Before I started the cooking course, that I knew would represent a fairly conventional approach to Thai food, I decided to make a trip to the local Chiang Mai markets. How was the cuisine different from that of Bangkok? What crazy characters could I stumble upon? Hmmmm what unique treats could I taste?
I realize that many of you have a certain view of Thai food. Yes, it is spicy, sweet, well-presented and definitely one of the most balanced cuisines in the world but there is an element that most people are missing by just eating in their local Thai restaurant.
There are many layers to the Thai people and their cuisine. The sweet, palatable and efficient people also have a strong, gutsy, and sometimes gristly character. I have discovered that their food, especially in smaller regions, represents this split. Oh yes there is so much more to the heart of the local working cuisine. Please dare to go beyond the cashew nuts, fancy garnishing and pad thai.
Kaosoi- a rich curry soup with egg noodles- is the best dish from this region- click onto the post-continuation for the link to the recipe.
*****I am amazed at how many tourists come to this food heaven and just eat the staple diet -pad thai, fried rice and bananas!!!! Surprise, surprise...they are usually the ones the get the stomach bugs!!!
So, forgive the graphic nature of some of these pics and just broaden your mind. Imagine that to some people this is the food that they crave.
Khaow niaw- Sticky rice is favored by the people in the north. They have several varieties- red, black and whole grain. One can find steaming baskets of it everywhere!!!
For 5 baht (30 baht equals a cdn dollar) you can fill your stomach with these glutinous grains. But beware........the rice does swell in your stomach. And...too much may lead to some difficult meetings in the toilet!!!!
Moo- the Thai word for pig is central to the northern cuisine. Moo in all forms is eaten throughout the day.
Deep fried pork skin, or porky scratchings as we call them in the U.K., is a delicious accompaniment to beer and spicy food. DEEP fried fat....well, it is something that you have have the stomach for. I can handle only small quantities.
Aside from eating them...preparing them is hard work!!!! This man works over an enormous wok bubbling with oil and fat in the 35 degree heat!
My parents gorged on these crispy spirals when they visited a few years ago. My mum even sneaked a few packets in her luggage so that she could indulge in them at home!!!!
You can imagine the smell.....deep fried pork knuckles, tenderloin and chops.....
Pig's blood is cooked and then sliced into bite sized pieces for noodle soup or made into a rich dipping sauce.
The dipping sauce is usually eaten with sticky rice or sliced raw veggies. I asked the vendor how she prepared her special dish. She perked up immediately. I think she was in disbelief that a farang could speak isaan (thai-laos dialect) and was interested in the countryside food. The blood is cooked with shallots, garlic, paa-laa (thai version of fermented fish sauce) roasted rice powder,sliced pork skin, and fresh herbs- coriander, mint and green onions. It sounds like a stretch, but it is more tasty than most hot dogs or sausages in Western supermarkets. Nim...the cook told me step by step what went into her food; and I had no doubt that she added a pinch of pride along with the ingredients. BUt who knows what goes into our mystery meats?
lollipops...no, spicy Chiang Mai sausages on a stick.
Pig heads are boiled, stewed and chopped up for braising with various sauces. The ears are not given to dogs to chew on, as in the West, but fried or bbq and eaten with sticky rice.
I had to take this one.....
I got my eye on you!!!!!!!!! (click on this one for a close up)
As with fish eyes, the cow's eye is prized in soup pots. Scoop it out and you will have good luck. It is a texture explosions- like a gristly marble!
As I walked among the butcher's stalls I noticed the clean smell of fresh meat. There were no undertones of disinfectant or bleach. Every stall was equipped with a hose and grate and all of the waste was collected or washed away.
There is a large Chinese community here in the north. Steamed buns filled with pork, chicken or sweetened beans are a popular nightime snack.
All types of fish are eaten in Chiang Mai. I did notice that fresh water fish were more prominent in the marketplace. Plaa-duk or catfish is one of my favorites. It is an oily fish (this woman is cutting the whiskers off the squirling bodies before she slices the fish into chunks) that is quite similar to mackerel when barbequed. Tilapia is also very popular. A fellow shopper explained that it is not native to Thailand. It was given to the Thai king by Japanese royalty years ago. Since then the Thai Royal family farm the fresh water fish all over the country.
Not all Thai women are tiny. Actually, I saw many more womanly, and large, figures up in this northern region. It could be the fact that the people preferred fattier foods because of the cooler climate, or that they just actually ate properly! It was refreshing to see women actually eat a normal meal. Bangkok was beginning to get on my nerves. Dieting is a national pastime there. No wonder most of the women are pencil thin....they eat 5 bites of food all day long!
Chicken out in the open air...all day long? Yes! How did it look..smell? The chicken was laying on ice, that was being continuously drained, all day long. The vendors arrived early morning at around 5am, set up and then sold most of their poultry by 10am. Was it organic? I was astounded to find out that the organic/free range was cheaper and the treated (with antibiotics etc) mass produced chicken was much more expensive! Apparantly those with money want the processed chicken because it looks better and keeps longer! Sadly, the same goes for vegetables. Thai people are very concerned with appearances on all levels. Unfortunately this value is congruent with their food also.
I always gravitate towards the row upon row of stainless steel bowls filled with Thai dishes. These cooks prepare the numerous (sometimes 20 different containers) dishes at home and cart them to the market each day. Certain vendors are known for their specialties. This particular woman was a nam prik 'QUEEN'. I lined up behind her followers; all anxious to buy a scoop of the sticky rice dipping sauce before she ran out. Her pounded chili-based sauces with roasted eggplants, tomatoes, mushrooms, pork, fish...were sensational. I managed to have a lil' taste of all of them.
The market is not just a place to buy food, but a meeting place for social interaction and for some it is their arena for performance and social assistance.
Many blind people sing or perform at markets for money. Their soft, soulful voices rise above the chopping and chatter.
Did I mention that I absolutely adore markets? To me, they are a microcosm of the society. Walk through and you experience the initial sensory waves...smell, sound, tastes. Then start talking to the vendors and fellow shoppers OR watch and listen to others talking to each other. Stop and notice social dynamics between stalls and feuding families. Then dig deeper and watch the entire markets flow; the traffic, the mood and the general cultural dynamics. Then....come again during the evening when it is empty and feel the quiet hum.
Here are some recipes and suggested adventures in this region.
Chiang Mai adventures http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipes/kaosoi.htmlkaosoi noodle soup recipe
It sounds like food heaven, Hope! Fusion is on my mind right now, having just come back from Vancouver, perhaps one on the most multi-cultural places in Canada. Although I have never been in the markets of your food adventures, after spending a week in a largely Indian and Chinese neighborhood in South Van,the market as a place for social encounters and the hub of taste exploration is extremely familar. The day after arriving back in (chilly) Montreal, Jim and I tried out Afro Fusion, one of the friendliest resto-lounges in the city. The chicken yassa (a West African staple) was amazing, as was the coconut creme brule (part of the French - African fusion, a very common mix in that francophone area of the world). Cultural understanding through food . . perhaps the best means to communication!
Hope, i've been emailing you, but not sure if they are getting through. Drop me a line when you can. Much love.
Posted by: Robin | February 27, 2005 at 09:00 PM