LIFE IS GRUEL
THE SIMPLE THINGS ARE OFTEN THE BEST, AS THE ENDURING POPULARITY OF KHAO TOM DEMONSTRATES
ONE RESTAURANT IN CHON BURI STARTED OUT AS A MAKESHIFT SHELTER. NOW PEOPLE TRAVEL THERE JUST TO TRY ITS KHAO TOM
Rice porridge, or khao tom, is a simple dish brought to Thailand by Chinese migrants. It quickly become a staple throughout the Kingdom, as it is easy to make and very economical. Khao tom restaurants are highly competitive, so each restaurant offers many different varieties of rice porridge to attract customers. In general, however, there are two main types of khao tom. The first type comes with a choice of side dishes, which customers can choose to have with steamed or boiled rice.
The other is a single-dish khao tom made with meat. Common variations are
khao tom see kroang moo (rice soup with pork ribs), khao tom moo sap (with minced pork), khao tom pla muek (with squid), khao tom goong (shrimp), khao tom ped (duck), khao tom hoi nangrom (oyster) and
khao tom pla (fish).
The last-mentioned is the most popular type of khao tom. Here, the trick is to use fresh fish. Many types of fish can be used in
khao tom pla, although the Chinese themselves prefer to use marine varieties.
In China, pla jaramed (pomfret) is the most popular kind of fish used. Pomfrets can be white or black. White pomfret gives tender meat and a delicious flavour when steamed. Black pomfret is more suitable for deep frying. Sea bass and grouper are chosen for their chunky meat which does not break into small pieces easily. The
Chinese also enjoy eating the thick skin of the head. Other types of fish popularly used in khao tom include pla in cee (mackerel), pla ku lao (trevally), pla nam dok mai (threadfin) and pla linma (sole).
Pla boo (goby) is the most popular freshwater fish as it has tender and succulent meat with no troublesome bones. Its taste is quite similar to white pomfret. Goby is usually steamed with either soy sauce or salted plum. After goby, snakehead is the next most popular in terms of freshwater fish. There are many great Chinese recipes involving snakehead. Pla ta pian (barb) is delectable but has tiny pin bones. The Chinese are not fond of catfish or pangasius.
Thailand’s original khao tom pla restaurant is Chiang Kee on Charoen Krung 12. It is entering its 90th year and is currently operated by the third generation. Back in the day, it was the one and only place for customers to go for rice porridge.
The food and ingredients are displayed neatly in an old-fashioned cabinet at the front of the shop. Inside are dried shrimp, powdered galangal, deep-fried thinly sliced tofu, bateng (cubed pork fried in soy sauce, sugar and spices until hardened) and garlic. The restaurant offers white pomfret, sea bass, grouper and oyster. It used to put all the ingredients together. Now, tofu is added by order only. Chiang Kee is open every day, closing only when they are out of fresh fish.
Don’t be put off by the price. Khao tom at ordinary roadside shops might cost as little as 15 baht per bowl. Chiang Kee charges a lot more: 300-500 baht a bowl. But you get what you pay for.
Another long-established place for khao tom can be found at the top of Soi Palit Phon near Ratchawong intersection. Its lower prices draw in a lot of diners. Originally, it used sea bass in its khao tom but has switched to cheaper pla nam dok mai (barracuda). It serves bateng too. I personally feel that this shop has lowered its bar too much. It complies to client requests such as using instant noodles instead of rice.
Those are the two originals. Many more khao tom shops have followed in their footsteps. Most use sea bass or goby but do not offer bateng, dried shrimp or fried tofu. They make dipping sauce by pounding galangal, garlic, coriander root and bird’s eye chilli until fine before adding fermented beans and seasoning with vinegar, lemon juice and sugar. Diners dip fish in the sauce. Modern khao tom restaurants offer deep-fried small fish salad with celery and sauce.
Some people may prefer to drive to Chon Buri or Rayong, where there are restaurants along the coast selling khao tom with pla in cee (king mackerel). The simple but delicious broth is made with fish heads and bones, galangal and fish sauce. The sliced fish meat is scalded in the broth and put aside. The rice is boiled until very soft and placed in a bamboo basket.
When an order is placed, the chef puts the rice and fish in a bowl, followed by the broth. This type of khao tom requires very fresh fish, while tang chai and powdered galangal are also a must. There is a restaurant in Ang Sila in Chon Buri called Pla Bed, which started out as a makeshift shelter in the centre of the community. Many people travel to Ang Sila because they want to have the khao tom there.
There are many Chinese owned restaurants along the Mae Klong river that serve khao tom made in the same way as in the aforementioned seaside provinces. The difference is that the khao tom here uses freshwater fish. Snakeheads are skinned before the meat is sliced and added to a pork bone broth. The bowl is then garnished with powdered galangal, pickled mustard leaf and celery.
Khao tom pla is constantly being adapted with the introduction of new varieties of fish and attractive prices to draw in customers, making it one of those simple dishes that people will always enjoy.