Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hot & Tangy Salads
Standing right alongside curries in terms of Thai-ness is the ubiquitous
yam,
a hot and
tangy 'salad' typically based around seafood, meat or vegetables.
Lime juice provides the tang, while the abundant use of fresh chilli generates the heat.
Most
yam
are served at room temperature or just slightly warmed by any cooked ingredi-
ents. The dish functions equally well as part of a meal or on its own as snack food
(gàp
glâam )
to accompany a night of boozing.
Pok Pok
, by Andy Ricker and JJ Goode (and photographed by the author of this chapter), features re-
cipes of the rustic regional Thai dishes served at Ricker's eponymous Portland, Oregon, and New York
City restaurants.
Nám Prík
Although they're more home than restaurant food,
nám prík
, spicy chilli-based 'dips',
are, for the locals at least, among the most emblematic of all Thai dishes. Typically eaten
with rice and steamed or fresh vegetables and herbs, they're also among the most regional
of Thai dishes, and you could probably pinpoint the province you're in by simply looking
at the
nám prík
on offer.
Fruits
Being a tropical country, Thailand excels in the fruit department.
Má·môo·ang
(mangoes)
alone come in a dozen varieties that are eaten at different stages of ripeness. Other com-
mon fruit include
sàp·Ъà·rót
(pineapple),
má·lá·gor
(papaya) and
đaang moh
(watermel-
on), all of which are sold from ubiquitous vendor carts and accompanied by a dipping mix
of salt, sugar and ground chilli. Yet a highlight of visiting Thailand is sampling the huge
variety of obscure and indigenous fruits; for a rundown on these, see the boxed text.
