(Click on the images to enlarge)
The
particular market in which these images were captured is in Surin,
a
town in Isaan, North East Thailand. The market operates most of the day
but this particular section opens at around four in the morning and has
more or less dispersed by mid morning. The images were captured between 6:00 and 6:30 am. | ||
Chilies (prik) The notorious prik kee noo chilies (mouse droppings chili) in their various stages of ripening. Green, yellow, orange and finally red when they are fully ripe. They are the hottest chilies found in Thailand and can vary between 100,000 and 250,000 SHU's on the Scoville Scale. | Kafir Lime Leaf (bai ma kround) An aromatic hourglass shaped leaf which imparts a sharp lime flavour to dishes, particularly tom yam. They can be finely shredded and added to salads or torn and added to soups or curries. |
Galangal (khar) Although originally native to Java, Indonesia, galangal is used extensively in Thai cookery. Although resembling ginger it has a more earthy aroma and pine-like flavour. | Traders set out their produce
for sale: Left to right, green gourd (phuk), pennywart (pak wen), Chinese mushrooms (hed khone), yard long beans (thua fak yao) and green, unripe pumpkins (faktong) Anaheim chilies
(prik) A mild and somewhat sweet chili for the Thai palate. The anaheim chili measures between 500 and 2,500 SHUs on the Scoville Scale. | Lemon grass (tah khrai) One of the main ingredients of Thailand's famous tom yam soups. The bulb is bruised or crushed in a mortar prior to cooking to release the flavour. The stem is generally finely chopped or sliced. |
Chinese radish (shai thow) Although can be eaten raw in salads, the Thais usually cook the radish in soups. | Betel nut (maak) and betel leaf (poo) The nut is broken and chewed with the leaf coated in lime. Mainly used by elderly women as a mild euphoric stimulant. CLICK | Coconut (ma prow) Custard apple (noi nah) Limes (manow) Pandan leaves (bai toey) |
More
Chilies (prik) Thais probably eat more chilies per head than any other country in the world. There are very few Thai dishes that don't include chilies. The ones shown here are the normal Thai chilies and record between 50,000 and 100,000 SHUs on the Scoville Scale. | |||
Chilies and Yardlong beans (fak thua) Mangoes, sour unripe (ma muang) Can be eaten raw with dipping sauce or shredded for salads | |||
Green chili dip (click for recipe) |
It is evidence of
how important Chilies
(prik) are to Thai cuisine by the quantities that are for sale even by this lone trader | ||
Barbequed Squid (pla muek lek) |
Pilot fish (pla salid) and Serpenthead fish (pla shonn) Racked in the sun for drying | Chinese Chives (dok gui chai) The stem and flower have a distinctive strong aroma and are rich in Vitamin A and fibre |
Lotus stems (sai bua) Lotus stems are a valuable soutce of iron. They may be chopped or sliced for use in salads or ground into a paste for fried or boiled dishes. | ||
Green peppercorns (prik thai khiao) The berries grown
in spikey clusters on vines and are harvested when the berries
are immature. They offer a fresher flavour and less pungency
than black peppercorns or white peppercorns | ||
Mangosteen fruit (mang khoud) | Broccoli (proccoli) and Cauliflower (dawk kalam) | |
TRY YORKY'S SPECIAL TOM
YAM? (click for recipe) |
Sweet basil (bai horapha) | Shredded galangal (khar) |
Rambutan fruit (gnaw) | Bitter pea eggplant (mak rhua) | Longan (lam yai) Dragon fruit (khow mangom) Custard apple (noi nah)Sapota (la moud) |
Dragon Fruit (khow mangom) The fruit can weight between 150 and 600 grams and the flesh, which is eaten raw, is mildly sweet and low in calories. Eating the fruit is sometimes likened to that of the kiwifruit due to the presence of sesame seed-sized black crunchy seeds found in the flesh which make for a similar texture upon consumption. | Thai Chili pastes (prik kaeng) The pastes come in many varieties the main ones being: Green chili paste Red chili paste (click for recipes) |
Barbequed Pork sausage (sai krawk moo) with chopped Cabbage |
The Som Tam Stall (click for recipe) |
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Map of Surin View and/or download Here | |||
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