Water morning glory (Ipomoea aquatica) PHAK BUNG

[Kanga Japan]

Are the following the same as PHAK BUNG (ผักบุ้ง):

1. PHAK BUNG CHIN ผักบุ้งจีน

2. PHAK BUNG THAI ผักบุ้งไทย

Thank you for your help

[AyG]

From Wikipedia

PHAK BUNG CHIN = Ipomoea aquatica Forsk Var. reptan
PHAK BUNG THAI = Ipomoea aquatica Forsk

So PHAK BUNG CHIN is simply a specific variety of PHAK BUNG THAI

Another (non-authoriative) site http://guru.google.co.th/guru/thread?tid=2f3ed9c466aad545 answers "what's the difference" with:

ผักบุ้งจีนจะ เขียวตลอดทั้งต้น
PHAK BUNG CHIN is green throughout the plant.

ผักบุ้งไทย ต้นเล็กกว่านิด และมีสีออกแดงที่ลำต้น

PHAK BUNG THAI is a slightly smaller plant and has a red tint to the stem.

Another reply from the same source is rather more pragmatic:

ผักบุ้งจีน ที่กินกับสุกี้

PHAK BUNG CHIN is what we eat with suki*.

ผักบุ้งไทย ที่กินกับส้มตำ

PHAK BUNG THAI is what we eat with somtam.

PHAK BUNG will normally be understood to mean PHAK BUNG THAI unless eating at MK Suki Restaurant.

* Suki is the Thai version of sukiyaki, though bears almost no relationship to the Japanese dish. It's a pot of stock into which you put various meat and vegetables. You then eat the stock and vegetables with a sweet/spicy chilli sauce.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

Thank you so much for that. I searched as much as I could, but could not find any detailed information on the English sites and expected them to be descriptions for the same vegetable.

I appreciate all the explanations and also the information on Thai Suki. I had it once in Bangkok, with my Thai cooking teacher, but wasn't too impressed, considering all the other delicious food they had there. I suppose I should give it another chance. They also have it at some Thai restaurants in Tokyo. I bought a bottle of Thai Suki sauce the other week and am thinking about how I could use it (except for Thai Suki).

Just a little bit of trivia - Thai Suki sounds quite similar to 'I love it' in Japanese. Dai (large) suki (like).

[AyG]

I appreciate all the explanations and also the information on Thai Suki. I had it once in Bangkok, with my Thai cooking teacher, but wasn't too impressed, considering all the other delicious food they had there. I suppose I should give it another chance.

The attraction of suki (specifically MK Suki Restaurants) to Thai people is not, I suspect, the great taste. Part of the attraction is that it's different and is perceived as "up market" in much the same way that KFC, Swensens, Pizza Hut and McDonalds are - an attraction that has taken a terrible toll on children's waistlines; there's a young generation growing up fated to develop high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. America exports early death not only with its wars, but also with its fast food. It's also beyond the price range of the poor in society, so going there shows that you've arrived financially; you want to be seen there.

Another aspect is the (cringe-worthy) entertainment. Every hour I think it is, the wait staff all stop serving and perform a song and dance routine. Another song is performed for people celebrating their birthday. Fun for the kids (not so much fun for the staff, though, who often appear mortified).

Finally, it's also rather fun and interactive. You choose the ingredients you want to put into the stock from the menu, and then when they arrive decide what order to add them, tearing some of them into smaller pieces. The tofu you put in a slotted spoon and lower into the stock since it's so fragile. And you can tailor the suki sauce to your taste by adding more chopped garlic or chillies.

[Kanga Japan]

Thanks for that AyG.

I see what you mean. A place to be seen at. It sounds like somewhere you would go with the kids, or for a party - not for a quiet romantic date. I remember the restaurant I went to was a very large noisy restaurant. It could have been an MK Suki restaurant.

We have a lot of those sort of dishes here in Japan - called 'nabe' (narbay) - the word for a large pot. Especially popular during the winter, very healthy and quick to make.

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it.