The root of the matter
After my previous article on spicy additions to your garden, where should I carry on? Well I’m going to start at the vegetative source – with bulbs and roots – and leave the leaves till last. The most powerfully pungent bulbs in Southeast Asia, as in most corners of the globe, belong to the lily (liliaceae) family. And of these – onions, shallots, chives and garlic – the last named (allium sativum) is the most widely used.
One of their daily tasks, as any Thai ‘restaurateur’ will confirm, is to peel all those pesky garlic cloves of ‘kratiem’. Although more than one type occurs here, the small purple-skinned cloves are considered superior to the white ones on account of their greater intensity of flavour. Packed with oil, they will surely let your taste buds know if you are bold enough to chomp them up raw. As many Thais do… More usually, the cloves are macerated into a spicy paste along with other seasonings, or chopped and added to stir-fry dishes, soups and stews, or sliced and fried to a brown crisp with fish.
I went through an entire childhood without ever tasting garlic. Hard to imagine, especially in this day and age when garlic has become one of those ‘magical’ natural ingredients, supposedly capable of thinning the blood, of reducing ‘bad’ cholesterol and of lowering vascular pressure. And if you do try putting some bulbs in the garden, it does have an inhibiting effect on many insects. They won’t come within a mile. That much I know from growing garlic in Andalucia.
We can pass quickly over the onion ‘per se’(allium). It is one of the oldest vegetables known to man, and while I love them as much as Chaucer’s Summoner – whose 14th century breath was permanently tainted by onions – they are so cheap and available here, and their appearance and flavour so well known that they don’t need me to expatiate upon their merits.
Just to say that the spring onion (allium fistulosum, or ‘ton horm’) is a very important garnish in the Kingdom. It is not only found in those green platters of winged beans, Chinese kale and cashew leaves that grace the lunch tables of the cheapest Thai eateries, but is often added, along with garlic, to the clear soups that accompany the main course or to pad thai.
Although shallots (allium ascaonicum, or ‘horm daeng’} grow wild in parts of Thailand, they are a less visible presence, because they are not used for decorative effect. But they are common ingredients in hot pastes, and though more expensive than onions, are sometimes preferred on account of their sweeter and less harsh flavour, and a lower water content that allows for easier frying. If you try cultivating them, remember that they don’t grow singly like onions, but in small bunches. And they are best cultivated in rich soil from ‘sets’ of small bulbs rather than from seed. Remember to pare away the earth from the tops of the bulbs once they are well established.
The last member of the allium clan to warrant a mention is the chive (allium tuberosum), normally referred to in the plural form. Bunches of the local variety, flat or Chinese chives, are always available in wet markets. They grow in long leaved clusters and, because of their strong aroma, are sometimes known as garlic chives. Often sold with the flowering tips (or culm) still attached, they are considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. But ask any Thai about ‘dok kuichai’ and s/he will soon be singing its praises.
So what about spicy roots? Two, ginger and galangal, cannot be ignored, despite official attempts to limit their use as pesticides. Ginger (zingiber officinale) is of course better known, since the mature, beige-coloured root travels well and is available from any European greengrocer. Known as ‘khing’ in Thailand, where it grows wild (what doesn’t?), it is normally sold in markets as a freshly dug young root. In this form, it has thin, creamy skin and pink shoots which terminate in green stalks (which are normally kept on to help retain the juice in the rhizome).
Popular as a marinade with Chinese chefs or as an accompaniment to fried fish, the tender young roots can be grated or crushed to release the intense flavour before cooking. Ginger has a reputation in Asia as a medicinal herb, useful for counteracting indigestion and even nausea. And it makes a delectable hot drink which I often buy – in a plastic bag of course – at the local market. Good for hangovers…
Galangal (alpinia galanga) comes from the same family and the rhizome looks quite similar, if less knobbly. But the flavour is distinctively different and, sliced into thin chunks, it graces many Thai and Malay soups and stews. The distinctive flavour of ‘tom yam’ soup owes everything to its infusion of galangal. Both are handsome, stronggrowing plants with ramrod straight stems, large oval leaves and impressive red flowers. They are sometimes grown in pots, but make sure the containers are large, and since they are heavy feeders, they need lots of water and possess vigorous roots.
Turmeric (curcuma), the third member of the ginger brigade, is popular in India where its root or rhizome is heated, crushed and dried to give rice or tandoor chicken a golden appearance. Thais, on the other hand, prefer their turmeric fresh; thinly sliced in curries and soups. Long used in traditional medicine, turmeric is not only a staple of Ayurvedic practice, but is now considered one of the most important herbs in contemporary medicine.
It is easy to cultivate: Given space and water, the orange rhizomes should be ready to be exhumed within six or eight months. The flowers are an additional bonus; they rise from the centre, a massive inflorescence made up of smaller cream or pink flowers and surrounded by large bright green leaves.
Patrick Campbell’s book ‘The Tropic Gardener’, described in one Bangkok review as the best book on Thai gardening for 50 years, is available for B500 (half price) to personal callers from 59/84 Soi Saiyuan 13 in Rawai (Tel: 076-613227 or 085-7827551).