I felt I should briefly write about Mon-style food that I ate when I visited the island of Ko (or Pak) Kret in Nonthaburi, Bangkok. Puwadol took me and as we were dropped on the island I realised it was a very small place. We were greeted by a temple (wat) and what looked like the Thai version of a Moroccan souk. It was here that I was treated (!?) to Mon-style food.
The Mon originated in the Mon kingdom, located near Burma and Thailand to the West of Thailand. Their country was invaded over various centuries by both Thailand and Burma and their kingdom was swallowed up as a result of the skirmishes. The Mon were used by the Thais as labourers/ slaves and were moved to various areas of Thailand. When they received their freedom, they set up small communities and Ko Kret was one of the places they settled.
Mon Food
After weaving our way through covered walkways resplendent with food and knick-knack shops, we found ourselves at a vendor who served the traditional food of the Mon people. It consisted of a small bowl of rice in iced water called Khao Chae, served with various accompanying dishes including shredded candied pork, fish and preserved vegetables. All the accompaniments were overwhelmingly sweet. The iced water is jasmine scented and is imparted with the smoke from candles (rendering it with – I thought – a rather an unpleasant taste of paraffin)! This is traditionally eaten, much like the Japanese and their cold soba noodles, as a cooling dish for the summer months. An unusual lunch…!
Happy Cooking!
HJ
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