Every day I shop in my local fresh food market in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It has literally changed my life and the way I think about food. It is as far removed from the soulless weekly supermarket shop as Land Crab Caviar is from the ubiquitous deep frozen Turkey Twizlers. At the moment there is a range of unusual food in Thailand, such as plump and tasty grilled frogs, the terrifying Snake Head Fruit as well as the delicious Land Crab Caviar. Let me tell you what unusual things to look out for in any fresh food market in Thailand.
Grilled Frogs
For the more adventurous amongst you. These little plump beauties are gathered up in big wicker baskets at the side of rice fields when the rice harvests take place. With the development of fast growing rice, combined with perfect weather, this can be up to 3 times a year. They are also farmed up in the mountains as part of the Royal Food Project which encourages hill tribe farmers to turn to sustainable and legal crops rather than Opium Poppies. It is fantastically successful with Royal Project shops springing up all over the place selling things like local Buffalo Milk Mozzarella Cheese and Wood Smoked Trout Fillets. In fact Thailand is rapidly becoming a modern foodie nation.
The frogs are cooked here in numerous ways; in curries, roasted, grilled, fried and deep fried. The most common method that you will come across in most markets is grilled. The frogs are boned and splayed on a bamboo fork which is then slow roasted in situ in the market. 20 Baht a pop and very tasty too.
Slow Roast Duck
Pork Rice Porridge
Locally this is called Jot, although you don’t really pronounce the “t”, it just gives us something to aim for. It is the poor mans staple food and available at the market almost all the time every day of the year. It is nothing more than a creamy porridge made from milled rice and flavoured with chopped coriander, spring onions and whatever ground meat you have to hand.
I like the pork version. It’s the local special. As the porridge is relatively bland for Thai tastes its traditional to flavour it to your own liking from a choice of about 12 little condiment dishes. These include; dried chilli powder, crushed fried garlic, lemon juice, palm sugar, fish sauce, chopped fresh chilli in rice vinegar, chopped fresh coriander, chopped spring onions, chopped fried rice noodle, bean sprouts and pickled cabbage. For a little bag of Jot to take away you pay a measly 10 Baht.
If you fancy making it yourself at one of the many Cooking Schools in Thailand it is usually on the menu along with Green Curry and Green Papaya Salad. The numerous cooking schools are a great introduction to Thai food and affordable even if you are on the tightest of budgets
Steamed Ground Nuts
So simple and so good. I had only ever seen ground nuts in their shells at the zoo where they were called Peanuts which, when we were kids could feed to the monkeys. Either that or ready shelled and salted and sold in every 7 Eleven on the planet. At the market you buy them in their shell having already been lightly steamed. They must be one of the healthiest snack in the world. You see them for sale everywhere and cost no more than 20 Baht for a big packet. You often see them for sale, along with baked eggs, from beach vendors down at Hua Hin or on the islands.
Land Crab Caviar
You don’t get fresh water land crabs in most parts of the world and consequently don’t get the wonderful crab paste which is made from them. It’s not a true caviar but has the same intense rich flavour. After it has rained you get an explosion of these crabs which live in and around rice fields, ditches. The caviar is a wonderful dark orange colour, described I think by arty types as Burnt Ochre, a favourite colour of Rembrandt, apparently. It has a strong, dark and earthy sea food flavor. It’s a bit like a cross between crab meat and anchovy. It’s certainly a strong and unusual taste.
It is sold in tiny amounts in the upturned little crab shells. It’s a bit like a traditional dressed crab, the difference being that here the shells are tiny, which makes the presentation so much daintier.
Coming to Thailand is a fantastic experience in itself, but if you are interested in food it is an absolute must. Thai food markets are the best in the world, there is something here for everyone, even if your favourite food is deep fried Turkey Twizlers.
