Sunday, November 8, 2009

COLOUR YOUR WORLD WITH RED PORK

       We are lucky that the different Chinese ethnic communities who live in Thailand have preserved their cultural heritage so well. They have given us not only a whole spectrum of crafts and artistic styles, but also a wealth of cooking styles that have done much to make Bangkok one of the world's great food cities, and a place that attracts people from all over the world to come for some culinary adventures.
       Each of the Chinese language groups has its own cooking specialities. The Cantonese are experts at preparing grilled and roasted dishes like grilled duck and grilled pork and the noodle dishes, like bamee moo daeng ,that are based on them. From the Chinese Hakkas (who are referred to as Jin Khek in Thai), we have the noodle dish called kui tio khek , where rice noodles share the bowl with balls of tofu and pork. Hainanese cooks are famous for their popular chicken-withrice creation, called khao man kai in Thai,as well as phae toon (seasoned, stewed mutton) and the chewy noodles called khanom jeen Hailam . Teochew (Taechew as far as Thais are concerned) kitchens produce excellent simmered and stir-fried dishes.
       It isn't definitely known which Chinese ethnic group invented moo daeng (literally "red pork''), but it seems that this reddish roast pork is most likely of Cantonese origin.It is often sold in shops that sell Cantonese grilled and roasted meats like duck and crispy pork.
       The moo daeng served in noodle dishes is the same as that used to make khao moo daeng , which is moo daeng with rice and sauce. This is a ubiquitous informal dish in Bangkok, and it consists of red pork, crispy pork, the sweet Chinese sausage called kun chiang and a whole boiled duck egg (but nowadays more likely to be just half an egg)served over hot rice smothered by a generous dash of a special, aromatic sauce. The cook at the restaurant will have all these ingredients ready to serve, so there is no need to heat them up. It is easy to make and to eat.It is also inexpensive, and a single portion will satisfy most people. Its tastiness and convenience have led to such high demand that shops and stalls selling the dish are everywhere.
       Most of these eateries prepare the red pork themselves on site. It is easy to whip up - they just take pork, rub a red colouring on it and roast it. The kun chiang is bought from suppliers who make a specialised variety (longer and wider than that intended for household cooking) for the red-pork dish.
       The crispy pork is also obtained from an outside party. This item can be bought at most markets, but it is mainly made in the Nakhon Chaisi area of Nakhon Pathom province and in Ratchaburi, where there are many pig farms.
       The roasting is usually done after midnight. First, a whole pig is butchered. The head and legs are removed, and the carcass is cut in half lengthwise. The ribs are taken out, and both halves are put inside a big,tall concrete oven. They are lowered in from the top of the oven and suspended inside,traditionally with burning charcoal at the bottom, although nowadays gas is used.
       When the meat has been cooked enough to become somewhat dry, it is lifted from the oven and rubbed with salt. The skin is perforated all over with a sharp knife and then the meat is lowered into the oven again and cooked until it is done. When fully cooked, the perforated skin is golden brown and crunchy. The pork halves are then delivered to markets before dawn, where vendors cut them into pieces and sell them to customers by weight.
       Since Nakhon Pathom is a major producer of crispy pork, shops that sell khao moo daeng always name themselves after the province. If you buy khao moo daeng in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, you'd probably get it at a shop bearing the sign Khao Moo Daeng Nakhon Pathom (Nakhon Pathom Khao Moo Daeng, in English). But that doesn't mean that that eatery's khao moo daeng recipe originated in Nakhon Pathom,because there is no big Cantonese community in Nakhon Pathom. The sign is just to inform customers that the roast pork used to make that restaurant's dish comes from Nakhon Pathom.
       But even though the professionallyprepared pork makes up the most substantive portion of the dish after rice, it is the sauce that gives the dish real character. Indeed,the sauce is the true test of the level of the skill in the kitchen. A red-pork-with-rice restaurant worthy of its reputation would have its own recipe for the sauce, but not many shops can concoct good versions of this vital component.
       One place in Bangkok that was very famous in the past for its red-pork-withrice sauce was located near the long-gone Nakhon Sanuk cinema on New Road. When the cinema went, the red pork shop shut down too, but one of its Chinese employees went into business for himself to continue selling the dish. There are now two branches - one at Wang Burapha and the other on Worachak Road. Both still use the name Khao Moo Daeng Rong Nang Nakhon Sanuk ("Nakhon Sanuk Cinema Red Pork with Rice'').
       Both of these shops pour the sauce over the red-pork-with-rice dish from bottles.This is different from most other shops selling the dish, where the sauce is kept in a pot and ladled over the pork and rice accordingly.
       There is another shop that specialises in this dish. Its name is, not surprisingly, Khao Moo Daeng Nakhon Pathom. It is located on Sam Yan Soi 50, near the site of the old,now-demolished Sam Yan market.
       Here the sauce, which is very good, is also stored in bottles, and the crispy pork is made on the premises. The meat is first roasted to drain off the fat, and then it is deep-fried so that the skin is not only crispy but flaky, too.
       Khao moo daeng is one of the most ordinary of single-dish meals, but even the most routine of dishes can be extraordinary in the hands of a gifted cook who knows how to interpret it in a special way.
       If you are looking for a simple, tasty and satisfying bite to satisfy your hunger, and you are in the area, drop in at one of the shops mentioned above and tuck into a memorable meal.

No comments:

Post a Comment