Bang Kachao Delicacies: Savor Famous Local Menus
Get to know local savory and sweet dishes that are made with love and care by using locally found ingredients for everyone to taste the perfect flavor combinations.
If talking about green spaces near Bangkok, “Bang Kachao” would be one of the first names that comes to mind. Not only does it cover large acres of greenery, but it also offers endless choices of activities such as cycling, going shopping at Bang Namphueng floating market, visiting local tourist spots, and tasting flavorful local dishes. The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Public Organization) or DASTA has realized an importance of Bang Kachao area and is working on developing it to be a role model for the sustainable community-based tourism.
It is often said that "local cuisine" is like a mirror reflecting local ways of life of people in a particular region. Cultures, traditions, and beliefs can be seen through the ingredients and cooking methods used to make each dish. Looking closely, you will see that Bang Kachao’s local cuisine is usually comprised of ingredients found in backyards or home-grown vegetable gardens. Combinations of various ingredients can create delicious concoctions for every member of a family. Even though the modern-day lifestyle has tremendously changed the way things were for people in Bang Kachao, for instance, people are commuting to the inner city for work and eating out more often. Yet, that change does not affect the wonderful flavors of Bang Kachao’s local dishes. Below are recommended menus for the visitors to try when traveling to this community:
- Khanom Tuay or Traditional Steamed Coconut and Pandan Pudding
What people love about this steamed coconut and pandan pudding are the softness and chewiness of the pudding thanks to the coconut milk. The dessert has a perfect balance between saltiness and sweetness. The making of this Thai-style pudding requires attention and techniques. A rice flour mixture and coconut milk must be carefully poured into a bowl so that the pudding will not stick to the bowl once it is cooked. A traditional recipe does not contain any preservatives or food coloring. A pandan extract is stirred in the rice flour mixture for a beautiful light green color and a nice aroma. It is no surprise why this dessert has been one of the favorites among the locals and visitors alike.
- Chicken Mussaman Curry with Nipa Palm Tree Fruits
To make a delicious mussaman curry, it is important to stir-fry a mussaman chili paste until it is fragrant. After that, put a coconut milk, chicken and nipa palm tree fruits into a pan and give them a nice stir. Once it is cooked, the chicken and nipa palm tree fruits will be tender from the braising. For even more deliciousness, add a moderate amount of palm sugar into the curry. This menu should not be missed for any reasons!
- Grilled Black Glutinous Rice with Nipa Palm Tree Fruit Filling Wrapped in Nipa Palm Tree Leave
A local plant of Bang Kachao is a nipa palm tree. That is why we have seen parts of the nipa palm tree become main ingredients in several local menus. One of these menus is “grilled black glutinous rice with nipa palm tree fruit filling wrapped in nipa palm tree leave”. As the name suggests, it is made by mixing a black glutinous rice, shredded coconuts, coconut sugar, and a pinch of salt. Then, wrap the mixture in a fresh nipa palm tree leave. Grill it over a charcoal stove until it is slightly hardened and aromatic. Eating it while it’s still warm will surely make your tastebuds happy!
- Lotus Petal Wrapped Bite-Sized Appetizer
This Thai traditional appetizer has all the flavors in one bite – sweet, sour, savory, and spicy – and it is also rich in nutrition. To prepare the lotus petals, pick the petals out of an Indian lotus, clean the petals with water, and put them in a brine water for a while before letting them dry. For the sauce, pound ginger, shallot, shrimp paste, coconut sugar, and water until they become smooth. Stir the mixture over low heat until fragrant. In order to eat, put some dried shrimps and cashew nuts on a lotus petal and drizzle with the sauce. Wrap the petal a little bit to hold everything in and enjoy a perfect bite!
- Thai-Style Sour Soup with Fresh Chilies
What makes this Bang Kachao-style sour soup different from normal sour soup is that it consists of banana blossom, water spinach, and hemp sesbania flowers. To make a chili paste for this sour soup, pound shrimp paste, fresh bird’s eye chilies, shallots, tamarind paste, and coconut sugar until they become smooth. Put shrimps or fish and the chili paste into a boiling water followed by lotus stems, hemp sesbania flowers, and water spinach. Once the soup is cooked, pair it with a plate of hot steamed rice and omelet and you will find it too difficult to put down the spoon!
- Prik Kluea Kua Mapraw or Sweet and Salty Shredded Coconut Seasoning
Prik Kluea is a traditional seasoning that is portable and long-lasting. It is hard to find these days due to a transition from an agricultural-based community to an industrial-based one. The key ingredients of Prik Kluea Kua Mapraw are shredded coconuts, coconut sugar, and salt. How to make Prik Kluea is easy but the hardest part is a selection of ingredients. For example, only the white coconut meats are used; the coconut sugar must not contain any granulated sugar; and the saltiness comes from a fleur de sel (flower of salt) which is not overwhelmingly salty. Prik Kluea Kua Mapraw is usually eaten with steamed rice since it will add more flavors and make the meal even more satisfying.
These 6 local dishes mentioned here are just a small part of the entire Bang Kachao’s local cuisine. There are still a variety of menus waiting for the visitors to try and be amazed - not only by their tastes but also by the local knowledge and the origin of these fascinating food.
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