The Food of Northern Thailand : A Cookbook

"The food of northern Thailand is a world away from the highly refined, royal court and Chinese-influenced style of cooking in Bangkok--the Thai food that most of us are familiar with. It's a cuisine with its own distinct identity, one that is rustic and earthy, meaty and fragrant; one with roots in the Thai repertoire but with branches that extend into unfamiliar areas; a cuisine that feels ancient, but is ever evolving. In this book, Bush travels across northern Thailand to talk to the region's home cooks, academics, restaurateurs, writers, and hawkers. Their recipes and stories, along with Bush's photographs, capture the people, countryside, markets, and of course, dishes and cooking techniques of northern Thailand."--Provided by publisher.;Introduction -- A (very) brief history of northern Thailand -- The people of northern Thailand -- The food and flavors of northern Thailand -- Cooking northern Thai-style -- Northern Thai cooking methods -- Northern Thai kitchen tools -- Chiang Mai -- Chiang Rai -- Lampang -- Mae Hong Son -- Phrae & Nan -- Northern Thai ingredients: guide and glossary. Food of Northern Thailand is a beautiful deep dive into the regional cuisine of northern Thailand with a documentarian's approach and a photographer's eye. The food of northern Thailand is a world away from the highly refined, royal court- and Chinese-influenced style of cooking in Bangkok'the Thai food that most of us are familiar with. It's a cuisine with its own distinct identity, one that is rustic and earthy, meaty and fragrant; one with roots in the Thai repertoire but with branches that extend into unfamiliar areas; a cuisine that feels ancient, but is ever evolving. A writer, photographer, and travel-guide writer, Austin Bush has lived in Thailand for nearly 20 years. In this book, Bush travels across northern Thailand to talk to the region's home cooks, academics, restaurateurs, writers, and hawkers. Their recipes and stories, along with Bush's photographs, capture the people, countryside, markets, and of course, dishes and cooking techniques of northern Thailand. Each of the chapters in the book will focus on a single province, giving a snapshot of the dishes, staple ingredients, cooking methods, and people specific to that area JAMES BEARD AWARD FINALIST - Welcome to a beautiful, deep dive into the cuisine and culture of northern Thailand with a documentarian's approach, a photographer's eye, and a cook's appetite. Known for its herbal flavors, rustic dishes, fiery dips, and comforting noodles, the food of northern Thailand is both ancient and ever evolving. Travel province by province, village by village, and home by home to meet chefs, vendors, professors, and home cooks as they share their recipes for Muslim-style khao soi , a mild coconut beef curry with boiled and crispy fried noodles, or spiced fish steamed in banana leaves to an almost custard-like texture, or the intense, numbingly spiced meat "salads" called laap . Featuring many recipes never before described in English and snapshots into the historic and cultural forces that have shaped this region's glorious cuisine, this journey may redefine what we think of when we think of Thai food.