Chiang Mai cultural and food tour Part 2

 Sawatdee Ka! In my last post, I left off just as we got to the food markets near our lovely guesthouse, Elliebum, in Chiang mai, Thailand. Here are more of the interesting foods we encountered...

These are dried fish stomachs. This type is to be eaten, but stomachs from large, deep water ocean fish are considered valuable collectors items.

The pods on the far left contain some sort of nut

In case anyone is wondering, these prices are per kilo, and 10 baht is about 30 cents US!

hese fruit, called longan, are everywhere this time of year in Chiang Mai. The trees around our guesthouse are loaded with them. They are mild and juicy like a lychee, but with one small bitter seed in the center (I found out the hard way)

lychee- the fresh fruit is so much better than the canned (big surprise, right? ;)

beautiful dragonfruit

gnoh (rambutan) - the outside may look a little intimidating, but they are easy to peel and delicious!  (very much like a lychee, but a bit sweeter and less juicy)

super-spicy Thai chilies

in the lower middle part of the screen is a bag of kefir limes, upper right is fresh ginger, middle top is waxed firewood

Gade said these are "lady fingers," and from what I found online that means they are okra, maybe a special variety?

on the left are some giant type of okra

These are betel nut, dried on the left and fresh on the right and far left. They are wrapped up with tobacco and other herbs and chewed for a "buzz." This is the nut you see people using on Discovery Channel with black mouths and teeth

These are a dessert made from candied egg yolks

There were many food stalls with open containers of cooked foods - we didn't have any from this market but did have some spicy Southern Thai food later served in this way....I have to say I prefer the "cooked fresh" variety ;)

Neither Gerry or I are big fans of pork, but it is a very popular meat in Northern Thailand and Gade told us we should try this amazing sausage on the left (under the lady's arm) - and she was right! It was hot, spicy, and delicious! It was so nice to have Gade to guide us through the market and encourage us to try foods outside our "comfort zone" ;)

I have to go get ready for Thai massage class now (it's 7am here), but I hope you enjoyed Part 2 and check back for more.... Kop khun ka!

Chiang Mai cultural and food tour Part 1

Elliebum Café, downstairs from our room. Great atmosphere and free breakfast make for a wonderful morning!

Yesterday Gerry and I went on a wonderful tour of the neighborhood around our guesthouse, Elliebum, hosted by the owner, Gade. The neighborhood is inside the "old city," which is surrounded by walls and a moat. This seems appropriate, since Chiang mai is over 700 years old, and until a little over 100 years ago the city was its own kingdom separate from Bangkok and the rest of Thailand. Before we set out into the city, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast prepared by Gade. Gerry had french toast with maple syrup and fresh fruit, and I had a big bowl of fresh fruit with yogurt and muesli.

Gerry's french toast

My big bowl of fruit included dragon fruit, guava, papaya, and mango - yum! The dragon fruit is very mild and delicate, while the guava was crunchy like an asian pear.

After enjoying our light breakfast with tea and Thai iced coffee, we were ready to walk. We began our tour at a nearby temple (one of many) where Gade explained the many different cultures and religions that have influenced northern Thailand and Chiang mai. One of the strongest influences on Buddhism in the region comes from India.

A good example of this influence is the sacred Bodhi trees like this one which can be seen at many temples in Chiang mai.

According to our host, 85% of Thai people are Buddhist and practice a style called "small vehicle" Buddhism.

Alongside the sacred bodhi tree sits a "spirit house" used to give offerings and pay respect to ancestors. The "wings" at the peak of the house are typical to architecture in this northeastern region of Thailand, a remnant of occupation by the Burmese long ago.

We saw many fruit trees along our walk, but this one interested me because it looked so much like the infamously stinky durian. This is Jackfruit, and apparently tastes nothing like durian. Inside are sweet pods that are so sticky you need to put oil on your hands before touching them.

Gade took us down some back alleys to see some of the many local food vendors and street markets.

this is common "street food" in Chiang mai. Veggies, bananas, pork, chicken, etc. is wrapped in a banana leaf and then steamed and grilled. According to Gade, the trick for foreigners is knowing if you are buying a sweet or savory snack.

This woman enthusiastically agreed to a photo with one stipulation -make her look nice :)

She explained the negative impact a recent free-trade agreement with China has had on local food production in the region. For example, this area of Thailand used to be famous for small, deliciously sweet oranges. The import of exotic fruits from China has introduced diseases that have wiped out half the orange crop for the last two years, devastating local farmers and quadrupling the price of oranges.

Another problem is that local farmers can't compete with Chinese prices: the larger cloves of garlic seen here (bottom right) are from China. The smaller, more pungent (and therefore healthier!) Thai garlic (top right) is more expensive and is struggling to compete with its larger, blander cousin.

one of many street markets

fresh quail eggs

freshwater softshell crabs from local rice paddies - Gade explained that these are generally used to flavor broth and curry rather than eaten whole

This fish "paste" is found in many local dishes, and is used to add salt and flavor similarly to the way anchovy paste is used.

bamboo shoots

Two types of preserved eggs. The pink type is pickled in a brine, while the white type is the infamous "century egg," preserved by coating with clay, lime, salt, and rice hulls and buried in the earth for years. Gade explained that the yolk and "white" inside these eggs is actually black in color.

There is much more to tell about our tour, so I hope you check back for the next installment....

Well, after a couple long days of traveling and sleeping in airports, we're finally settled into our guesthouse (Elliebum) in Chiang Mai. Last night at the famous Night Bazaar we stopped for some delicious tom yum gai (a healthy and delicious hot and sour soup with chicken.

Tamarind Chicken: Last Post before Thailand!

As the title suggests, this is my last post before I move to Iowa and then Chiang Mai, Thailand for 3 weeks of Thai massage training and cooking lessons. I am planning to post about my culinary adventures in the "land of smiles" so stay tuned for that....and in the mean time I managed to squeeze in one more "blog meal" (they take much longer than "regular meals" ;) before I pack up my kitchen and hit the road:

I finally got the pastured chicken I ordered from a local farm 2 weeks ago, and it was big one - over 4 lbs! Luckily, it still fit in the slow cooker, since that's the only way to cook a chicken inside on a 102 degree day :) I decided to use up some of the seasonings from the sambar I recently made, since we're moving next week and I don't want it to go to waste. And for once, my frugal nature paid off - it was easy and delicious! I served the chicken along with some farm-fresh roasted potatoes and sautéed squash, tomatoes, and onions.

Slow-cooker Tamarind Chicken 

Ingredients:

1 whole 3.5-4 lb chicken
3 Tbsp sambar powder, divided (store bought or homemade)
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp tamarind paste
1 Tbsp olive oil

1. Place chicken in slow-cooker
2. Mix tamarind paste, 2 Tbsp sambar powder, and olive oil in small bowl

3. Spread mixture over chicken and then coat with remaining Tbsp sambar powder

4. Cover and cook on high 8 hours

Optional: While chicken cooks - hang out at a fun Indian grocery store with a friend. I'm going to miss you Erika :)

About an hour before supper-time:

Turmeric Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
1-2 lbs small red or white potatoes
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 Tbsp olive oil

1. Wash potatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces
2. Place in 8x8 baking dish, drizzle olive oil over potatoes and toss to coat
3. Sprinkle with turmeric, cumin, cayenne, and ginger - toss to coat

4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350F for 45 mns to 1 hour

When the potatoes are almost done....

Sautéed Squash, Onions, and Tomatoes

Ingredients:
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium yellow squash, chopped
1 small yellow onion, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3 fresh thai (or other) chilies, stems removed and cut in half (this will be spicy! remove seeds if needed)
1 Tbsp coconut oil

1. Heat oil and add onion and chilies, cooking until onion is translucent and just starting to brown

2. Add zucchini and yellow squash, continuing to cook until squash is soft

3. Add tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes

This meal was my non-traditional way to use several traditional Indian spices that pair well together. It turned out delicious - I hope you give it a try!