chewy, smoky, and deliciously savory treat. Created by using basic ingredients of Siamese cuisine, the dish can be served on a bed of banana leaves or on fine porcelain plates, thus touching the hearts of diners from all walks of life.

Wrapping food with banana leaves – Including step by step tutorials of common wrapping styles.

History’s first-ever recorded recipe for papaya salad is recreated in this Masterclass, along with all the other dishes that were part of the old-fashioned samrub (set meal) called khaao man sohm dtam (ข้าวมันส้มตำ).

Would you be surprised if I told you that the three-flavored papaya salad is not an authentic Northeastern cuisine (Issan) dish but, rather, one that originated in the Central Plains of the Kingdom?

Furthermore, this dish was not eaten with sticky rice, but served as part of a full set meal called khaao man sohm dtam (ข้าวมันส้มตำ). The set included a spicy curry with coconut-enriched rice, a papaya salad, tamarind chili relish, crispy-sweet pork or beef threads, salted fish fried in egg batter, and other accompaniments.

This Masterclass describes the evolution of the dish and revives the first-ever documented recipe for khaao man sohm dtam, dated 1935, to its finest details, restoring its former glory.

This is a classical Siamese spicy curry that displays a spicy, salty and sweet flavor profile, and uses common curry ingredients such as pea eggplants and young green chilies with an interesting dry spice profile.

This is a modern version of a classic sweet meat threads condiment that often complements chili relishes or is served as a side dish in classic Siamese samrub meals.

This is a simple relish built on top of a standard fermented shrimp paste (kapi) chili relish, with simple additions for which all its additional ingredients can be obtained from around the home – as was common in Siam for so many centuries.

Princess Yaovabha Bongsanid’s delicious khaao bplee is a dish of stuffed banana blossom with sour, salty, sweet, and fragrant jasmine fried rice. The rice is fried with tamarind relish, semi-salted fish, amaranth leaves, eggplants and carrots; it is then stuffed into a smoky charred-grilled banana blossom, and baked.

This dish uses certain ingredients, such as milk and spinach, that are not usually associated with Siamese cuisine. Why did Princess Yaovabha Bongsanid use these ingredients, and how does this dish fit the Siamese taste awareness and the aristocracy’s culinary view regarding their own diet?

Follow this masterclass to learn more!

Gaawy goong suay is a rich, mildly spicy, sour-salty, and slightly sweet chili relish enriched with peanuts and charged with the flavor and metaphysical properties of the shrimp. It is eaten with acid-cured shrimp meat flakes and egg threads; tossed with cooked pork skin, firm pork fat, aromatics and herbs; and served alongside vegetables.

This dish showcases the early Siamese cooking style rooted in Ayutthaya, and the flavors once celebrated only within the boundaries of the palace walls. At one time this dish was a favorite among the aristocracy – so beloved that King Rama II dedicated an entire verse to it in his famous Boat Poem. However, in subsequent years, this chili relish fell out of vogue and was almost forgotten.

In this Masterclass, we trace the history of the dish from its first appearance in the early 18th century and examine six recipes spanning sixty years of culinary literature, reaching from 1908 until it fell out of fashion in the late 1960s. This immersive culinary journey will culminate with Thaifoodmaster’s revival version of the dish – a version inspired by and based on suggestions and techniques gleaned from those who documented the dish over the years.

Bplaa naaem (ปลาแนม) is an aristocratic small plate of grilled fish, roasted rice and roasted grated coconut with bitter orange zest and a three sours seasoning sauce – an evocative dish that brings to life the vivid flavors and atmosphere of a classic snack break for the Siamese aristocracy. It’s a meticulously prepared dish that deploys a variety of ingredients. The best way to describe bplaa naaem is with a culinary cliché: it melts in your mouth.

In Siam, cold dishes of various acid cured or cooked meats, especially pork (หมูแนม ; muu naaem), fish (ปลาแนม ; bplaa naaem) and shrimp (กุ้งแนม ; goong naaem) were once exceedingly popular.

Magical floral and earthy coconut-based beef curry with saffron and young chilies reminiscent of glorious sunsets in the Persian salt desert.

This masterclass explores the art of Siamese old-school menu design, as reflected in pre-WWII aristocratic Siamese manuscripts. It includes detailed reference materials with 66 set menus ideas for everyday or special occasion meals, as well as a seasonal food calendar providing a year-round list of suggested ingredients based on their availability and optimal quality.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced chef, this masterclass will provide you with eye-opening invaluable reference material, a detailed Samrub design mind-map, and sixty-six practical set menu examples that you can immediately incorporate into your cooking.

Thaifoodmaster’s laap masterclass covers 20 types of laap dishes, 10 detailed recipes, 15 dried spices and introduces 35 medicinal herbs.

This laap dish offers a slightly different way to use the phrik laap seasoning mix. It is added to an aromatic paste made from roasted chilies, galangal, roasted shallots, and roasted garlic. The paste is enriched with coriander seeds, makwen and laap spices mix, which introduces the desired smoke and umami intensifying elements to the dish.

In the village environment, free-range chicken laap is made from a whole bird butchered and cooked on the spot. All the parts of the chicken are used, with nothing wasted or discarded. First, the meat is minced. Gradually, the still-warm chicken blood is added until the meat is saturated and becomes gooey and moist.

Laap mee is a laap that uses a generous amount of crispy ingredients. Called khreuuang mee (เครื่องหมี่), these crispy elements are often used in Northern laap dishes as toppings. In the “laap mee” style, they are used lavishly and mixed with the minced meat.

Duck laap, like other laap dishes, uses the whole duck, head to tail – including its meat, skin, internal organs, and bones. The recipe I provide below is modified for home-style cooking and uses duck parts; in the village environment, the duck is butchered and the bird is allowed to bleed completely, the blood is collected, and the bird is then cleaned and plucked.

A Tai Lue style grilled catfish laap which is somewhat more complicated than the Issan version of grilled catfish laap, but it responds to the same fundamental problem of using catfish – improving its inherently muddy-tasting meat – with similar yet more elaborate techniques.

Popular recipe for Issan-style grilled catfish laap, the meat is deodorized by deploying a roasted aromatic paste.

Northern Thai-style bitter buffalo laap with bile, cow’s gastric juice, and fresh blood.
(Faux blood-bile sauce recipe is included 😀)

Laap connoisseurs consider the meat of a buffalo superior to that of a cow. Buffalo meat is leaner, less gamey, and often described as sweet. If you can’t get buffalo meat then, by all means, use beef as a substitute.

This shrimp laap is often served raw but it can be further cooked by roasting or cooking with some liquids, as well as grilling the fish mixture in a banana leaf wrap.

In rural Issan, temples are used as schools, with senior monks providing basic spiritual and secular education to youths. Each dawn, the teenage novice monks, attired in orange robes, walk the village streets with their alms bowls to collect food. Their mothers wake up early, often before sunrise, to prepare food for the monks; a meritorious ritual that weaves together spiritual and maternal care.

Akha-style pork laap is made by mincing a slice of fatty pork cut with liver or fresh pork blood and a generous amount of herbs, chilies, the roots of Hooker chives, and the soft inner bark of trees such as the hog plum (เปลือกมะกอก) or Indian gooseberry (เปลือกมะขามป้อม). It is then seasoned salty with salt, wrapped in banana leaves, and grilled over charcoal until cooked.

A fish sauce infused with palate-numbing makwen is great for seasoning those dishes that draw their seasoning from phrik laap.

Laap seasoning mix is used as the primary seasoning in various dishes including laap, salads, curries, dipping sauces, or grilled foods.

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.

Blood is a rich source of nutrients and is consumed throughout the world. In Thai cuisine, fresh blood is widely used. 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, as evident from Lady Plean Passakornrawong’s recipe for blood sausage sai leuuat (ไส้เลือด) which appeared in her 1908 cookbook “Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa (MKHP) (ตำราแม่ครัวหัวป่าก์)”.

1h 48m 32s
A fair amount of caution should be taken when navigating the historical paths of iconic Thai dishes. These dishes are almost always associated with the perception of one’s home and family; they bring up memories of our mothers’ and grandmothers’ kitchens, and they generate strong emotions about what is genuine and what is authentic.

In this talk, Hanuman describes his ongoing work of rehabilitating ancient recipes and forgotten flavors to achieve a contemporary sense of the primal taste and emotions they used to evoke.

Hanuman shares his holistic, creative, and analytical approach to cooking and will demonstrate how embracing ancient wisdom, as well as a strong respect for history, serves as a tool to explore the future of Thai cuisine.

This process involves taking a raw fermented fish product – one fermented using salt, and rice – to produce an all-purpose seasoning sauce with a mellower smell and re-layered flavor base elements.

Catfish are not too fussy about the waters in which they swim. They can even flourish in stagnant waters and flooded rice fields. Thus, they have a slimy, scaleless skin and oily meat with a muddy after taste. They are most suitable for grilling, deep-frying or in curries.

Khao kua is ground (toasted) roasted rice. It is mainly associated with either Northeastern cuisine (Issan) as a textural element added to laap or nam dtohk (น้ำตก) dishes; however, khao kua is also a common ingredient in Northern Thai-style dishes and is even used in aristocratic Central Thai cooking. As well, it can be used as a thickening agent or the main ingredient rather than as an accent.

Phak gap laap (ผักกับลาบ) is a general term used to describe the herbs, vegetables and young leaves – usually between twenty and forty – that are served with the laap. Many of these can be found near the home or in the fields and forests.

In addition to the season and geographical region, the selection of phak gap laap was shaped by the flavor, aroma and, more important, the medicinal properties of the greens and vegetables. Phak gap laap is assembled from three main groups – aromatic herbs, sour leaves, and bitter herbs, each with its own role in the dish. The aromatics add a pleasant fragrance to counter the gamey taste of raw meat and blood, while the sours complement the taste of laap, and aid in the digestion of uncooked meat. The bitter herbs are believed to cure a wide range of ailments.

Thus, we need to gain a little more insight into Thai traditional medicine before selecting the herbs and leaves to serve with the laap, which is based on ancient wisdom and cooking techniques that have been passed down through generations.