The extinction of “real” Thai food. By Nuttaporn Srisirirungsimakul

For most of us under the age of 30, we kind of take it for granted that Thai food is one of the world’s great cuisines. Even if we understand that, in theory, pad thai and tom yum weren’t always as ubiquitous as they are today, we assume that such Thai cuisine will only continue to grow in popularity. So it comes as a bit of a shock to hear that it’s a cuisine under threat.

“It has become increasingly difficult to do what I do,” sighs Auntie Daeng of the decades-old “home-style” restaurant Krua Apsorn. “Young people today don’t appreciate Thai food; they think it’s boring. But that’s because they only eat bland, basic items like omelet, pad kaprao and grilled chicken. If they see anything with even the slightest pinch of spice, they avoid it. Even some of my grandchildren would rather go to a fast food outlet for a burger than eat here. I don’t know: maybe McDonald’s has become a new kind of Thai food.”

Bangkok Post food columnist Suthon Sukphisit has also seen how our generation has a different relationship with food—some would say it’s a lack of respect—than our parents had. “Society has adopted a new attitude towards eating. In our modern lifestyle, people just rush through meals. Complicated traditional dishes that take much more time to prepare don’t seem worth the effort. The priority for restaurants is appearance: they want ‘beautiful’ service, décor and uniforms, but no longer focus on the food.”

It may be too strong to say that we’re being “cheated,” but there’s no denying that our parents had more dishes to choose from—literally dozens more. And not only that, but much of the Thai food we eat today has been tainted by the “fast food” approach—overly processed, made with short cuts and substitutions for the sake of convenience, not taste.

Here we’ve assembled just 10 of the many traditional dishes that are disappearing. We hope that it will encourage you to go out and taste what you’ve been missing.

Saeng Wa

The history of this recipe dates back to the reign of King Rama II as it is mentioned in the poem Kaap Hay Chom Krueng Kaw Waan composed by His Majesty. Back in the old days, our great grannies served tai pla (fermented fish kidney) as a dip along with a variety of vegetables. But some found it just too fishy and created a mock recipe, whose ingredients and taste are similar to tai pla. In this updated version, the fishy kidney is substituted with grilled river prawn shrimp—hence the name saeng wa (pretender, wannabe). “It is very easy to make,” says Lek of Poj Spa Karn. “Just mix together diced grilled prawns with finely sliced lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, chillies and shallots with lime and tamarind juice. Finish things off with a few drops of fish sauce and sugar, and you have saeng wa.”

Eat it here: Poj Spa Karn (443 Tanao Rd., 02-222-2686. Open Mon-Sat 10am-9pm) prepares the “Cook Somdej” saeng wa for B125. The Foodie (150 Soi Pipat, Silom Rd., 02-231-5278. Open daily 11am-11pm) also offers saeng wa, but with deep-fried minced catfish, at B125.

Moo Sarong

Our foremothers were so thoughtful; they were kind enough to lend fashionable touches to their food, cladding this tongue-teaser with a sarong. The preparation is pretty simple. Combine ground pork with the smooth paste of coriander, garlic and pepper. Roll the mixture into bite-sized balls, and clad them with noodles. Deep-fry until golden brown and serve it with a sweet dip. “The traditional version is made from ground pork, but you can use prawns or scallops if you prefer,” suggests Chef Thanida Amornvatin of  Basil.  

Eat it here: Ton Krueng (239 Thonglor Soi 13, 02-391-8703. Open daily 11am-10:30pm) and Bangkok Retro (179-181 Wang Derm Rd., 02-891-1248. Open daily10am-10pm) have moo sarong at B80. Or head to Basil (Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, 250 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-649-8888. Open daily noon-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm) for a fancier plate of shrimp and scallop sarong (B340).

Mee Krob

This seemingly ordinary recipe is a lot more complicated than you think. According to Cheewit Nai Wang (loosely translated as “Life in the Palace”), an entertaining and educational read by ML Nueng Nilrat, a court chef during the King Rama V era, the mee krob is doomed without its secret element—som sa. The seasonal bitter orange works wonders in adding a sour edge and a refreshing scent to the sweet and sour recipe. However, the crispy noodles most restaurants offer nowadays are a simplified, if not unauthentic, versions of the original as they skimp on key ingredients to save cost. “These days, not only is som sa hard to find, it is also expensive, so some places just leave it out of the recipe,” says Suthon Sukphisit, a food writer at The Bangkok Post. “But its peel yields an enticing scent. In fact, the traditional mee krob needs to have chopped pickled garlic sprinkled on top, too.”

Eat it here: Chote Chitr (146 Phraeng Phutorn Rd., 02-221-4082. Open Mon-Sat 10:30am-9pm) offers arguably the best mee krob in town at B80.

Nuea Khem Tom Kati

While restaurants pay more and more attention to style and fancy presentation, this plain-looking delight, which was once a home-style favorite, has now become a rare traditional recipe. True to its name, nuea khem tom kati is made by cooking slices of sun-dried salted beef in coconut milk. “Simmer the beef in the second pressing of coconut milk until tender,” explains Chef Pramai Weruwanarak of The Foodie. “Then slowly add the thick coconut milk from your first pressing. Season it with palm sugar and add finely chopped shallots, lemongrass and ginger to enhance the aroma.” Get yourself a plate of rice and, voila, a hearty and deliciously homey meal.  

Eat it here: Get it for B110 at The Foodie (150 Soi Pipat, Silom Rd., 02-231-5278. Open daily 11am-11pm).

Kaeng Boom Bai

Ask your chic posse if they know kaeng boom bai, and we bet that you would only get a blank, confused look in return. This ancient delight is akin to massaman but, unfortunately, it doesn’t share its popularity. “Kaeng boom bai is disappearing from the culinary scene because the cooking process is rather complicated and a lot of effort is required to prepare it,” explains Chef Thanida. “Plus, diners today are more health-conscious so they tend to avoid rich curries.” The red curry is painstakingly prepared from various spices but the taste is not as sweet as massaman, peanuts are left out and cucumbers replace the potatoes. “Beef is the classic meat for kaeng boom bai but some cooks also use chicken,” adds Chef Thanida.
 
Eat it here: Basil (Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, 250 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-649-8888. Open daily noon-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm) has recently introduced a new menu, which sadly, no longer includes kaeng boom bai. We told you it’s a vanishing delicacy! Chef Thanida is still willing to whip it up for you if you call ahead, though.

Kanom Bueng Boran

“That tiny crispy crepe laden with cream? That is not kanom bueng!” exclaims the middle-aged owner of an anonymous kanom bueng boran stall tucked in Phraeng Nara. So what’s the difference between the ubiquitous petite crepes and the boran version? “The batter used to make the traditional kanom bueng is made from thua thong [golden beans] and we smear it with sangkhaya, not sweet white cream,” explains the auntie. And if the word sangkhaya brings to mind the image of colorful green and orange custard, you are wrong, again. (Or as the auntie puts it, “You can call that colorful cream whatever you want, but it is not sangkhaya!”) Her sangkhaya has to be brown as it is a combo of palm sugar and egg. The sweet fillings include foy thong, sweetened coconut and gourd, shredded coconut and sun-dried fig, while the salty stuffing is made up of minced shrimp, shredded coconut, pepper and coriander leaves.

Eat it here: Kanom Bueng Phraeng Nara (91 Phraeng Nara Rd., 02-222-8500. Open daily 10am-5pm) and Kanom Bueng Nang Loeng (in front of Soi Nakhon Sawan 4, Nang Loeng Market. Open daily 9am-3pm).

Kanom Intanin

Most tree huggers know that Intanin is a tree that yields violet flowers. But not that many are familiar with intanin, the dessert. Unlike the tree, this gummy sweet, made from tapioca flour, is colored green from pandanus leaves. Two hours is the minimum time you’ll have to spend in front of a brass pan babysitting and churning the flour until it turns into a chewy green dough. “You have to leave the dough to cool down before making it into bite-sized balls,” explains Veerapon, owner of Somsong Pochana. The accompanying coconut milk is smoked with an aromatic scented candle and a kradang nga flower. “On a hot day, you can top intanin with crushed ice. But don’t keep it in the fridge or else the flour will solidify.”

Eat it here: If you want to sample this rare treat, hurry to Somsong Pochana (Soi Wat Sangvej, near Phra Sumen Fort, Phra Athit Rd., 02-282-0972. Open daily 9:30am-4pm), where intanin is on offer at B15. Only on Monday.

Kanom Farang Kudee Jeen

The history of this baked goodness is as long as its name. “It is the very first cake Thais got to know as it was originally introduced by the Portuguese during the early Rattanakosin period,” says Teerakorn, the fifth-generation owner of Baan Kanom Farang Kudee Jeen. “It takes only three natural ingredients to make kanom farang Kudee Jeen: flour, eggs and sugar. No milk, no butter, no preservatives.” In this case, the word “farang” refers to the Portuguese but what’s Kudee Jeen? “Kudee Jeen is the name of our neighborhood, which is famous for making the dessert,” explains Teerakorn. “Kudee jeen is the word old people use to call a Chinese shrine. It is a fitting name for the neighborhood because in the past there were two shrines standing in the area.”

Eat it here: Embark on a treasure-hunt journey and locate Baan Kanom Farang Kudee Jeen (235 Moo 1, Soi Kudee Jeen 7, near Santa Cruz Convent School, 02-465-5882. Open daily 8am-4pm), where the ancient baked goods are on sale at B30 for a pack of four pieces. It’s worth the trip.

Kaeng Lueng Lai Bua

This recipe might not be rare, but the true kaeng lueng (yellow curry) with lotus stems is become hard to find. “The central kaeng lueng is less spicy than its Southern counterpart,” explains Krua Apsorn’s Daeng, who used to cook for the late HRH Princess Galayani Vadhana. “The tumeric and kapi (shrimp paste) flavors are less strong, so it glides down your palette more agreeably.” The keang lueng lai bua is pungent and spicy nonetheless, thanks to lemongrass and galangal, which contrast nicely with the sweetness of the shrimps. Adding to the texture are the addictively crisp lotus stalks.

Eat it here: Krua Apsorn (Samsen Rd., near Tha Wasukri, 02-668-8788, 02-241-8528. Open Mon-Sat 10:30am-8pm) serves up the soup at B100. But it is hugely popular and runs out fast, so call ahead to avoid disappointment. You can also check out Krua Apsorn’s second outlet on Dinsor Rd., near the BMA (02-685-4531). Or join the big-hair grannies at Methavalai Sorndaeng (78/2 Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd., 02-224-3088. Open daily 10:30am-11pm), where the soup is on offer at B140.

Ma Hor / Mangkorn Karb Kaew

Though the word ma hor means a galloping horse in Thai, the recipe has nothing to do with horse meat. Its name is, in fact, derived from the Ma Hor Thai-Mon tribe believed to have created the bite-sized appetizer. The sticky filling of minced pork and crushed peanuts is sweet and savory, contrasting nicely with the sourness of sliced pineapple or pomelo. If the ma hor filling is sandwiched between a piece of orange, then it is called mangkorn karb kaew.

Eat it here: B85 at Ton Krueng (239 Thonglor Soi 13, 02-391-8703. Open daily 11am-10:30pm). If you don’t mind driving further out of town, visit Talad Bang Nam Phueng in Samut Prakarn on weekends (8am-2pm). Basil (Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, 250 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-649-8888. Open daily noon-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm) also has ma hor on offer during festivals and special occasions.