This contemporary minced-bird style curry uses pork rather than bird. However, since thicker, meatier curries have become associated in modern Thai cuisine with the bold presence of fingerroot – for example, in dishes such as fermented rice noodles in naam yaa thick fish curry (khanohm jeen naam yaa (ขนมจีนน้ำยา)) – this dish adopts the penetrating aromatic character of fingerroot along with the clove-like warmth of holy basil.
Like crisp footsteps in a forest, this satisfyingly meaty curry features vibrant fresh red chilies and thinly sliced yardlong beans and winged beans. It is suitable to serve with rice or with fermented rice noodles (khanom jeen paeng mak), conveying an aromatic upcountry flair.
To cook this curry, begin by ruaan (รวน) the minced pork meat with kaffir lime. This technique, essential in removing unwanted odors, involves wet-roasting the meat with minimal liquid. Kaffir lime leaves are added for their deodorizing effect. Once the pork is cooked, strain and discard the leaves and cooking liquids.
Minced-Bird Style Curries – A Peek Into Traditional Ingredients and Cooking Methods (แกงสับนก; Gaaeng Sap Nohk)
Upcoming…. In Thai communities, the staple diet has been shaped over centuries by agricultural practices, notably rice cultivation. This diet primarily consisted of steamed rice, accompanied by dishes made from field crops and garden vegetables, as well as small catch such as birds, rats and lizards, and aquatic fauna such as shrimp, crab and fish. These ingredients were readily available in the rice fields and natural habitats surrounding the villages. Often, the small catch comprised tiny or bony animals not suitable for grilling or frying, like birds. To make the most of this catch, the animals, after cleaning, were minced: […]
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