Authen Isan cuisine can only be found in the Northeasst By Suthon Sukphisit
Nutritionists will tell you that a balanced diet includes starch from rice or bread, protein from meat, fish, milk, etc, and fruit and vegetables; the ideal diet for strong bones and good health. But why is it, then, that the people of Isan are physically strong and happy at home in hot or cold weather when, viewed superficially, their diet is somewhat limited?
The main emphasis is on sticky rice, or so it appears to most people.
But there’s more to Isan food than meets the eye. And although the repertoire may not be as rich and diverse as the cuisine of the Central Region, it is by no means lacking in nutrients, a misconception based on the simplicity of the food preparation.
It is true that in the past Isan food was indeed simple, both in principle and preparation. The most important ingredient was sticky rice, and right behind it, pla ra (liquid from fermented fish). Pla ra was used as a condiment, and added flavour to the food.
During the rainy season, when fish are plentiful, the people of Isan would catch as many as possible-regardless of type or size-and make them into pla ra,or dry and grill them, and then store them. Pla ra was made by fermenting the fish with salt and khao khua (raw sticky rice toasted and pounded to a fine powder) for about a year. Additional supplies had to be made regularly to compensate for the amount eaten day to day.
Almost all of the food that was eaten together with sticky rice could be readily found in the immediate surroundings; growing along the fence encircling the garden; a nearby stream or pond; on the borders of the fields; in holes or cracks of large rocks; and on vines that grew on larger plants. These foods were usually gathered on the day of cooking.
The protein sources included fish, frogs, shellfish, birds and insects. And if any of these foods were found it was considered a special treat. As refrigerators were rare in the past, they could not be caught in advance.
When no fresh protein source could be found, nam phrik was prepared in its place. Dried chillies and chillies and shallot s were ground together with dried grilled fish and pla ra. And if a variety of different vegetables were cooked in a little water with chopped, fresh chillies and pla ra, it became a curry called kaeng awm, eaten with hot sticky rice and served in a c0vered kratip (bamboo container), which helped the rice retain the heat, along with fresh vegetables. This made for a filling meal, and although it seems very basic, one that is very nutritious. There is starch from rice, salt, protein and calcium from the grilled fish and pla ra and vitamins from an array of fresh vegetables (Isan people love vegetables).
Isan people can eat this diet day after day without getting bored because there is so much variety in the vegetables and herbs they collect. Some are bitter, some are bland and some are sour, but they all have a distinctive flavour and aroma.
Today, Isan has become more like other regions of
There is a special preference for food that has a bitter taste. If some thing bitter has been added to the food, the meal is very special. For this reason Isan restaurants, most of which have a clientele made up primarily of Northeasterners, like to add an ingredient called khee pia to the food. It is a green, dough-like substance found in the small intestines of cattle and Water buffalos, most likely grass that has been processed by the intestines until it has a smooth consistency.
The extremely bitter flavouring is added to every kind of larb and to tom khrueang nai wua (a dish made from boiled beef innards). If you are served a portion of larb that has a strongly bitter taste, you should understand that you are eating the dish in its authentically Isan from, Even the som tam preferred in Isan, made with pla ra liquid, yellow eggplant or other types of eggplant, has a bitter tang.
The Isan food sold in
These days most of them also sell grilled chicken, catfish and the local fish called pla thapthim. But those who buy them understand the Isan concept that these ingredients can be cut or chopped up to make something else, so that the catfish or chicken can be cut fine and converted into larb.
Most of the vendors who sell to customers from Isan plenty of local Isan vegetables on hand. These include some special kinds like phak tiew, phak phai and phak phaew, as well as dill and mint. Then there are the Isan restaurants intended for
The second group are just general customers who like food with strong flavours, and includes both men and women who are not particularly interested in drinking alcohol and who show up for either lunch or supper.
They tend to meet up in large groups. It is said that Isan food is best when many friends eat it together.
Restaurants of this kind have big menus that list a wide variety of dishes: deef and pork larb, nam toke deef or pork (a spicy dish made from sliced, grilled meat, pounded, toasted, rice, lime, chillies, and herbs, similar to larb but with the meat cut into pieces rather than minced) , Thai style som tam either with or without preserved crab (Thai-style som tam contains no pla ra), tap wan (a slightly sweet, grilled liver dish), and boiled liver prepared as a nam toke.
These are also many dishes listed that are never seen in Isan, like kai thawt kluea (chicken legs covered with salt and fried), mu choop nga thawt (pork covered with sesame seeds and fried), pha khee riew luak jim (boiled beef tripe with a spicy sauce), and pla thapthim thawt rad krathiem (a local fish deep-fried and covered with garlic).
These Isan restaurants intended for
So Isan food isn’t really limited as all that. And its variety, both in the versions served on native turf and those tarted up for
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