Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand Oct / Nov 2017: The Travel Issue | Page 20

Travel
MASSAMAN CURRY
Another thick curry guaran-
teed to stick your ribs, mas-
saman is made from a vast
list of ingredients includ-
ing, but not limited to,
coconut milk, peanuts
or cashews, onion, po-
tatoes, fish sauce, chili
and tamarind sauce. It
is served with tofu or a
choice of meat.
Though its true ori-
gins are lost to antiqui-
ty, it is usually attribut-
ed to Southern Thailand,
Malaysia or India. There is
no doubt the mild and sub-
tly sweet-and-sour meal in-
corporates ingredients not
usually found in Thai culture.
This makes it an unusual but ev-
er-present item on Thai menus
and a good option if you want to
tuck into an authentic local meal. It
also proves: Something doesn’t have
to be preposterously spicy to be the
real deal.
KHAO KAA MOO
Like moo dad diew, you’ll see the lengthy preparation
of this braised pork knuckle dish happening on every
side street througho ut Bangkok. By
leaving the knuckle (the same cut
as ham hock) to bubble away for
hours steeped in garlic, star anise,
soy sauce, and chili, the tough
flesh breaks down into ten-
der morsels that fall away from
the bone at the merest hint of
a utensil.
Served with steamed
greens and a few ladles
of the unctuous gra-
vy — a by-product of the
long cooking process — the
straightforward taste of khao kaa
moo is reminiscent of the hot pots
and stews of northern Europe. And
it’s just as gratifying.
20 WANDERLUST
GUAY TAG RA
Guay tag ra, or “boat noodles” (a name that
comes from its tradition of being sold by boat
vendors) is not your average bowl of noodles —
and certainly is not for vegetarians or the
squeamish. Inside a bowl, you’ll find
thin, medium or thick rice noo-
dles, served with shreds of beef,
liver or pork, accompanied on
the side by a few greens in
palm-sized dishes.
Sounds simple enough,
so why the gruesome rep-
utation? The broth covering
the silky, rice flour ribbons and
meat is made from seasoned
pig’s blood — a staple in Thailand
and no big deal for most locals — but
this addition means the soup is perhaps
best left for the slightly more adventur-
ous of tourists.
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