Regional, provincial, local Thai Food

[laolover88]

Remember the days when there was just "Indian Food" and "Chinese Food". Things have moved on a lot and there is both awareness and availability of local/regional Indian and Chinese cooking.

Does not seem to have happened, yet, with Thai Food. Certainly not in Europe.

So I am wondering:

What do you and/or your wife/gf partner think is your " local" speciality?

There are some better known dishes such as Khao Soi or Sukothai Noodles and there is a variety of "ethnic" and regional Chinese food in BKK and Phuket. Thai food seems quite "permeable" or "adaptive" at the peripheries..Lao/Burma/Khmer and Islam influences.

I would like to try and find at least one dish/ingredient the is specific to each Jangwat. Can you help?

[naboo]

Not sure you could get it down to each jangwat, and some of what I've posted below may be borrowed from Isaan, but for the north, the following in order of my preference:

8. Gaeng Kanoon - Jackfruit Curry

Not a flavour I like, but popular with friends.

7. Kao Soi

Probably the most faamous northern dish, can be a bit rich and quality is very important. A cheap version is sometimes inedible.

6. Gaeng Henglay

Getting tough now. this is a really good dish, maybe again let down by its richness, and again if the quality is not top notch it can be quite poor.

5. Kanom Jin Nam Ngiao

A dish I couldn't bring myself to eat when I first moved here, but something that has really grown on me, the Nam Ngiao sauce is really good.

4. Sai Ooa

I live a couple of kilometers from the Sai Ooa Yai Bee factory and can't help myself to go down and get some on regular occasions. must be consumed with a good selection of vegetables including raw macheua.

3. Yam Jin Gai

My wife makes this with a whole chicken and at the end of it even the chicken's feet taste good. Really good flavours, my daughter gobbles it up (minus the chillis).

2. Nam Prik Ong

Really good strong flavours, with some sticky rice and a plate of raw veggies, cracking stuff.

1. Larb Pladuk

Everyone loves a bit of Larb, and this one made from fish is as good as they get. Its larb, without the heaviness that the meat can bring. Light, heavenly flavoured, the only reason I visit the in-laws.

[just_Elaine]

naboo -- we want to come over to your house to eat....