Khrua (dry fried)

[Kanga Japan]

Would anyone know the Thai script for the word 'khrua', which means dry fried?

Thank you for your help.

[Pla shado]

Once in a while my wife will make a south Thailand dry fried curry called khua kling (คั่วกลิ้ง). Khua = คั่ว. I'm not sure if this is what you are asking about or not.

Khrua (คฺรัว) is the Thai word for kitchen, but it may also have another meaning and spelling.

By the way, khua kling (คั่วกลิ้ง) is one of the hottest (spiciest) things I have ever put in my mouth. It is blazing hot! I need lots of rice with that one.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear Pla shado,

Thank you for that information.. Khua Kling sounds delicious. I had a look at some recipes and if I can find some southern Thai curry paste, I should be able to make it. The spicier the better, for me.

Regarding 'khrua'. I've confirmed it. It is written as คั่ว (as you indicated), which is khua, however it seems that some people pronounce it khrua. It is mentioned in the following sites:

http://thairecipesfrommykitchen.blogspot.jp/2014/03/khua-kling-moo.html

http://praneesthaikitchen.com/

It means to dry roast, or cook in little or no water. It is also used for when popping corn.

Thanks for your help.

[Kanga Japan]

Is it a mistake pronouncing it 'khrua'? Both David and Pranee pronounce/spell it as 'khrua'.

I think I will include both 'khua' and 'khrua', as there are many sites pronouncing it as 'khrua'.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Kanga Japan

[Pla shado]

I've only heard it pronounced khua. However, Thais in other parts of the country may pronounce it differently. I'm not sure. Since they included a Thai script spelling khrua I suppose you could include both pronunciations and spellings.

By the way, I think kitchen (khrua) is spelled ครัว rather than คฺรัว as I originally posted.

I looked at the links you posted and yes, my wife typically makes the khua kling moo as shown there. If you are a "the spicier the better" kind of person then khua kling is right up your alley. I can handle some pretty darn spicy Isaan food but believe me, khua kling is a heat seldom found in all but the spiciest of the very spicy Thai dishes. The dryness of the curry promotes a lingering fire in one's mouth that is difficult to quench.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear Pla shado,

Thank you for your reply. You said that in one of the sites which I sent, it was written as 'khrua' in Thai script, but I could not find that.

Actually, I sent one of the sites by mistake (the one with the recipe). I found another site indicating 'khrua' (although no Thai script) and intended to send that. I can't find it now.

It seems that you are correct with the revised script for kitchen.

Looking forward to trying the curry, after I locate the paste.

[Pla shado]

You said that in one of the sites which I sent, it was written as 'khrua' in Thai script, but I could not find that.

Actually, I was referring to your comment, "Both David and Pranee pronounce/spell it as 'khrua'." I was assuming they included a Thai spelling.

Sorry for the confusion.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear Pla shado,

Sorry for the confusion on my part.

Actually, David pronounced it as 'khrua' (no script, as it was a video) and Pranee wrote it in romanized Thai as 'khrua', although her Thai script read 'khua'.

[zeichen]

Khua pronounced KOO AH, is dry fried like frying up crispy garlic or onions. not Khrua which shado said is kitchen.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear zeichen,

I appreciate your comment, however I think you are misunderstanding the discussion somewhat.

Both Pla shado and I realize that the word for 'kitchen' is not the same as the word meaning 'to dry cook, dry roast'. What I (not Pla shado) am saying is that, although the word is คั่ว, which is written as KHUA, some people actually do pronounce it as KHRUA and even write it as such, despite the fact that there is no R in the Thai script of that word.

I hope that this clears things up.

[zeichen]

oh ok, I have never heard a Thai person pronounce it Khrua like kitchen. It is definitely a different word and sounds very different.

the web you sent had it romanized 3 different ways Prik Phon Khrua and Prik Phon Krua and Prik Phon Khua. I never trust transliteration because they are a very rough approximation.

Definitely not similar in Thai script and really no way that they sound similar.

คั่ว ครัว Edited June 5, 2015 by zeichen

[Kanga Japan]

Thanks zeichen,

I appreciate your understanding. I did hear it pronounced with an R on a video and also saw it quite a few times on various sites. Obviously KHUA would be the correct spelling, but for my information, I need to also cover other common pronunciations (even though they may not be correct).

[zeichen]

I watched the video that you linked and she definitely pronounced it Khua. If you have another link of a native Thai speaker pronouncing it Khrua. I would like to see it. I really have never heard it pronounced that way. I think that the problem is only in the transliteration and not the Thai script or pronunciation.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear zeichen,

My point is not particularly that it is pronounced as KHRUA, but the fact that several English sites list it as KHRUA.

David Thompson pronounced it as KRUA in one of his videos which I was looking at this afternoon (I forget which one it is). Although he is a foreigner, he also speaks Thai and he also listed it as KRUA on page 130 of his book Thai Food. In addition, the following site also shows it as KHUA, KHUAA and KRUA.

http://www.panix.com/~clay/cookbook/bin/eng-thai.cgi

I am sure that if I searched, there would be other English sites which used this spelling. Unfortunately, as I am not a Thai speaker myself, I am not able to search the Thai sites to hear native speakers pronounce it. I am not saying that they are correct when they spell it KRUA, however I need to cover all aspects of the English section. That is all.

Thank you for your concern.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear zeichen,

Just for your information, I have included the word KHRUA, making a note that it should be KHUA.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Kanga Japan

[Kanga Japan]

Here is David's video, where he says KHRUA - just for anyone interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiLozvF6Pb0

[zeichen]

Ok, I watched the video a few times where he said khua. He definitely didn't pronounce it with an R. He said Khua not Khrua. I watched a few other videos on youtube for different recipes and no one pronounces it with an R. I think the R is only a transliteration mistake. As stated that one website uses three different ways to spell it in English. Since it doesn't have it in the Thai script, I wouldn't put it in an English transliteration, those that do are just making it confusing. I don't think that there are regional differences on pronouncing it with an R either.

As for David, his accent isn't perfect but pretty close. He makes some mistakes with his tones but overall I would put him at an advanced speaker but not native, You can tell in his longer sentences that he is not native. I turned off the screen and had my family listen, they all could tell right away that he wasn't Thai, but they were impressed that he was very good.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear zeichen,

Sorry, but I beg to differ. When he is talking English around 12:37 he says KRUA when he is talking about dry-fried. Also, as previously mentioned, it is written as this in his book. I am not saying that he is correct, I am just stating the facts.

Whether that is correct or not is not the point for me. The fact is that it is used in some sites.

I appreciate your opinion, but I don't think we will get much further if we continue to discuss this between ourselves. As I said, I am making a note that KRUA is sometimes used, but it should be KUA.

Thank you for your help on this.

[zeichen]

I will agree with you that at the time you mentioned he did pronounce it Khrua and it is obviously a mistake in pronunciation. My family was listening and all said that is a mistake. Not to be argumentative, but if you listen to him at 10:32 he says it correctly. Also when he interviews the older woman they say it several times correctly there.

I think what is confusing is that there is a hard K sound with a little air before the UAH sound.

Personally, it doesn't affect me how you write it, but I was interested in this because I had never heard it pronounced Khrua. Fact is that I searched dozens of recipes and dozens of videos. All Thai native speakers pronounced it correctly without in R sound.

When you are transliterating the words, you do have some leeway, but since the transilterations for kitchen would be the same as Khrua, I wouldn't put the R for Khua(dry frying) as this would confuse people who are learning.

For example the name Mahidol (pronounced Mahee Don) isn't really translitreated correclty because even though it is spelled that way in Thai the Lah Ling is pronunced with a Na sound at the end of words. So if you are trying to help people who don't speak Thai pronounce the word it doesn't help them.