Allergic to something in Kao Kar Moo (rice/pork leg)

[simon43]

Every time I eat Kao Kar Moo at my favorite local (clean) restaurant, I get some sort of rapid allergy whereby I feel very uncomfortable and my throat narrows or swells, thus constructing my breathing somewhat ==> rather alarming to me!

You might advise me to stop eating at that restaurant! But I think it's important to identify what ingredient might be causing this reaction.

I only get it from eating Kao Kar Moo at this restaurant.... all other food from that restaurant is fine, such as gway dio etc.

I don't have any allergies to peanuts or other nuts.

Any suggestions what it might be? I could ask the restaurant for a list of all the ingredients, but it would be more discrete to identify this myself.

[kurnell]

MSG?

[arthurwait]

My first thought as well. Maybe they put in a shedload.

[partington]

For Pete's sake! The OP has already said that no other dish in the restaurant gives him this effect, so there is almost no possibility that it could be MSG. Every noodle dish contains far more MSG than rice and pork leg!

Here's something that might be helpful from the Mayo Clinic site (though it might not, since you could have an allergy to something relatively uncommon) http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-allergy/in-depth/food-allergies/art-20045949

The eight foods included in food allergy labeling account for an estimated 90 percent of allergic reactions. These eight foods are:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts)
• Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder)
• Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)
• Soy
• Wheat

[simon43]

I know it's not MSG. From that list:

• Milk No, drink it every daty
• Eggs No, eat them every day
• Peanuts No, eat them every day
• Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts) No, eat them every day
• Fish (such as bass, cod, flounder) No
• Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp) ?
• Soy Surely not - eat this in many dishes
• Wheat No

The only question mark is for shellfish. I am not allergic to shrimps/prawns, but I seem to have a mild allergy to crab. But my allergic response to eating pure crab is less than what I experience when eating this kao kar moo...

Strange - there must be some magic ingredient that they are using that I'm strongly allergic to

[rak sa_ngop]

Is the pork leg cooked prepared by the restaurant? Or is is bought ready cooked from and outside supplier?

Earlier this year I bought a boiled whole chicken (Chinese New Year). Looked like a healthy option to me but it give me a terrific dry mouth and thirst. It had me quite worried for a while, but symptoms stopped when I dumped the chicken only half eaten. It must have been cooked in super-saturated MSG (or maybe something else) water.

[katana]

Here's the ingredients. Nothing really stood out. Maybe Chinese 5 spice powder?

Check through them with dictionary to look for a culprit.

http://www.foodtravel.tv/recfoodShow_Detail.aspx?viewId=656

[WitawatWatawit]

What about the red pork? I remember some years ago a friend had a similar problem - kao ka moo, with the red pork. Missus said it was the powder coating rubbed on the pork before it was cooked to turn it red. Turned out she was right. But don't ask what, why and how. I don't remember - because it's so bloody rare. So that might be worth checking

[Chonburiram]

Could be the "krueang paloo" wich gives the unique taste. It's a mix of spices including cinnamon and cloves

[bkkbudddy]

simon43,

I wish they use bottled water instead of tap water to make the soup/gravy!

[wandasloan]

I wish they use bottled water instead of tap water to make the soup/gravy!

In what way would boiled water from a bottle be superior to boiled water from a tap?

Also, I suspect you don't realise that almost all bottled water in Thailand comes from a tap.

.

[verywierd]

5 Spice Powder commonly contains

Star anise (bajiao, 八角)
Cloves (dingxiang, 丁香)
Chinese Cinnamon (rougui, 肉桂)
Sichuan pepper (huajiao, 花椒)
Fennel seeds (xiaohuixiang, 小茴香)

See here for allergy to cloves http://www.livestrong.com/article/522127-allergies-to-cloves/

See here for allergy to star anise http://www.livestrong.com/article/393739-what-are-the-side-effects-of-anise/

[Mudcrab]

Allegies are a strange beast.

What never affected you before can affect you one or two times and then may never affect you again. Some things affect you every time. I ALWAYS keep a packet of Phenergan with me at all times as I have found that as I get older the strangest and most unexpected things can affect me - for instance eating a carrot. When it happens I usually come out in a series of red raised welts all over my body that itch like hell. A really hot shower helps a lot plus the Phenergan, although it makes me sleepy - not good at work.

However if you are experiencing throat constrictions then this should be treated as a medical emergency and appropriate action taken - this is potentially life threatening.

[Suradit69]

"my throat narrows or swells, thus constructing my breathing somewhat ==> rather alarming to me!"

I get the same result if I eat unpeeled mango. No problem with the fruit, but the peel causes a reaction.

Obviously mango skin would not be in Kao Kar Moo, but just saying it could be something not normally suspected.

Looking at the recipe below, coriander roots (as opposed to the more usual coriander leaves) might be a problem or something in the five spice powder. Have you ever eaten/reacted to stuffed bitter gourd (tom mara yud moo-sap)? It uses coriander root too.

2 pounds pork’s front leg (clean well)

10 cloves garlic
3 crushed coriander roots
1 tsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. five spices powder
20 peppers (crushed)
1 tsp. black and sweet soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar

[cmsally]

For a person with pollen allergy it is highly likely you could react to the anise or fennel.

They have some sort of cross reactivity.

http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/userfiles/files/Oral%20Allergy%20Syndromes%20Factsheet.pdf

http://www.phadia.com/pt-BR/Produtos/Produtos/ImmunoCAP-Allergens/Food-of-Plant-Origin/Spices/Fennel-seed-/

http://www.foodallergens.info/Facts/Pollen&Food/Which_Foods.html

[cmsally]

Another article about oral allergy syndrome

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/oral-allergy-syndrome-foods

[canarysun]

I also have a similar allergy as you described but i don't know whats causing it.I carry " Anti Histamine " tablets wherever i go ( Zertine 10 MG ) as it can cause my mouth to swell and have breathing problems and all over body rash.I have only been having this now and again for the last few months but its crazy as it seems to be caused by " drinking a coffee " after eating chicken or pork !!! ( some sort of reaction )

[cmsally]

Maybe the coffee just speeds up the reaction to the meat ?

[simon43]

For a person with pollen allergy it is highly likely you could react to the anise or fennel.

That's interesting. I get terrible sneezing from pollen - often take an anti-hystamin tablet to stop my nose running like a waterfall.

I need to look into this more.

[cmsally]

Oral allergy syndrome is basically the immune system reacting to some proteins in food the same as it does to some proteins on the pollen.

If you can find a NAET practitioner I can highly recommend the treatment, it worked for me. Unfortunately they are almost non existent here.

[Boksida]

What about the red pork? I remember some years ago a friend had a similar problem - kao ka moo, with the red pork. Missus said it was the powder coating rubbed on the pork before it was cooked to turn it red. Turned out she was right. But don't ask what, why and how. I don't remember - because it's so bloody rare. So that might be worth checking

I think the ingredient to get the red colour is ดินประสิว. Simon, I suggest checking out the allergic reactions to sodium nitrate and see if any of them match yours.

[Ned]

I've developed a reaction to thai soy sauce. Small amounts are not a problem but a couple of plates of phat sii iw (noodles with soy sauce) brings out a rash on my face within minutes which takes days to go away. I once read an article which described Thai soy sauce as poison.

I know your symptoms are very different but soy products adversely affect millions. Go and have an allergy test. If it's causing your throat to constrict then that sounds mighty dangerous to me. My money's on soy sauce being the culprit.

[Sheryl]

If the dish in question is what I think it is, anise is indeed the likely culprit. If so then you would also react to anything made with the "5 spices" powder, including the common dish with hardboiled egg, liver and Tofu in a dark sauce.

[rhythmworx]

Do you get a similar thing from Papaya?

I am thinking they use meat tenderizer aka papain or papaya proteinase I.