"Choosing a wife":

It is rumoured that in days gone by, in villages all over Thailand, there was only one sure way of knowing if the girl of your dreams was going to make you a good wife and impress your mother. That was to see her in action - pounding curry pastes!

This could be done in a number of ways. Quite openly she could be volunteered into helping with preparations for the next big celebration, under the prospective mother-in-law's watchful eye. Of course she would know that she was being watched and act accordingly. The more wily mother-in-law would pay early morning visits to the family compound of the girl, in secret, where she would have over-heard  the girl pounding the pastes for the day. She would be listening out for the impressive, rhythmical, vigorous and untiring style that would reassure them that their son had chosen well.

Stir-Fried Dishes:อาหารผัด
Although the Wok and Stir Frying techniques have been adopted from the Chinese, the end results are rather different. you will find Thai stir-fries lighter, as they are generally not thickened with corn flour, and are more highly flavoured than their Chinese counterparts. Many of these are eaten as single dishes, served on rice, at lunch time in Thailand.

 

9

Soups
อาหารประเภทชุปและต้มยำ

Hot! (unless you ask for the dish as mâi pèt (not hot)!
Medium.	Mild.	Not Spicy.

Soup is not served as an appetiser in Thailand but included as another dish in the meal. It is either spooned over the rice or taken in small sips to refresh the palate between the flavours of the other dishes. I try to encourage everybody to eat it like this, but I had to give up with my brother-in-law. Keiron, whose favourite dish is Tom yam Gung, which he insists on having as a starter.

24. Tom Yam gung  ต้มยำกุ้ง  £6.85

Hot and sour prawn soup with citrus overtones. Perhaps the most famous dish of all, there are almost as many versions, as there are restaurants, "most are delicious"

25. Tom Kha Gai  ต้มข่าไก่ £6.75

A rich aromatic chicken soup with coconut milk, more or less the same flavours as Tom Yam but always with the addition of coconut milk, milk, or cream

26. Gaeng Jeud Woon-Sen  แกงจืดวุ้นเส้น  £7.25

Glass noodle soup, tasty but not spicy, thought of as good a choice for breakfast in Thailand, something for the children, or as a counterbalance when lots of hot dishes have been chosen.

27. Gaeng Jeud Nor-Mai  แกงจืดหน่อไม้กับไก่  £6.95

A clear soup with bamboo shoots and chicken. Thought to be a remedy for a cold, because its quite peppery and warming

28. Tom Yam Nua  ตมยำเนื้อ  £7.25

Another version of Number 23, Tom Yam Gung, but with fresh beef. The taste has to be much stronger and much hotter to beat the beef taste. It is renowned for sobering people up in the early hours after they have been drinking through the night

About the picture under each page of our menu and website: You might be wondering about the footer picture of our website. This is a sketch of "Poy Sang Long Ceremony" or the Old Thai New Year in Mae-Hong Sorn, a province in the North of Thailand. In the sketch, they are parading with monks in the front, followed by an important lady on the cart, followed by Buddha's figure and musicians and dancers at the back. I have never been there myself, but a friend who's been, said it was the best parade that he has ever seen. I think that this is a very fine and detailed sketch, and I wanted to include it as the background to our menu and website!

Steamed Dishes
อาหารประเภทนึ่ง

Hot! (unless you ask for the dish as mâi pèt (not hot)!
Medium.	Mild.	Not Spicy.

These popular dishes are healthy yet very tasty! The method of cooking ensures that the meat remains succulent, as the cooking juices are retained

29. Pla Nung Ma-Now  ปลานึ่งมะนาว  £8.55

Steamed fish with fresh chillies and lime

30. Haw Mook Pla  ห่อหมกปลา  £8.25

Parcels of steamed curried fish. This is a speciality dish and as I am the only person, who can prepare it, it will not be available when I am not here

31. Pae Sah  แป๊ะชะปลาทอด  £8.75

Steamed fish Thai kitchen style, Very hot and distinctive, making it a dish to remember

32. Pla Nung Tao Cheo  ปลานึ่เต้าเจี้ยว  £7.95

Steamed fish with fermented Soya beans and ginger, "simple and fresh"

33. Gai Nung  ไก่นึ่งสมุนไพร  £7.75

Steamed Chicken with aromatic herbs. "Our family favourite", a big hit with children, who may think that they don't like Thai food

34. Gam Pu Nung Gratiem  ก้มปูนึ่งกระเทียม  £8.95

Steamed crab claws with garlic

Fried dishes
อาหารประเภททอด

Hot! (unless you ask for the dish as mâi pèt (not hot)!
Medium.	Mild.	Not Spicy.

These highly flavoured dishes are a welcome addition to any meal and quite addictive. Think of them as side dishes, if you like, not suitable to have on there own, but they will add an extra something to your meal!

35. Pla Sam Rot  ปลาสามรส  £8.25

Crispy fish with a sweet, sour and hot chilli dressing

36. Kai Luk Koei  ไข่ลูกเขย  £6.25

Son-in-law's eggs! Deep-fried boiled eggs with a caramelised Tamarind sauce

37. Kai Yad Sai  ไข่ยัดไส้  £7.95

Stuffed egg omelette. It sounds very simple, but this is one of the most difficult dishes to prepare, especially when you are rushing! Listen out for the curses when your order reaches the kitchen!

38. Pla Jian  ปลาเจี๋ยน  £7.95

Fish with a sweet and sour dressing, flavoured with ginger and coriander leaves

39. See-Krong Mu Tod Gratiem Prik Thai  กระดูกหมูทอดกระเทียม  £6.95

Spare ribs Thai Kitchen Style. Please don't imagine succulent, juicy Chinese ribs, these are crispy and dry!

40. Gai-Tord-Ta-Krai  ไก่ทอดดะไคร้  £8.25

Crispy fried chicken with lemon grass. (sorry) this dish is served with chicken bones still in, to retain its succulents, so watch out for them!

The Story behind Son-in-law's Eggs: Mother-in law arrives unexpectedly after a long journey. Daughter is out!...leaving a nervous son-in-law on his own trying to impress with his hospitality. While mother-in-law freshens up he hurries into the kitchen to rustle up that special something, the problem is he can't cook. he see' boiled eggs left over from the meal before, they are cold so he decides to heat them up by frying them. Meanwhile he puts all the ingredients he can find into a saucepan, sugar, fish sauce, fried onions and Tamarind, and leaves them on the stove; he nearly forgot the rice. Busy sorting out the rice he doesn't watch the saucepan and the tamarind mixture thickens and caramelises. Hoping for the best, he pours the blackened mixture over the fried boiled eggs and creates a surprisingly tasty dish, using the most common ingredients in an unexpected way. "I guess she was impressed"!!

Thai Salads  อาหารยำ

Hot! (unless you ask for the dish as mâi pèt (not hot)!
Medium.	Mild.	Not Spicy.

The reputation of many a restaurant in Thailand rests on these Zesty dishes. Sharp with a fiery bite, they not only taste good but look good too. This is usually the first dish to arrive at the table to wet the appetite before the rice and other dishes come.

41. Yam Talay  ยำทะเล  £8.25
Seafood Salad...Freshly chopped onions, coriander, and celery, mixed with prawns, squid, mussels, crab claws, and sword fish. Tossed together, in a sharp lemon and chilli dressing with a hint of sweetness
42. Yam Woon-Sen  ยำวุ้นส้น  £7.25
Glass noodle salad with prawns and minced pork, freshly chopped onions, coriander and celery. Tossed together in a sharp lemon and chilli dressing with a hint of sweetness
43. Nua Yam Nam Tok  ยำเนื้อน้ำตก  £7.65
Waterfall beef salad. Blisteringly hot!!
44. Yam Mu Khun Yai  ยำหมูคุณยาย  £8.35
My Grandmother's own salad recipe using minced pork, made special by the addition of dried toasted coconut
45. Yam Mu Manow  ยำหมูมะนาว  £7.95
We have tried to reproduce a favourite dish from "Pongtheap's" (a famous Thai Rock Star) Restaurant in Korat. A fresh pork salad with chilli raw garlic and lime juice
46. Yam Gung  ยำกุ้ง  £7.95
Prawn salad. Freshly chopped onions, coriander, celery and prawns, tossed together, in a sharp lemon and chilli dressing with a hint of sweetness
Fa-Rang  ฝรั่ง........The word "Fa-Rang" in Thailand has two meanings, the first means Guava, and the second is the name that Thai people have given to White Caucasian westerners. The word came from the French Fa-ran-ce, which was the name given to the French, who came over to trade in the far east 250 years ago
Farang's Hand  มือฝรั่ง