Plah Rar Or No Plah Rar, What Will You Choose?

[rockyysdt]

I'm recently holidaying deep in Isaan territory and have experienced many new things.

A wise gentleman, known by forum members as Cuban, alerted me to local customs and conditions, but one thing stuck in my mind.

A staple of the region called Plah Rar.

Plah Rar is a locally prepared fish stock.

Locals place rice, salt and fish (heads, guts and all) into a bucket with water and allow this to ferment for four to eighteen months.

Nothing can prepare you to the smell.

If the locals use infiltered dam, river or lake water the Plah Rar can be contaminated with River Fluke, a parasite which can infect the human body. Improperly fermented Plah Rar can be dangerous to consume for westerners.

What I do is say "No Plah Rar", a phrase which brings much laughter and amusement from the locals, but, apart from protecting myself from parasites, I don't have to use nearly as much tooth paste.

Other firsts for me are ants eggs, fried beetles & bugs, frogs, ox skin, pigs offal and other delicassies, but Plah Rar stands out for me.

Has anyone had experience with Plah Rar?

I personally prefer Green Thai curry myself.

Edited May 6, 2008 by rockyysdt

[ClaytonSeymour]

I'm recently holidaying deep in Isaan territory and have experienced many new things.

A wise gentleman, known by forum members as Cuban, alerted me to local customs and conditions, but one thing stuck in my mind.

A staple of the region called Plah Rar.

Plah Rar is a locally prepared fish stock.

Locals place rice, salt and fish (heads, guts and all) into a bucket with water and allow this to ferment for four to eighteen months.

Nothing can prepare you to the smell.

If the locals use infiltered dam, river or lake water the Plah Rar can be contaminated with River Fluke, a parasite which can infect the human body. Improperly fermented Plah Rar can be dangerous to consume for westerners. It's dangerous for anyone irrespective of race. Amongst other things, its' consumption is linked to the North East's high incidence of liver cancers.

What I do is say "No Plah Rar", a phrase which brings much laughter and amusement from the locals, but, apart from protecting myself from parasites, I don't have to use nearly as much tooth paste.

Other firsts for me are ants eggs, fried beetles & bugs, frogs, ox skin, pigs offal and other delicassies, but Plah Rar stands out for me.

Has anyone had experience with Plah Rar?

I personally prefer Green Thai curry myself.

[coventry]

My wife and mother in law have both been admitted to hospital at various times after eating Plah Rar. The doctors warn against the dangers of eating it but the Thais drool over the smell. Personally I think the government should outlaw it

[toptuan]

Over six years, I've eaten it on occasion on my som-tam salad to be "polite" at a home-cooked meal, but don't go out of my way to order it at restaurants. Usually, the miniature, crunchy whole crabs thrown into the mix take some of the "bite" out of it.

I have a handful of Isaan native friends who won't touch it. Enlightened ones.

[sezzo]

As a person who has a very poor sense of smell I actually enjoy eating the somtam with the smelly fish sauce, but I have got some friends who say that if I could smell it that I wouldnt eat it.

My wife also mixes up some chilli, garlic and the offending sauce with a small fish from the sauce in a bowl and we dab that with sticky rice and eat this as well.

Alloy Muk Muk

[Totster]

I eat Plah Rah (Plah Dairk) daily when at home with Som Tam and other things. According to my wife a good Plah Dairk will not have such a pungent smell, normally this means it has been kept in a well sealed stone jar during the fermentation period, and good care has been taken not to allow anything to get in (like flies) during the times when it has been opened

The stuff you can buy at the market on the other hand stinks, but still has the same flavour and is fine to eat.

Totster

[rockyysdt]

I eat Plah Rah (Plah Dairk) daily when at home with Som Tam and other things. According to my wife a good Plah Dairk will not have such a pungent smell, normally this means it has been kept in a well sealed stone jar during the fermentation period, and good care has been taken not to allow anything to get in (like flies) during the times when it has been opened

The stuff you can buy at the market on the other hand stinks, but still has the same flavour and is fine to eat.

Totster

I'd imagine the quality control amongst villagers would vary considerably.

In the village I was at, they kept the Plah Rar in large plastic buckets which had a sealable top.

The locals didn't seem to mind allowing swarms of flys all over their food.

Add to this local irrigation water, and short fermentation period and you can have a lethal coctail.

My friend also indicated they throw everything in including the fish scales.

When serving they pour it threw a sieve to get the hard bits out.

I think I'll stick to naturally flavoured foods myself?

[Samuian]

I stick to seafood!

Anything, why go through the trouble to have such highly questionable condiment.

Guess, besides drying, this was the only means to keep fish as a protein source over a prolonged period.

Some seem to love this, not me.

[Cuban]

OP you are too kind with the compliment.

I understand that after 18 months in a sealed container that the risk from the liver flukes is reduced (zero??), but often such a brew is topped up and refreshed during it's lifetime so new flukes can be introduced. (Usually from the fresh water fish themselves.)

The idea of fermented fish sauce is an old one with Roman roots seen as the basis for the likes of Worcestershire Sauce which was an experimental failure left to stew by it's creator later discovered to be a tasty one if left a bit longer. (Source web site I read some years ago.)

Umami.

To answer the question - personally no - but I have out of interest. But I might make my own in the future, nice to experiment in the kitchen.

[Cuban]

> is it normally used straight or first diluted with water and strained?

My experiances it was straight but strained to remove fish scales and bones.

> why the aversion so many have toward it? is it just the smell? is it unhealthy?

See above - flukes.

> looked down on as peasant food?

Those with city education avoid it on health grounds.

[ForeignDevil]

what about commercially prepared brands?

I will be purchasing Pantainorasingh brand

that should at least be free of liver flukes (live ones anyway)

are the health hazards really a concern with a commercial brand?

FD

[mrbojangles]

Although i've hated the smell and look of it for years, i never knew about the Liver Flukes. Does anybody have the Thai name for this ? My Mrs is 5 months pregnant and if there is any risk whatsoever, i want her off the stuff

We just got back to the UK last week and the mrs brought back her usual 5kg of the stuff. I keep on telling her we'll get hanged if caught but she seems to think the risk is worth it.

[toptuan]

Have you heard this one?

An Isaan-Thai expat in Seattle hadn't had Pla-rah in a couple years. Finally, he convinced his Isaan buddy to ship a package to him via post. His buddy put it in a plastic jar, surrounded by 2 or 3 sealable plastic bags, and then boxed it.

Unfortunately, the friend in Seattle never received the package. Instead, he got this letter from the U.S. customs which read...

"Dear Mr. Somchai:

It is with regret that we inform you that we are unable to deliver a recent package received at the Port of Seattle from a sender in Thailand. It is with further regret that we inform you that the pet fish inside the package has died. After opening the parcel, and realizing what had happened, we disposed of it properly.

Sincerely,

US Customs, Port of Seattle"

Your Thai friends will get a kick out of the little story. Tell it next time you are choking down some Isaan som-tam.

[blue eyes]

Two photos for you all about home made pla rah.The jars "cooking" the fish and the final product.Enjoy!!!!

[Totster]

Although i've hated the smell and look of it for years, i never knew about the Liver Flukes. Does anybody have the Thai name for this ? My Mrs is 5 months pregnant and if there is any risk whatsoever, i want her off the stuff

We just got back to the UK last week and the mrs brought back her usual 5kg of the stuff. I keep on telling her we'll get hanged if caught but she seems to think the risk is worth it.

I'm quite sure my missus "pasteurises" it sometimes (Well, heats it up...), that would get rid of any flukes surely. I'll check later what it is she does and why.

totster

[jimmi]

Yes, I knew about the Liver Flukes. That and the smell keeps me away. They are also in some fresh water Snails. I avoid them for the same reason.

[tubber]

The wife has a plastic tub in the kitchen full of Plah Rar which I was going to throw out as it was crawling with maggots, but she went bananas and said just pick out the maggots? She also had some in a plastic bag which burst and it stank for weeks. So for me "No plah rar".

[Cuban]

Liver = ตับ (Dtup) - Parasite = พยาธิ (Paya Ti)

This is the Thai phrase for liver fluke พยาธิใบไม้ในตับ you will see in includes the single words above.

As for shipping rotten fish internationally - I would guess that you only need a starter amount of the fresh active liquid then add locally purchased fish. I believe that the type of yeast used affects the final flavour as would the temperature at which you allow the pot of rotting fish to sit rotting fermenting.

This is a really good link on the subject.

This is a good site written in Thai with diagrams to help you explain the problem.

Many Thais will be aware of the liver as an organ due to the shear number of people suffering from liver cancer and other diseases of the liver caused by excessive alcohol consuption.

[mrbojangles]

Thanks for the link Cuban. I'll show it to the Mrs later

[rockyysdt]

what about commercially prepared brands?

I will be purchasing Pantainorasingh brand

that should at least be free of liver flukes (live ones anyway)

are the health hazards really a concern with a commercial brand?

FD

My friend received a phone call only an hour ago. She grabbed her bag and took off.

Her flatmate had just called to let her know that two Plah Rar dishes were cooked and ready to eat. One bamboo dish, recently picked from the jungle in Kham Tuk La & another with fish. I've learned that the space between her and Plah Rar meals can be a dangerous place to be.

Not being a native of Isaan, I respectfully declined.

On a serious note, I've started to get concerned about quality control of many commercially supplied products including fish sauce and soy sauce.

After a little digging, I've learned that authorities lack the resources and very little of these imports are actually tested in my country and I worry about this.

Maybe I'm getting a little boring but I've started to avoid many of these condiments, prefering to make my own flavours with fresh and dried herbs and spices. Plah Rar, due to it's over powering smell, is high on my list.

Edited May 14, 2008 by rockyysdt

[Zeid]

I love it,

we do laab with it

somtam

there is this chicken and cabbage

kanamchin,

oh i do not know what else the wife uses it for, but i even brought some with me to the UAE, i have also a big jar fermenting now back home.

[pumpuiman]

My wife bought a commercial brand here in the U.S. (sorry forgot the brand)

Ended up in the hospital with food poisoning.

I brought the bottle to show the doctor, but she needed no further information after explaining what it was

[Cuban]

My wife bought a commercial brand here in the U.S.

Not wishing to hog another's thread - but this subject has prompted much debate in the office (Thais).

The comment about commercial Pla Rar here in Thailand, is that it is of poor quaility being only three to four months old.

Also one source suggests cooking the fish whole untill they fall apart is enough to ensure that flukes and their eggs are killed.

I feel I might start an experiment this weekend.

[pumpuiman]

My wife commented that in her village the appearance of squirming maggots brought smiles of anticipation...."Almost ready!!"

I do eat quite a bit...in som tam (when in Thailand) and in plah rar sap(sp?) at home in the U.S......you know, the mashed paste of chilies, pla rar, shallots, galangal and other herbs thats eaten with sticky rice (I cant get enough) and I think the chilies kill any nasty things in it.

Eating a big bite of the flesh would be impossible for me though.

[Cuban]

Previous studies have suggested that fermented fish sauce is related to an increased risk for nasopharyngeal, thyroid and gastric cancers and has suspicious carcinogenic and promoting effects in the laboratory, but these reports have not investigated the association between this agent and esophageal cancer in population. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between esophageal cancer and consumption of fermented fish sauce, alcohol and tobacco after adjusting other risk factors.....

It is concluded that risks of esophageal cancer in the population were substantially associated with fermented fish sauce. Further epidemiologic and experimental study are required to find a biologic causal relationship between them. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Source.

[ClaytonSeymour]

My wife bought a commercial brand here in the U.S.

Not wishing to hog another's thread - but this subject has prompted much debate in the office (Thais).

The comment about commercial Pla Rar here in Thailand, is that it is of poor quaility being only three to four months old.

Also one source suggests cooking the fish whole untill they fall apart is enough to ensure that flukes and their eggs are killed.

I feel I might start an experiment this weekend.

I would suggest that in order to ensure the elimination of the flukes, eggs & any other harmful bacteria, the best way to cook it is in a microwave oven.

[ForeignDevil]

I do eat quite a bit...in som tam (when in Thailand) and in plah rar sap(sp?) at home in the U.S......you know, the mashed paste of chilies, pla rar, shallots, galangal and other herbs thats eaten with sticky rice (I cant get enough) and I think the chilies kill any nasty things in it.

can anyone offer a recipe for plah ra sap?

[Cuban]

Well the weekend came and went without the start of my rotten fish experiment.

My OH suggests that sea fish are not suitable for making PR and that only fresh water fish should be used. So my idea of using the finest (?) fresh saba (mackrel) did not go down well. Maybe this is due to the oil content of something like mackrel that will become rancid over time and not broken down by fermentation.

As for a recipe - this would be a family thing not written down - but a few Google searches throws up a few ideas - fish, salt, garlic, water and misc spices etc.

As for microwaving; I see what you are saying but if the target taste does not develop until 18 months after which time the flukes are dead (No confirmed source of data on that time period.) does using cooked fish as the starter medium allow the taste to develop at all? Perfectly safe to eat but without the taste?

The idea of fermenting fish has echos in a handful of other cultures (Eskimo/Swedish to name two) but also has similar warnings about the smell.

[rockyysdt]

My OH suggests that sea fish are not suitable for making PR and that only fresh water fish should be used. So my idea of using the finest (?) fresh saba (mackrel) did not go down well. Maybe this is due to the oil content of something like mackrel that will become rancid over time and not broken down by fermentation.

As for microwaving does using cooked fish as the starter medium allow the taste to develop at all?

Thanks Cuban.

I had wondered whether sea fish was a suitable ingredient for Plah Rar.

Now that mackrel is off the menu, which species will you be choosing for your experiment?

I suspect eels are quite acceptable.

It does very much sound like microwaved (cooked) fish won't win any fans when it comes to flavour.

[yourshoutmate]

I'm recently holidaying deep in Isaan territory and have experienced many new things.

A wise gentleman, known by forum members as Cuban, alerted me to local customs and conditions, but one thing stuck in my mind.

A staple of the region called Plah Rar.

Plah Rar is a locally prepared fish stock.

Locals place rice, salt and fish (heads, guts and all) into a bucket with water and allow this to ferment for four to eighteen months.

Nothing can prepare you to the smell.

If the locals use infiltered dam, river or lake water the Plah Rar can be contaminated with River Fluke, a parasite which can infect the human body. Improperly fermented Plah Rar can be dangerous to consume for westerners.

What I do is say "No Plah Rar", a phrase which brings much laughter and amusement from the locals, but, apart from protecting myself from parasites, I don't have to use nearly as much tooth paste.

Other firsts for me are ants eggs, fried beetles & bugs, frogs, ox skin, pigs offal and other delicassies, but Plah Rar stands out for me.

Has anyone had experience with Plah Rar?

I personally prefer Green Thai curry myself.