Lot 7 - Photos of Thai veges, fish

[Kanga Japan]

Thank you all for your help with these.

If someone could help me identify and confirm the names of the vegetables and fish shown in the attached, I would appreciate it.

Lot 7 PDF.pdf

[zeichen]

#1 not sure looks like bamboo shoot, No mai

#2 morning glory. Pak Boong, Don't need the chin at the end

#3, you have had on your pictures before, that is pak gah jaw
#4 Cucumber, Tang Kwa

#5 It does look like krachai, but also could be white tumeric. They are quite similar

#6 two types of fish, the left is sea perch, don't recall thai name. (The right I am not sure it looks similar to black tilapia, pla nin, but not dark enough.

[Pla shado]

1. หัวเผือก = hua peuak (taro root)

2. ผักบุ้งจีน = pak boong jeen (when ordering at the market we just say pak boong).

3, ผักกวางตุ้ง = gwaang dtoong (wife calls it qwaang dtoong)

4. แตงกวา dtaeng gwaa

5. กะชาย = ga chai (Boesenbergia rotunda) finger root, lesser galangal.

6. ปลากะพงขาว = (bpla ga phong khao) Barramundi, Asian seabass ..... ปลานิล (bpla nin) Tilapia

[Kanga Japan]

Dear zeichen and Pla shado,

Thank you both for your information (and for the Thai script). To summarize:

#1 - PHUEAK (เผือก) or HUA PHUEAK (หัวเผือก)

English name: taro or taro root (rhizome)

Scientific name: Colocasia esculenta

My initial thought was that these were as above, however I thought that the lines circling them were too prominent, it looked too shiny (not so hairy) and short, so I was a bit doubtful. I guess that there are a few varieties of them.

#2 - PHAK BUNG JIIN (ผักบุ้งจีน) or PHAK BUNG (ผักบุ้ง)

English name: water morning glory, water convolvulus, water spinach, etc. (many)

Scientific name: Ipomoea aquatica

I understand that 'jiin' is sometimes added to avoid confusion with PHAK BUNG THAI, which has a similar name in English (Thai Water Morning Glory or Thai Water Convolvulus). It has red-tinted stems and is slightly smaller.

#3 - PHAK KWANG TUNG (ผักกวางตุ้ง)

English name; Chinese flowering cabbage, choy sum

Scientific name: Brassica chinensis Jusl.

This was included in a previous post, but I just wanted to reconfirm it.

PHAK KWANG DTO was included in Lot 3 by zeichen, however, as stated in a previous post, I decided to leave this out, because I could not confirm the scientific name. Sorry zeichen.

#4 - TAENG KWA (แตงกวา)

English name: cucumber (general)

Scientific name: Cucumis sativus

These look quite small and fat. I assume that they are standard Thai cucumbers. Very different from the cucumbers which we get in Japan, which are long, dark green and thin (called lebanese cucumber in Australia, although they are a bit shorter).

#5 - KRACHAI (กะชาย)

English name: lesser galangal, fingerroot, Chinese keys, wild ginger, etc.

Scientific name:Boesenbergia rotunda

I thought this looked like KRACHAI, but wasn't sure. zeichen has suggested white turmeric and upon comparing photos of krachai and white turmeric, they appear to be almost identical. I think I will go with krachai for this one and try and find a white turmeric photo showing the centre, as well (as compared to the standard turmeric).

#6 (LEFT) - PLA GAPONG KHAO (ปลากะพงขาว)

English name: Barrumundi, Asian sea bass, giant sea perch (type of)

Scientific name: Lates calcarifer (also others, depending on the type)

By the way, barrumundi was one of my favourite fish, when I lived in Sydney. Quite expensive though.

#6 (RIGHT) - PLA NIN ( ปลานิล)

English name: Nile tilapia, mango fish (not mango tilapia)

Scientific name: Oreochromis niloticus (Tilapia nilotica)

Thanks again, both of you. I don't think I could possibly identify fish myself.

[zeichen]

I can post a picture of white tumeric in a few days. I grow it at the house and will harvest some soon. Krachai is typically thinner and there is a slight difference in opacity that only the best photos seem to get.

I had to look up baramundi. I trust Pla shado but I really thought it was giant sea perch. Which I found out is Baramundi. Learn something new every day. http://www.mpeda.com/fisheryresources/perches/perches.htm In the US, just never heard it called that. Its one of my wife's favorite fish cooked in a salt mound.

4. cucumbers, yes Japan and Korea both love the long crisper cucumber with the hard prickly skin. You can see them here from time to time but not common. There are a few types of cucumbers and sizes vary. Typically the smaller fatter ones are more popular, but I often find long thick ones similar to what we grew in the US. One superstition if a cucumber is bitter it is believed that a snake must have slithered on top of it while it was growing.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear zeichen,

Thank you for the offer to provide a photo of the white turmeric. That would help a lot. If I may make a request, could you possibly take just one photo showing the exterior, with perhaps a small cut piece next to it, showing the interior.

Thank you for the fish link. Yes, there are many different names for the same fish, depending on the country, in what sea the fish is located and sometimes, even the age of the fish. Pla shado seems to be an avid fisherman. I've never had fish cooked in a salt mound. I've seen many, but never had the chance to try it.

Interesting (but a little off-putting) superstition about the cucumber. Is that a Thai superstition, or a US superstition (where I assume you are from)?

Thanks again for your help.

[zeichen]

Thai superstition. Yes, I will take a picture with both outside and cut. White tumeric has become increasingly popular at the markets. 15+ years ago, I never saw it here and now it is here seasonably.

[Kanga Japan]

Interesting. I look forward to receiving the photo.

Thank you again zeichen.