วันพุธ, ธันวาคม 10, 2008




From China to Thailand with Love LYCHEES


We've all seen them, perhaps even tasted them, usually from a tin bought from our local supermarket or in a popular Chinese restaurant the Lychee (or Litchi to give them their Thai name). These succulent, white fleshed fruit are not native to Thailand but have their ancestry in Southern China. However, the lychee has become an Asian favorite (and world favorites in their canned form) and can be found in most Thai fruit markets during this season.


Although not native to Thailand, the lychee is successfully cultivated in the cooler, high, northern regions of the Kingdom (the plant enjoys neither extreme heat nor humidity) and this harvest is reflected in the Lychee Festivals held during the month of May. Weekend festivals are organized at: Fang district of Chiangmai Province, the main district of Chiangrai Province and the main district of Payao Province. Those thinking of driving can refer to our map on page 10 for locations of these provinces.



To look at a lychee tree that is laden with ripe fruit is very impressive. It's the vivid contrasting colors of the hanging clusters of red fruit that suspends from thin stems on the spreading, bottle green foliaged trees. The fruit look like largish grapes or undernourished golf-balls with a knobby skin and bright red color (which will change to dark brown as they overripen avoid these). This casing is easily peeled away and inside is what the fuss is all about the white-fleshed, fabulously tasting morsel. It is delicately flavored with a very slight acidity to contrast with the overall, light sweetness. It is also aromatic (almost a rose fragrance) and is high in vitamin C half a dozen lychees will provide more than your daily need of this vitamin. The canned variety come in their own light syrup and are perfect as a dessert (perhaps with ice-cream) or put in the blender for lychee juice. Don't hesitate to try the fresh lychees now that they are in season.


As a further recommendation (if one is needed), lychees have been traditionally associated with romantic notions perhaps because of their rose-like bouquet. So if you have a loved one in your life, a gift and tasting of lovely lychees may bring unexpected rewards. Don't forget to buy some at any Chiangmai fruit market or, better still, go along for fun at a Lychee Festival!

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เขียนโดย everlastinglovesong เมื่อ 2:00 ก่อนเที่ยง 0 ความคิดเห็น ลิงก์ไปยังบทความนี้

Lynchee - The Symbol of Love and Romance



THAILAND IS BLESSED with a large variety of wonderful and delicious fruits which abound in different seasons of the year. And May is the month of the delectable litchee, or lynchee – as the Thai call it. This juicy, refreshing fruit combines the subtle aroma of good quality grapes with its own uniquely delicious flavor. The lynchee is known to have been cultivated in China for the past 4,000 years. The name is derived from the Chinese word lee chee which means “one who gives the pleasures of life”.

Another theory has the fruit originating in the ancient kingdom of Annam, which is now central Vietnam. It did not penetrate the Southeast Asian mainland until the 17th century but made it first reported appearance in northern Thailand in the early 18th century.

Though it is now grown in tropical uplands all over the world and the canned variety is marketed almost everywhere. Lynchee is very exacting in its climatic and soil requirements. It prefers a rich, wet and acid soil for ideal growth, and requires cool winter air for bountiful flowering and fruiting, followed by a hot and humid season for good growth and fruit bearing.

A brief strong cold period is essential prior to the flowering of the lynchee tree, and without the blossoms there is no fruit. It also requires a hot and humid periodfor healthy growth. It has a tolerance for wet soils and is more comfortable in soil with a low pH level, and preferably a soil containing a fungus which aids the roots of the lynchee tree in growth and propogation fruit.

For these reasons, lynchee is grown almost exclusively in the northern provinces of Chiangmai, Chiangrai and Phayao, where these conditions are to be found. Some lynchee is grown in the Northeast when the conditions are right, and there is a heat-tolerant variety grown in Amphawa district of Samoot Songkram, west of Bangkok, but lynchee aficionados will tell you the northern type is the best by far. The three main varieties grown all originated in China, and have names reflective of their homeland: Hong Huay, Ow Hia and Gim Jeng.


Lynchee farms can be readily recoqnized by their lustrous, dark green, spreading bushy trees. The flowers are unremarkable, but once the fruits have set, the trees become transformed. At first the fruit bunches resemble handfuls of cotton buds of a very pale pink. But as the fruits swell and weigh down the branches, these buds darken to the rich maroon-to-brown skin of the mature crop. During this growth phase, the trees require a plentiful supply of water to reach juicy perfection.

The thin, rumpled outer skin conceals a white, juicy, succulent pulp which surrounds a single shiny brown seed. Once the fruit has been picked, it must be marketed and eaten within four days if its full flavor is to be enjoyed. Surplus fruit may be canned or dried for future use, but nothing quite compares with the delicacy of taste and texture of the fresh fruit. The Chinese have long considered the lynchee to be a symbol of love and romance; a gift of ripe lynchee fruit was considered tantamount to a proposal of marriage. On a less romantic level, the delicious lynchee make very good eating for the health concious, since the fruit is high in natural sugars, and one fruit alone contains over 20% of the daily human Vitamin C requirement.

Lynchee has rich nutrition values, 100 gm. lynchee would give 14.3 carbohydrate, 50 mg. Vitamin C, 0.4 gm. Fat, 29 mg. Phosphorus, 0.2 gm. fiber, 10 mg. Calcium, 0.8 gm. Protein, 0.6 mg. Niacin, 0.3 mg. Iron, 0.05 mg. Vitamin B1, 0.06 mg. Vitamin B2.

The northern lynchee crop is picked in the month of May, and, as is typical here in the North, there are many festivals to celebrate this glorious harvest. Each province has its own celebration: a festival in Phayao, festivities in the Fang District of Chiangmai, and a fair in Chiangrai. Each festival will feature traditional music and dance, competitions among growers and displays of lynchee products.

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เขียนโดย everlastinglovesong เมื่อ 1:55 ก่อนเที่ยง 0 ความคิดเห็น ลิงก์ไปยังบทความนี้

Luscious Lynchee

Luscious Lynchee
THAILAND IS BLESSED with a large variety of wonderful and delicious fruits which abound in different seasons of the year. And May is the season of the delectable lichee, or lynchee - as the Thai's call it. This juicy, refreshing fruit combines the subtle aroma of good quality grapes with it's own uniquely delicious flavor. The lynchee is known to have been cultivated in China for the past 4,000 years, but made its first reported appearance in northern Thailand in the early 18th century.


Lynchee is very exacting in its climactic and soil requirements. It prefers a rich, wet and acid soil for ideal growth, and requires cool winter air for bountiful flowering and fruiting, followed by a hot and humid season for good growth and fruit bearing. For these reasons, lynchee is grown almost exclusively in the northern provinces of Chiangmai, Chiangrai and Phayao, where these conditions are to be found. Some lynchee is grown in the Northeast when the conditions are right, and there is a heat-tolerant variety grown in Amphawa district of Samut Songkhram, west of Bangkok, but lynchee aficionados will tell you the northern type is the best by far. The three main varieties grown all originated in China, and have names reflective of their homeland: Hong Huay, Ow Hia and Gim Jeng.


Lynchee farms can be readily recognized by their lustrous, dark-green, spreading bushy trees. The flowers are unremarkable, but once the fruits have set, the trees become transformed. At first the fruit bunches resemble handfuls of cotton buds of a very pale pink. But as the fruits swell and weigh down the branches, these buds darken to the rich maroon-to-brown skin of the mature crop. During this growth phase, the trees require a plentiful supply of water to reach juicy perfection.



The thin, rumpled outer skin conceals a white, juicy, succulent pulp which surrounds a single shiny brown seed. Once the fruit has been picked, it must be marketed and eaten within four days if its full flavor is to be enjoyed. Surplus fruit may be canned or dried for future use, but nothing quite compares with the delicacy of taste and texture of the fresh fruit. The Chinese have long considered the lynchee to be a symbol of love and romance; a gift of ripe lynchee fruit was considered tantamount to a proposal of marriage. On a less romantic level, the delicious lynchee makes very good eating for the health conscious, since the fruit is high in natural sugars, and one fruit alone contains over 20% of the daily human Vitamin C requirement.

The northern lynchee crop is picked in the month of May, and, as is typical here in the North, there are many festivals to celebrate this glorious harvest. Each province has its own celebration: a festival in Phayao, festivities in the Fang District of Chiangmai, and a fair in Chiangrai. Each festival will feature traditional music and dance, competitions among growers and displays of lynchee products.

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เขียนโดย everlastinglovesong เมื่อ 1:52 ก่อนเที่ยง 0 ความคิดเห็น ลิงก์ไปยังบทความนี้

Lychees Lovely


Lychees Lovely

Whether your home is in Des Moines, Doncaster or Dusseldorf, we know you've probably already savored canned lychees but now is the season to try the fresh fruit straight from the tree. They are succulent, they are refreshing and they are ready May is the time for Lychee Festivals in various parts of Northern Thailand notably Phayao, Chiangrai and Fang. Enjoying a Thai festival is always great fun but when a festival is focused on a delicious, seasonal fruit then the experience is doubly enhanced.

Sorry, we cannot claim lychees to be native to Thailand. They are originally from the "Middle Kingdom" and have been grown in the southern regions of China for over 4,000 years. Cultivation, in Thailand, began over 100 years ago so orchards have been established and matured over several generations. As you drive around the countryside, you will probably see the surging ranks of dark green bushes spread across the fields these are lychees and come in three varieties Gim Jeng, Hong Huay and Ow Hia which reflect their Chinese ancestry.

The lychee bush is very demanding of its environment. Prior to flowering, a short cold spell is most important followed by a hot growing season. Rich, damp, slightly acid soil is essential and, as the bush blossoms and fruits set, the farmers will labor mightily to irrigate the crop to juicy perfection. The requisite growing conditions are found here in Northern Thailand especially around the Lychee Festival cities.

Lychees are best eaten within four days of picking; the fruit has an outer, thin-shelled skin (red changing to brown as the fruit ripens) which, when peeled away, reveals white, succulent flesh of a grape-like texture. A hard seed is at the core of the fruit. Like citrus fruits and black currants, lychees are high in vitamin "C" (five grape-sized fruit are enough for your daily needs) and also natural sugars. It is this natural and refreshing sweetness, combined with the firm texture "bite" that makes lychees so "more-ish".

As an added bonus (if you care to accept it), lychees are associated with romance along with the rose, they are looked upon as a special gift between lovers and a suggestion that marriage may be in the air. Indeed, some Thai companies are producing a tea infusion which has the fragrance of lychees and rose petals. It certainly makes an alternative to Russian Caravan or English Breakfast.

Fresh lychees are exceedingly good with vanilla ice cream or, as a variation, try them with a glass of red wine or port. Likewise, a combination of blue cheese with lychees will give you a new taste sensation which is very suited to the European palate.

This month is high season for the lychee fruit so do try them fresh and then experiment with some combinations to decide which you like best. The canned lychees you may be accustomed to at home just don't compare This year Lychee Festivals are held in Mae Jai District, Payao Province 10-12 May; Muang District, Chiang Rai Province 17-23 May; Fang District, Chiangmai Province 20 May. For more information contact Mae Jai 054-499025, Chiang Rai 053-718790, Fang 053-451146. Lovely Lychees some of the best Thailand has to offer.

General information:

Fruit in the same family as longan. Originally from China, has many types. Cultivated mostly in the North. Test cultivation is being carried out in Samutsakorn. Seasons April - June. Nutritional value (100 g.) Contains vitamin C and potassium.Selection and preservation Select red fruit, not dusky black, tight skin and not cracked, not rotten, fresh calyx and not dry skin. Can be kept for 2 days, at a temperature 5-8 degrees Celsius, in the refrigerator, by wrapping with plastic.Cooking Lychee floats in syrup and juice.

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เขียนโดย everlastinglovesong เมื่อ 1:46 ก่อนเที่ยง 0 ความคิดเห็น ลิงก์ไปยังบทความนี้

THAI FRUITS SESONS

FruitJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
bananaBANANA (Gluay)
Three varieties are available; Horm, Nam Wah and Khai.		YYYYYYYYYYYY
cantaloupeCANTALOUPE
Very similar to that in Europe and America, though not as sweet.		YYYYYYYYYYYY
coconutCOCONUT (Maprao)
Mature coconuts are used to make coconut cream. Young coconuts are used to make coconut juice.		YYYYYYYYYYYY
custard appleCUSTARD APPLE (Noi Naa)
Sweet fruit with many seeds and pale green bumpy outer skin.		YY YYYYYY
durianDURIAN (Turian)
The strong aroma usually prevents visitors from trying this soft, yellow fruit that is eaten by pinching it open.		YYYYYYYYYYYY
gandariaGANDARIA or PLUM MANGO (Ma-prang)
A mixture of sweet and sour tastes. The peel can also be eaten.		 YYY
gooseberryGOOSEBERRY (Ma-yom)
Small yellow berries used in desserts and jams. Taste is a bit sour.		Y YYY YY Y
grapesGRAPES (A-ngoon)
Purple and white varieties. Both contain seeds.		YYYYYYYYYYYY
guavaGUAVA (Farang)
Thais prefer to eat this while still hard, dipped in sugar and dried pepper.		YYYYYYYYYYYY
jackfruitJACKFRUIT (Ka-noon)
A sweet yellow fruit covered with a thick skin. Enormous in size. Buy by the 'keed' (100 gm).		 YYYYYY Y
jujubeJUJUBE (Poodza)
Similar in taste to the apple, this is an oval green fruit known to Thais as the 'Thai Apple'.		Y YY YYYY
langsartLANGSART
A sweet fruit with a pale brown skin that must be carefully peeled with the fingers. An inner stone is quite bitter, so try not to bite it.		 Y Y
litchiLITCHEE (Lynchee)
Sweet, juicy fruit inside a hard, red peel. An Asian favorite.		 YY
longanLONGAN (Lumyai)
Luscious white fruit with a dark brown skin or shell. Easily peeled and sold in bunches on unpicked branch shoots.		 Y YYYY Y
mangoMANGO (Ma-muang)
A heavenly treat when eaten ripe with sticky rice and coconut cream. For a tart, salty flavor, eat unripened with Thai sauce.		 YYYY
mangosteenMANGOSTEEN (Mahng-koot)
Dark purple peel with sweet, white fruit inside. Fragrant and aromatic		YYYYYYYYYYYY
orangeORANGE (Som Cheng)
This variety has a thick, green dessert in a restaurant. 		YYYYYYYYYYYY
papayaPAPAYA
Main ingredients of "Sohm-Tumm" a spicy green papaya salad. Ripened fruit should be eaten with fresh lime squeezed on top.		YYYYYYYYYYYY
pineapplePINEAPPLE (Sapa-rot)
Mostly from South Thailand. Oddly enough, Chiangrai and Lampang have unique varieties.		YYYYYYYYYYYY
pomeloPOMELO (Som-oh)
Similar to grapefruit in size and taste, this fruit has a thick peel and is not sour.		YYYYYYYYYYYY
rambutanRAMBUTAN (Ngaw)
Juicy with fruit inside a spiky red skin. Easy to pinch open, it's a sweet dessert dish in many of Thailand's restaurants.		Y YYYYYYYY
rose appleROSE APPLE (Cham-poo)
Bell-shaped fruit similar to the apple, though not as tart. You'll see it in green or pink.		YYYYYY YY Y
santolSANTOL (Gra-torn)
The yellow flesh of this fruit is usually pickled. The taste is 'salty-sour'.		Y Y YY Y
sapodillaSAPODILLA (La-moot)
An oval shaped fruit with brown peel, it is usually carved before serving.		 YYYY Y
star appleSTAR APPLE (Ma-feung)
A tart yellow fruit when ripe. Star-shaped when cross cut.
strawberrySTRAWBERRY
This well-known fruit is now found almost everywhere. December and January are the best months in Chiangmai.		YY Y
watermelonWATERMELON (Tang-mo)
Same great flavor as at home, red or yellow.		YYYYYYYYYYYY

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เขียนโดย everlastinglovesong เมื่อ 1:43 ก่อนเที่ยง 0 ความคิดเห็น ลิงก์ไปยังบทความนี้

Thai Vegetable

Thai Vegetable
Thai Vegetable
Thai Vegetable
Vegetable serve as the main food in most of the Thai people. Thai love to eat vegetable because it provides many nutrients to the body . It give nourishment which makes every person to be healthy .Eating vegetable is a good habit because it makes strong and healthy keeping an body alive , free from sickness or any disease.

Angled Loofah: Thai name is Buap Liam
Also known as silk gourd, silk squash or Chinese okra, this dark green vegetable looks like a long, thin courgette (zucchini) or a very large okra pod, and has angular ridges down its length. A close relative, the smooth loofah is paler in colour, larger and more cylindrical, with a slightly thicker base. Both have a very mild taste, similar to cucumber, which can be used in its place in most cooked dishes. The gourds are eaten young, while they are still sweet. They become unpleasantly bitter as they mature. Loofah is used in stir-fries and soups, and is often boiled and eaten with nam phrik.

Apple Aubergines: Thai name is Makheua
These small round aubergines are pale green, yellow or white. They are eaten raw with the ubiquitous chilli sauce, nam phrik, or cooked in curries. They have little flavour, but when raw have an interesting texture. They discolour rapidly once cut, so drop‘ them into salted water if you are preparing them in advance.

Asparagus: Thai name is Nor Mai Faruang
Asparagus are long, slender vegetables that grow as shoots in spring and early summer. The straight, firm stalks, which range from pencil thin to as thick as your thumb, are prized for their delicate flavor; the tender tips have a particularly delicate flavor and texture. The most common variety is green and sometimes tinged with purple at the bud. White and all-purple stalks are also available in farmers‘ markets and well-stocked grocery stores. Look for asparagus with crisp, straight stalks and tight buds. Wrap in damp paper towels and refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 4 days. Trim the stalks before using. Cut or snap off the tough ends and discard. If desired, peel the bottom third or half of each stalk with a vegetable peeler for a more tender texture

Baby Corn: Thai name is Khao Phod On
Baby corn refers to whole, entirely edible cobs of immature corn, no more than 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) long. Corn is a popular vegetable in Thailand. For stir-fries and soups, Thais prefer baby corn cobs, which have a musty sweet flavour, as well as a crunchy texture. They are available fresh and canned. Fresh baby corn cobs are best eaten soon after purchase but can be stored for up to 1 week in the salad drawer of the refrigerator.

Bamboo Shoot: Thai name is Nor Mai
Bamboo shoots are the crisp, mild-flavored, white to ivory shoots of the bamboo plant. The shoots of the bamboo are cut when they have grown about 15 cm. above the ground. Before using, peel the skin and boiled the inner white part for 30 minutes. The canned variety needs to be boiled for only 10 minutes. This is a popular ingredient in Thai cooking and can be purchased from general stores and markets

Banana Blossom: Thai name is Hua Plee
Also called banana flowers and banana blossoms, these are in fact the tender hearts of unopened banana flowers, which have been stripped of their purple petals. They are available fresh in some Asian markets and also canned or dried. Fresh banana buds discolour rapidly once they are sliced or shredded, so should be brushed with lemon juice to prevent this. Banana buds are used in northern Thailand to make a tasty, squash soup. They are also a popular salad ingredient, tasting rather like artichokes.

Bean Sprout: Thai name is Thua Ngok
Most often used of bean sprouts in Thai cooking are the small "green" sprouts from mung beans and the larger "yellow" sprouts from soya beans. Soya beansprouts have a stronger flavour than mung beansprouts, but both are relatively delicate, with a pleasant and unique crunchy texture. Fresh beansprouts are widely available in supermarkets, health-food stores and Asian food stores, or you can easily sprout your own beans at home. Avoid canned beansprouts as they are flaccid and tasteless.

Bell Chilli: Thai name is Phrik Youkg
Bell Chilli, phrik youkg, is light green in color and mild in taste. They are used in spicy salads and chilli Pilstes for their fragrance, and in stir-fried meat dishes for both flavor and aroma.


Bitter Melon: Thai name is Ma Ra
Tropical, annual vine has bitter taste Culinary use: Soup, curry, and salad. (If you don‘t like the bitter taste, parboil with salt and rinse 2-3 times before cooking.) The Thais belive that it is very good for the kidneys and blood. Look for small and firm specimens that are still green when buying. Medicinal use: Mild laxative, antipyretic gargle the fruit juice to relieve an aphthous ulcer.

Broccoli: Thai name is also Broccoli
Broccoli, a member of the cabbage family, is green to purple-green in color and has tightly clustered flowers, or florets, borne on sturdy stalks. The florets are the most tender part. The stems, if peeled, can also be used. Choose firm stalks and closed heads with deep color and no yellow areas. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 4 days.


Carrot: Thai name is also Carrot
Carrots are root vegetables that are bright orange in color, with a sweet flavor and a crisp texture. They range in size from small, baby carrots to short, almost round varieties to long, slender roots. Fresh carrots are sold year-round. Avoid droopy carrots with cracks or dry spots. Remove the feathery green tops and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Peel or scrub carrots before using

Cauliflower: Thai name is Dok Kha Lam
Cauliflower, a member of the cabbage family, is a solid head, white in color, with tightly clustered flowers, or florets. The florets are the most tender part, but the entire head is edible. Cauliflower is available year-round. Avoid heads with brown patches or speckles or yellowed leaves. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. In Thai cooking, Cauliflower florets often wind up in soups and stir fried, or as a side dish dipping with spicy shrimp paste sauce

Chinese Broccoli /Kale : Thai name is Phak Ka Na
A dark green vegetable with strong, thin, long round trunks, soft, deep green delicate leaves, and sometimes tiny white flowers. It does not look like or taste like the common broccoli. It has a slightly sweet and bitter taste. Delicious stir-fried, steamed, or boiled but never eaten raw. Most popular dish is Ka na nam mun hoy which is stir fired with oyster sauce.Unlike regular broccoli, the stems are usually tender and do not need to be peeled. However, more mature or larger stalks should be peeled before cooking. It is always smart to separate the leaves and trunks. The trunks require more cooking time, then add the leaves near the end, so that they cook evenly. When buying Chinese broccoli, choose brightly colored ones with slender thin trunks.

Chinese Cabbage: Thai name is Phak Kaet Khaao
Also known as celery cabbage, this vegetable has soft green and white leaves with a mild, sweet flavour and crisp texture. It is widely available in supermarkets and is easily recognized by its fat, cylindrical shape and tightly packed leaves. When buying, choose specimens that are heavy and firm. Before use, discard any damaged outer leaves and trim the root. Do not worry if the leaves have small black spots on them; they are harmless. This type of cabbage keeps well and can be stored in the salad compartment of the refrigerator for several weeks. It is used in stir-fries, salads and soups.


Chinese Chives: Thai name is Kui chai
These pungent herbs look more like long, flat spring onions than their Western equivalent. The leaves are peppery, crunchy and chewy. They are eaten raw and cooked and are prized for both their texture and flavour. Spring onions can be used as a substitute but they will not have the distinctive garlic taste of Chinese chives

Chinese Radish: Thai name is Hua Chai Tau or Hua Phak Kat
Thais value this vegetable, believing that it aids digestion, cools the body and improves blood circulation. Also called giant white radish or winter radish, it is a long white root that resembles a slender, smooth-skinned parsnip in appearance. It can be up to 40cm/l6in long, although the Thai variety is often considerably smaller. Large specimens tend to be fibrous and should be avoided. When raw, the flavour of mooli is cool, sharp and peppery, and the texture is crisp. Thais don‘t often eat it this way, but the grated flesh is sometimes used to tenderize seafood. When the vegetable is cooked, the characteristic texture is retained, but the flavour becomes quite sweet.

Coconut: Thai name is Ma Phrao
Coconut, ma phrao, is found nearly everywhere people have settled in all parts of the country and its production is important to the economy. The use to coconut milk in curries is a hallmark of Thai cooking. The meat of ripe nuts is scraped either by hand or by machine. The grated coconut is placed in a basin and mixed with a certain amount of warm water. The coconut is then picked up in the hand, held over a second container, and squeezed to press out the coconut milk, ka-thi. A fine meshed strainer should be positioned below the hand during squeezing to catch any meat that falls. Many cooks add a little salt to the water or the milk.

Cucumber: Thai name is Taeng Kwa
Cucumber, taeng kwa, Cucumis sativus, has short fruits about 8 em long which are crispiest while still green and white, before yellowing. A larger type, taeng ran, are also eaten.

Eggplants: Thai name is Makheua Moung
Eggplants are tender, mildly earthy, sweet vegetable-fruits covered with tough, shiny skin, which may be peeled or left unpeeled in grilled or long-cooked dishes. They vary in color from the familiar purple to red and from yellow to white. The most common variety is the large, purple globe eggplant, but many markets also carry the slender, purple Asian eggplant, which is more tender and has fewer, smaller seeds. When cooked, all eggplants have a mild flavor and tender, creamy flesh. Look for plump, glossy, heavy eggplants with taut skin and no bruises or scratches. Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 2 days. Eggplants are also known as aubergine and in Italy as melanzana.

Long Eggplant: Thai name is Makhua Yaew
This elongated variety is similar in appearance and flavour to Japanese long baby aubergines. However, the Thai ones are usually pale green, but can also be purple or white. These aubergines are usually served grilled (broiled) or in green curries.

Lotus root: Thai name is Raug Bua
Lotus root is an underwater root that grows to be as long as four feet. The root is dark reddish brown and needs to be peeled prior to using. The flesh is a creamy white and tastes similar to coconut. Lotus root is available canned, dried or candied and can be used as a vegetable or in dessert dishes.

Pak Choi: Thai name is Phak Kwang Tung Taiwan
This is the most popular variety of cabbage eaten in Thailand. Despite its other name - Chinese white cabbage pak choi is not uniformly white. The ribbed stems are a beautiful greenish white, which stands out starkly against the lush dark green leaves. In Thailand, cabbage is often eaten raw with a chilli dipping sauce and is also cooked in stir-fries and soups. Pak choi is usually either thinly sliced or cut into squares and is best cooked briefly.


Papaya: Thai name is Ma La Kor
Papaya is a tropical fruit with a smooth, yellow skin and soft, sweet orange flesh that is milder tasting than a mango. Other shapes and colors of papaya are also grown. Halve a papaya lengthwise and scoop out shiny black seeds before peeling.

In Thai cooking, young green papaya is used to make salad or Som Tam, a popular salad dish among foreigners in Thailand. You may be in difficulty in finding fresh green papaya outside Thailand. The fresh carrots or cabbages or green apples can be used as a substitute.

Pea Aubergines: Thai name is Makreu Puang
These pea-size berries, which grow in small clusters, have a bitter flavour that is a good foil to the rich ness of the spicy curries in which they are most often found. They are also used as a flavouring for nam phrik


Pumpkins: Thai name is Fug Tong
Pumpkins are large, round winter squashes with orange skins and flesh. The variety known as the sugar pumpkin has sweet flesh. In Thai cooking, it is commonly used in dessert but is also used in savory dishes. Canned pumkin pur?e is widely available and can easily be made from fresh pumpkin.

Shiitake Dried Mushroom: Thai name is Het Hom Hang
It is also known as Shiitake mushroom. It has no flavor but is used for its texture. It is available in dried form, and looks like dried, black, wrinkled paper. When soaked in water for about 10-20 minutes, it swells and resembles wavy seaweed or jelly. Stored in its dried form, it will keep indefinitely.

Shiitake Mushroom: Thai name is Het Hom
Fresh shiitake mushrooms are available, but Thai cooks prefer to use them dried as they have a stronger flavour and more texture. Both types are available in supermarkets and Asian stores. Dried shiitake mushrooms must be reconstituted in water before beingused. The stems are usually discarded and the caps sliced or chopped for adding to soups or stews. The soaking water can be strained and used in a soup or stock as it takes on the flavour of the shiitake. The dried mushrooms will keep well if stored in a sealed plastic tub or bag in a cool, dry place

Spring Onions: Thai name is Ton-Hom
Soring onions are a variety of onion harvested immature before the bulb has formed. Both the green leaves and white bulbs are used raw or cooked for their mild but still pronounced onion flavor. Spring onions are also known as scallions or spring onions. Spring onions are used in Thai cooking for stir-fries and in soups. They are also popular for garnishes, either sliced or cut into tassels, then curled in iced water


Straw Mushroom: Thai name is Hed Fang
These delicate, sweet flavoured mushrooms have acquired their English name because of the method of cultivation on beds of straw. They look like miniature helmets and are the most popular variety of mushroom in Thai cooking. Straw mushrooms are used extensively in soups, salads and curries, and taste particularly good with prawns (shrimp) and crab meat. Canned straw mushrooms are widely available from Asian stores and many supermarkets. They have neither the exquisite flavour nor the texture of the fresh mushrooms, but can be an acceptable substitute. Fresh straw mushrooms are highly perishable and so are not often available in the West. If you do locate them, use them as soon as possible after purchase.

Swamp Cabbage: Thai name is Phak Boong
This popular leafy plant, also known as water convolvulus or water spinach, is actually a herb. It grows in marshy areas, near rivers and canals, and is related to the morning glory that riots over walls and fences in many European gardens. It has slender, hollow green stems and thin ovate green leaves which are pointed at the ends. In some parts of Asia, the stems are pickled, but in Thailand, only the leaves and tender shoots are eaten. The flavour is similar to that of spinach. In Thailand, the tender tips are often eaten raw, on their own or with other raw vegetables, and served with a selection of hot sauces. When cooked, the stem tips stay firm, but the leaves rapidly become limp.Swamp Cabbage is highly perishable and must be used promptly.


Sweet Chilli: Thai name is Pkrik Waan
Sweet chillis are sweet-fleshed, bell-shaped members of the chilli family, enjoyed raw or cooked. Unripe green and ripened red or yellow varieties are the most common. Pale yellow, orange, and purple-black types are also available. Italian chillis are slightly sweeter and more slender than regular chillis. Before use, bell peppers must have their indigestible seeds removed. Often the chillis are roasted, which loosens their skins for peeling and enhances their natural sweetness.

Taro: Thai name is Puak
This root grows wild on the banks of streams in Thailand and is particularly popular in the north of the country.The swollen tuber is full of starch and is eaten in the same manner as potatoes. The young leaves can also be eaten. Wear gloves when peeling taros.



Tomato: Thai name is Ma kheua Thet
Tomatoes, Ma-Kheua thet of three types are used in Thai cooking. The first is small, round fruits, not much bigger than a pea, which grow in clusters and have a sweet and sour taste. These are used in Northern and Northeastern dishes. Large-sized tomatoes are sweet and are used in sour and spicy soups and in spicy salads. The third type is cherry tomatoes. These have a sweet and sour taste and are used in Northeasternstyle papaya salad as well as in curries and sour and spicy soups.

Twisted Cluster Bean: Thai name is Sa Taw
The seeds of a huge tree that grows in southern Thailand, these beans are about the size of broad (fava) beans. The bright green pods that house them are flat and wavy. The beans themselves have a peculiar smell and nutty taste that give a distinctive flavour to regional dishes. The beans are usually eaten as a vegetable, and they taste good in a sweet-and-sour stir-fry. They are also sometimes roasted and eaten with nam phrik, and are made into pickles.

Wax gourd: Thai name is Fak Khiao
Wax gourd, fak khiao, Benincasa hispida, also called white gourd or Chinese preserving melon, is oblong and light green to white. The ends are rounded and the flesh is solid and white.

Winged Bean: Thai name is Thua Phu
It bears a pod which in cross section looks like a rectangle that has a fringe-like extension at each corner, the "wings" of the bean.

Suger Pea: Thai name is Tua Lan Tao
You eat these whole, pod and all. They‘re often stir-fried very briefly (no more than a minute), but they‘re also good raw. They‘re easy to prepare, just wash and trim the ends. Some people string them as well, but that‘s not necessary. Select crisp, flat snow peas that snap when you break them.

Yard Long Beans: Thai name is Tua Fugk Yaew
These are long, deep green ,stringless beans which grow up to 30-60 cm. Cut in short lenghts, they are used in stir-fries, curries and sometimes soups, They have less flavour than other types of green beans but are easier to prepare.

Chinese Mustard Green: Thai name is Phak Kwang Tung Jeen
The Chinese name for this type of cabbage is choi sum. It is widely grown in the West and is often available from farmers‘ markets, as well as Asian food stores. The stalks, leaves and yellow flowers of this plant are all edible and have a delicate flavour. The cabbage is usually cut into short lengths and used in soups and noodle dishes, but it may also be stir-fried.

Cassava Root: Thai name is Man Sam Pa Lang
Usually used to make desserts

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เขียนโดย everlastinglovesong เมื่อ 1:25 ก่อนเที่ยง 0 ความคิดเห็น ลิงก์ไปยังบทความนี้

Potato and biodiversity


By conserving - and utilizing - the potato genetic diversity developed by their ancestors, small farmers in the Andes are helping ensure world food security

The history of the potato provides a grim warning of the need to maintain genetic diversity in our staple food crops. In the 19th century, Ireland was heavily reliant on only a few varieties of potato, and those types contained no resistance to the devastating disease known as late blight. When late blight destroyed the 1845-1846 potato crop, widespread famine followed. An estimated one million people starved to death and more than a million were forced to migrate abroad.

To combat pests and diseases, increase yields, and sustain production on marginal lands, today's potato-based agricultural systems need a continuous supply of new varieties. That requires access to the entire potato gene pool. But potato biodiversity is under threat: ancient varieties cultivated by Andean peoples for millennia have been lost to diseases, climate change and social upheaval.

Species and crop-associated diversity

While most varieties of potatoes belong to a single species, Solanum tuberosum, about 10 other Solanum species have been cultivated, and 200 wild species have been recorded. Climate change may threaten the survival of those wild relatives: it is forecast that as many as 12 percent will become extinct as their growing conditions deteriorate. If climate changes drastically, the area where wild potatoes grow naturally could be reduced by as much as 70 percent.

Since potatoes mostly propagate vegetatively, most commercial varieties of potato have a reduced ability to flower and breeders do not select for traits that make the flower attractive to pollinators. However, natural potato pollination remains important to sustaining the diversity of land races (farmer-developed varieties that are adapted to local environmental conditions). Fortunately, the diverse smallholder farming systems in the Andes harbour a variety of flowering plants that do attract pollinators, such as honeybees and bumblebees, which promote cross-pollination of potato flowers, thus increasing seed production and sustaining diversity.
Key points
Potato farming systems need a continuous supply of new
varieties drawn from the entire potato gene pool.

Potato biodiversity is under threat - ancient varieties cultivated for millennia have been lost and wild species are threatened by climate changes.

Smallholder farming systems in the Andes encourage cross-pollination of potato flowers, vital to sustaining the diversity of local, farmer-developed varieties.

With CIP support, Andean communities have created a "potato park" holding some 1 200 traditional varieties of potato.
Conserving potato biodiversity in the Andes
Having lost many of their traditional potato varieties, Peruvian farmers in the Andes are now taking measures to conserve and sustainably use those that remain. A pact has been signed by six Quechua communities with the International Potato Center that recognizes the rights of the communities over potato strains they have developed.

Under the agreement, the Center's genebank returns potato genetic resources - and knowledge associated with them - to the communities, which have established a "potato park" (Parque de la papa) in a conservation area where they grow and manage the plants. This repatriation of biological diversity effectively keeps control of genetic resources local. The 15 000 ha park is a "living library" of potato genetic diversity, holding some 1 200 varieties of potato cultivated in the highlands. A long-term goal is to reestablish all the world's 4 000 known potato varieties in the valley, allowing the park to function as a second centre of origin for this vital staple crop.
Centre of origin

In the Andean region, generations of farmers have domesticated thousands of potato varieties. Even today, farmers cultivate up to 50 varieties on their farms. In the biodiversity reserve of the Chiloé archipelago in Chile, local people cultivate about 200 varieties of native potato. They use farming practices transmitted orally by generations of mainly women farmers.
Diversity conserved in trust

The International Potato Centre in Peru maintains the world's largest
bank of potato germplasm, including some 1 500 samples of about 100 wild species collected in eight Latin American countries, and 3 800 traditional Andean cultivated potatoes. The collection is maintained and managed under the terms of an agreement with the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and, like all collections eligible for funding from the Global Crop Diversity Trust, is available to plant breeders worldwide.

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เขียนโดย everlastinglovesong เมื่อ 12:19 ก่อนเที่ยง 0 ความคิดเห็น ลิงก์ไปยังบทความนี้