User:Fahsai M/sandbox

Northern Thai food(Thai: อาหารไทยล้านนา, RTGS: ahan thai Lanna), has a significant differences from other regions of Thailand and has strong Burmese influences. A shortage of coconut milk and seafood, common to the cuisines of other parts of the country, means an emphasis on richer flavors and much less fiery spices.

Unlike Thais, who flavor their curries and soups with fish sauce and kapi, or shrimp paste, the Chinese immigrants who came to the north in the 18th century brought with them a penchant for soy sauce and ginger, and a fondness for rotten beans. In traditional Thai cuisine uses lots of shrimp paste, but traditional northern cuisine does not use very much. Mostly, rely on fermented bean cakes — (very Chinese).

=History of Northern Thai food= The cuisine of the north was taken some of the elements from these neighbor countries; China, Myanmar and India, and the distinct identity of the region once known as the Lanna, or a Million Rice Fields, Kingdom, which at its top included parts of Myanmar and Laos. Northern Thai cuisine developed on its own since the Lanna Kingdom did not become part of Siam (Thailand)until much later.

=Characteristics of Thai Lanna cuisine= It’s heavily influenced by northern neighboring countries such as Burma, Laos, and China. Mostly, soups and curries have a clear broth base and do not often use coconut milk. Northern Thailand is geographically characterised by several mountain ranges, which continue from the Shan Hills in bordering Myanmar to Laos, and the river valleys which cut through them, by locating in the cooler, jungle climate produces a variety of ingredients such as wild vegetables, mushrooms, and aromatic herbs used in cooking. Northern Thai cuisine is prominently salty and bitter and is not as spicy as Thailand’s hotter southern region’s cuisine or as sweet as the central region’s cuisine.

Rather than serving fluffy steamed jasmine rice at meals, the staple food is sticky rice. It’s locally known as khao niaow (Thai: ข้าวเหนียว) and is made from glutinous rice.

=Type of Lanna food= There are many types of Lanna food, for example;

Kaeng - แกง
Kaeng (pronounced with a rising tone) is a dish with a moderate water or liquid content. The cooking method is by heating water to boiling then adding the basic chili paste or spices followed by other required ingredients in the order according to the length of cooking time required for each.

Cho - จอ
This is a method for cooking vegetables by boiling water in a pot and adding salt, shrimp paste, fermented fish, and then add fresh tamarind or extract of tamarind juice (lime, tomatoes, or kaffir lime are not recommended). Pork and bone can be used for a richer flavor and finally vegetables such as mustard greens, fern tops, swamp morning glories.

Khio - เคี่ยว
A cooking method used by Lanna people of slow cooking until most of the liquid is evaporated. Khio nampu (with a rising tone) is done by finely pounding some crabs and straining them to get the liquid part and then boiling it down until only 2/3 of the liquid is left. Then it is cooked longer on a low fire and salt and ground chili is added to taste.

Ok - อ็อก
Ok is a cooking method in which mixed ingredients are wrapped in banana leaves and then steamed in a pot or a pan. Another quicker method is to put all of the ingredients in a pot with a little water and let them boil on the stove.

Aep - แอ็บ
Slow-grilled wrapped in banana leaves, this dish is most often made with chopped meat, small fish or edible insects, mixed with beaten eggs and spices.

Sa - ส้า
This is a kind of dish in which the ingredients (such as fish, chilies, shallots and garlic) are roasted first, then pounded together in a mortar and mixed with a little liquid from boiling fermented fish and assorted fresh vegetables cleanly washed and coarsely chopped or shredded by hand.

Uk - อุ๊ก
Hum is a method used to cook meat by cutting the meat into big chunks and mixing them with curry paste, then cooking on a low fire until tender and a very small amount of liquid is left. It is called chin hum when beef is used.

Nam phrik - น้ำพริก
is a type of spicy, chili-based, hot sauce typical of Thai cuisine. Usually, used as a dipping sauce to be eaten with fresh vegetables or with the sticky rice.

=Representative dishes= Individual dishes
 * Khanom chin nam ngiao (Thai: ขนมจีนน้ำเงี้ยว) - A specialty of northern Thailand, it is Thai fermented rice noodles served with pork blood tofu and raw vegetables, in a sauce made with pork broth and tomato, crushed fried dry chilies, chicken blood, dry fermented soy bean, and dried red kapok flowers.
 * Khao soi(Thai: ข้าวซอย) - curried noodle soup enriched with coconut milk, garnished with crispy fried wheat noodles, and served with pickled cabbage, lime, a chili paste, and raw shallots on the side. Chiang Mai's most iconic dish, it was originally a dish of the Chin Haw, Chinese-Muslim traders from Yunnan Province in China. Northern Thai khao soi is different from the Lao version.

Chilli Paste
 * Nam phrik num (Thai: น้ำพริกหนุ่ม) - a chili paste of pounded large green chilies, shallots, garlic, coriander leaves, lime juice and fish sauce; eaten with steamed and raw vegetables, and sticky rice.
 * Nam phrik ong (Thai: น้ำพริกอ่อง) - resembling a thick Bolognese sauce, it is made with dried chilies, minced pork, fermented soy beans, and tomato; eaten with steamed and raw vegetables, and sticky rice.

Appetizers
 * Sai ua (Thai: ไส้อั่ว) - a grilled sausage of ground pork mixed with spices and herbs; it is often served with chopped fresh ginger and chilies at a meal. It is sold at markets in Chiang Mai as a snack.
 * Kab moo or Pork rind (Thai: แคบหมู) - a pork skin, fried or roasted in pork fat as a snack. Often, be eaten with Nam phrik.

=References=