Somebody asked me a couple of weeks ago what my favorite Thai vegetable was. Based on his loud “Huh?”, I guess he wasn’t prepared for my answer, “Lotus stems.”
Before we get to lotus stems and what can be made with them, let’s talk about the incredible versatility of lotus. How incredible is the incredibly versatility of the incredibly versatile lotus? Very incredible — you know, this … incredibly versatile lotus. Continue Reading →
In 2011, I ended the year with a post on the things that I liked (and still do); In 2012, I’m doing the same thing. The randomness which you saw from last year’s post? It’s here too. Anyway, for what it’s worth, here they are: the most memorable food items of 2012, presented in the most random fashion.
T, what can I say? You’re a precious gem of a friend, and I love you truly. K, knowing you has been a privilege and joy. Thank you for your generosity, kind spirit, and genuine character. I’ve learned a lot from you about life and food. You both have made this year so wonderful. Thank you.
Relish. Dip. Whatever you call it, Thai nam prik (น้ำพริก RTGS: nam phrik), in my opinion, has remained the most mysterious type of Thai food among foreigners. And I don’t blame them. Thai restaurants outside Thailand, except those that cater primarily to Thai expats, don’t have relishes on their menus, so those whose exposure to Thai food is solely through their local Thai restaurants can forget about this. Those who know Thai food through street or restaurant foods on their brief visits to Thailand usually don’t know about dishes in this category to even look for them.
I’ll even go as far as saying that even foreign expats who have lived in Thailand for years, except for the most adventurous few, barely scratch the surface when it comes to their knowledge and experience of Thai nam prik dishes. And those who live with Thai people? Well, I have periodically received emails from Thai readers asking for advice on what to do to get their non-Thai spouses to go anywhere near these relishes (like I have any clue how to do that …).
But it doesn’t matter. If you’re a Thai food enthusiast, it will benefit you greatly to be familiar with dishes in the nam prik category. Even if you try some of these and end up hating every single one of them (nothing wrong with that), at least just knowing about them and how they roll will increase your understanding of Thai cuisine exponentially.
Why are relishes so important? Let’s see if I can convince you with the following reasons: Continue Reading →
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Introducing THE EPESTLE
Bury Me in Nam Phrik: Mike Sula’s Exploration of Thai Relishes (Plus Salted Soybean-Pork Rind Relish Recipe)
Food and Cooking in Thai TV Dramas, Love Destiny, 17th Century Siam, and Crispy Noodle-Wrapped Pork Dumplings
A Simple Thai Dipping Sauce
Northern Thai Rice Noodle Soup with Pork Ribs, Dried Cotton Flowers, and Tomatoes (Khanom Jin Nam Ngiao)
How to Prepare Rice Vermicelli (Khanom Jin) from Dried Noodles
How to Prepare Pomelos for Thai Pomelo Salad
