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.
This rice is seasoned with a tamarind chili relish, imparting the grains with a comforting savory, sour, sweet and salty flavor profile. The relish is made from fermented shrimp paste (kapi) and the pulp of sour young tamarind pods. The simplicity of this combination evokes the essence of traditional Siamese cuisine, as the tamarind tree – a species that can grow up to thirty meters tall and live for more than two hundred years – provides shade to many traditional wooden Thai homes.
The Princess serves the tangy, savory rice with an array of elements; each adds a slightly different flavor profile but, when eaten together, the result is a pleasurable three-flavor profile. For example, she pounds the meat of deep-fried, semi-dried snakehead fish in a mortar and pestle until it fluffs up, and then caramelizes it in a pan over low heat to add a deeply sweet, silken flavor to the mix.
She adds pieces of grilled catfish meat, which brings in a fatty, moist and smoky flavor. This provides a mature and contrasting texture to the spoon-sized pieces of homemade, three-flavored pickled morning glory tips that she had fermented in a brine with cooked rice and allowed to rest for three days in the sun.
I like to add pieces of cooked pork belly coated with salted fish, a common ingredient that provides a soothing familiarity that embodies simplicity and warmth.
Last, the princess tops the dish with crumbled boiled duck egg yolk for a creamy texture and a comforting visual appeal.
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)
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Prep Time 1 hour hr
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
- cooked rice (ข้าวสวย) ข้าวสวย
- chili relish of young tamarind (น้ำพริกมะขามอ่อน)
- raw salted duck egg yolk (ไข่แดงเค็มดิบ)
- grilled catfish (ปลาดุกย่าง)
- pickled morning glory (ผักบุ้งดอง)
- Sweetened and fried semi-salted sun-dried snakehead fish (ปลาแห้งผัดหวาน)
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Begin with the tamarind chili relish. This is made from fermented shrimp paste (kapi) and the pulp of sour young tamarind pods. This combination of savory, sour, sweet and salty flavors is a key element of Siamese cuisine.
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Prepare the sweet salted fish. Pound the meat of semi-salted and sun-dried snakehead fish using a mortar and pestle until the meat fluffs up. Then, fry it over low heat with sugar until it caramelizes.
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Prepare the grilled catfish meat. Its fatty, moist and smoky qualities provide a delightful contrast to the other components of the dish.
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Prepare the pickled morning glory. This will be served alongside the dish, adding an extra dimension to its flavors.
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Top the dish with crumbled boiled duck egg yolk. This imparts a nuanced creaminess to the dish.
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If you wish, add small pieces of pork belly coated with salted-fish, for an equally homey feel.
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Finally, combine the rice with the tamarind chili relish and mix thoroughly. Arrange all the prepared components in a pleasing manner around the rice.
Young tamarind pods chili relish (น้ำพริกมะขามอ่อน ; naam phrik sohm ma khaam aawn)
A relish from chilies, dried shrimp, young tamarind flesh, garlic and fermented shrimp paste, pounded, seasoned, and then fried in pork lard; then seasoned with palm sugar and fish sauce; and served with fresh vegetables.
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Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Course Chili Relish
Cuisine Thai
Keyword chili relish, naam phrik, nam prik (น้ำพริก)
Thai morning glory (ผักบุ้งไทย), a leafy vegetable, is a popular choice for pickling, as it retains its texture and is easy to prepare. The young plant tips, along with the young stems, are allowed to sun-dry for one day until they wilt. They are then placed in a jar and covered with the starchy water collected from washing rice for cooking. The jars are placed in direct sun for three days, allowing the morning glory to develop a develop a subtly sweet tartness.
Alternatively, morning glory can be pickled in a three-flavor brine or a pickled garlic brine; it can even be prepared on the spot by massaging the morning glory with tamarind pulp and salt until it softens.
Preservation methods such as pickling, fermenting, drying and salting, are a collective body of knowledge that arose from human- and nature-caused hardships.
Queen Amarindra (อมรินทรา), the first queen of the Rattanakosin Kingdom, experienced such hardship during the turbulent post-Ayutthaya period (1767-1782) following the Burmese conquest of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, and the early Rattanakosin era which marked the establishment of Bangkok as a new capital. Living through a time of conflict and upheaval had taught her to be practical, cautious and sensible, especially in terms of food. Born in Ampawa, a region famous for its gardens and orchards, the Queen spent most of her time gardening, and is remembered for her skills in preserving, curing, fermenting and pickling foods. Queen Amarindra was also known for always having on hand ingredients such as dried fish and pickled cat’s whisker leaves (ผักเสี้ยนดอง; phak siian daawng), so that she could prepare a quick meal at any moment. You can read the full story of Queen Amarindra here.
Pickled Morning Glory (ผักบุ้งดอง)
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Course how to make
Cuisine Thai
- morning glory (ผักบุ้งไทย) sliced into 1.5″ (4 cm) segments
- 1 water (น้ำเปล่า)
- 1 5% white vinegar (น้ําส้มสายชู)
- 1 granulated sugar (น้ำตาลทราย)
- 1/4 sea salt (เกลือทะเล)
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Prepare the morning glory: Start by drying out the young morning glory shoots; dry them under the sun for an entire day, allowing them to wilt.
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Prepare the brine: In a bowl, combine the sugar, salt, water and vinegar.
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Mix the morning glory with cooked rice: In a clean jar, place the wilted morning glory shoots and add 1 tablespoon of cooked rice.
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Cover with the brine: Pour the brine mixture you prepared earlier into the jar, over the morning glory shoots and cooked rice. The morning glory shoots should be completely submerged in the brine.
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Fermentation: Place the jar to ferment in direct sunlight for three days.
Keyword pickle (หมักดอง)
Sweetened deep-fried, semi-salted and sun-dried snakehead fish
(ปลาแห้งผัดหวาน) Bplaa haaeng phat waan
This caramelized, sweet and lightly-salty preservative is made by first pounding slices of deep-fried, semi-salted and sun-dried snakehead fish into floss. The fluffy meat is then cooked with sugar until it caramelizes and its flavors deepen. It can also be used as an all-purpose side dish when the traditional Samrub menu design requires a standalone sweet and salty element.
Sweetened deep-fried, semi-salted and sun-dried snakehead fish (ปลาแห้งผัดหวาน Sweetened deep-fried, semi-salted and sun-dried snakehead fish (ปลาแห้งผัดหวาน; Bplaa haaeng phat waan)
Sweetened deep-fried snakehead fish floss. This caramelized treat, with a hint of salt, is crafted from sun-dried snakehead fish slices, deep-fried and pounded into a fluffy texture. A versatile side dish, it’s perfect for when you seek a balanced sweet and salty element.
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Course how to make
Cuisine Thai
- snakehead fish, semi-salted and sun-dried (ปลาช่อนแดดเดียว)
- neutral tasting cooking oil (น้ำมันพืช) for deep-frying
- 3 parts fish sauce (น้ำปลา)
- 5 parts palm sugar (น้ำตาลมะพร้าว)
- crispy fried shallots (หอมแดงเจียว)
Keyword side dishes (เครื่องเคียง)