Eating dancing shrimps

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How about trying some Dancing Shrimps - best described by the Mark Wiens.

The Thai name of the dish is Goong Ten (กุ้งเต้น), which translates to “dancing shrimp.”  The cute little translucent shrimp are the main event – and they’re still living.  Goong Ten (Dancing Shrimp) is a traditional Isaan food that originates from the region of Thailand along the Mekong River.

This dish was found adjacent to the Khao San Road.

Sammakorn / ตลาดนัดสัมมากร Market

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Sammakorn Market is a large area which is dedicated to 50% food and 50% to a Thai style Market. It is housed under a simple tinned structure and it can get a little crammed. So let's start with the food and what a pleasure it is to see so much under one roof - okay I might not be looking at the food to be prepared for the kitchen but I didn't have a kitchen at this point but my family were shopping for fresh food - and very nice it was too.

For me though I was lost with the choices - Sakoo Sai Mai / สาคูใส้หมู - even allowing me to have one whilst the rest were being packed.

Then there were the prawns - wow - I don't normally see them this size in our last local market.

There there was the fresh pineapple

and the cakes

and the roti sai mai was delicious (it always is)

the fresh bamboo and the bugs... After my fill was made I turned to what is called a 'flea market' - not a term to be used for all of the bits here 

- this shop was glamorous.Then this shop was cheap - well in fact a lot of the clothes were cheap...

Then there was Logan and his friends to play with...

Then I met Peter Rabbit and his friends.

Then origami shop - which I was dragged away from before I knew exactly what it was

and of course somewhere to buy a bag to put all your purchases in to take home with you.

But i guess not all the kids are interested in shopping.

  

Phuket Weekend Market - food

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Phuket Weekend Market is certainly an attraction if you are visiting Phuket and it is also popular with the local people - there is sooooo much food to be had - we have visited a number of times.... 

ever what happened to these vehicles?

The market is effectively a football field which is divided into 2 halves and 50% of it sells food! The local Thai people come here for the wide selection of dishes and the fact that it is so big. So please bear in mind that the dishes are not cooked for the tourist but for the Thai people.

The market opens at approximately 4pm and finishes at approximately 10pm but this is never exact. There are a plethora of different types of items to find in the ever increasing number of stalls that each time we go I find something different!

If it rains then you may well get wet because half of the market is standing on the football field. Pushing a pram or the suchlike is very difficult because of the quality of the floor and the fact that the 'corridors' can be so tight...

There are toilets there which you can use  but remember to go there with some loose change with you - the last time we went I believe that the cost of this was 5 Baht.

So what foods do they have in half a football field?

Bits of animals that I cannot be sure of...

The cakes look delicious.

The chips are scrumptious - see if you can find them making the curly fries, it is a very clever machine...

Then there are the fish cakes - to nibble whilst wandering about.

If you really are in need for a kebab I was surprised that I found one here.

Not sure what a 'fish strip is' though...

Then it was time for an egg.

We then chose to sit down at one of the many tables and we had fish baked in sea salt (something worth trying whilst in Thailand).

Then you must have a herbed sausage whilst you are sitting here.

Then it was time for a pudding - we tried this Japanese ice-cream - certainly very different (not that I would have it again personally).

There are more that we did not try which I was surprised about - Japanese food and a lot of different stalls.

Then the strange bread and butter...

I suggest that you go hungry to the Weekend Market because it is a lot of fun trying all these different dishes. More about the Weekend Market will be written but older postings are below.

Previous posts

 1) An overview - March 2013

 2) Personal Aggression - October 2015

 3) Food - January 2013

 4) Clothes and Shoes - December 2013

 5) The Beatles and The Rolling Stones - July 2013

 6) Eating Bugs - January 2013

 7) Personal Beauty - December 2012

 8) Eating more Bugs - September 2013

   

Lung Dum - Local Thai Ice Cream

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You must try some Thai ice cream whilst you are here in Phuket and here is a great place to visit. Choose your ice cream.

Then add all the extra bits...

1= mung bean
2 = kidney bean
3 = pandanus jelly
4 = pomegranate

5 = Peanuts
6 = barley
7 = pumpkin or taro
8 = Pandanus

9 = bread
10 = sticky rice
11 = Black jelly
12 = Lychees

Deeeelicious...

  

Khun Mae Ju in Phuket

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Khun Mae Ju in Phuket is someone who was an expert chef in Southern Thai Cuisine - making her name with her 'Namprik Goong Seab' - dried shrimp chili paste and fish kidney.

When she was still alive, Mae Ju's chili pastes wrapped in banana leaves were such big hits across Phuket Island.

Now that she has passed, her secret recipe is carried on by her children who still manufacture and sell different types of chili paste to locals and tourists visiting Phuket until the present day.

Today, her empire has expanded into manufacturing 50 different types of chili paste, 10 different flavors of Tor Sor, a variety of processed food, local handicrafts and herbal beauty products. Visitors of Phuket always make it a note to stop by Khun Mae Ju’s shop, as they’re likely to find just what they’re looking for.

It is said that this shop was the very first to sell local products of this type. And if you’re looking for quality foodstuff like chili paste, curry paste, shrimp paste or old style noodles, this is the place to be.
There are plenty of delectable and healthy snacks as well. Among them, you will find crispy squid, 3-flavored crispy fish, dehydrated Tom Yum flavored shrimps, or local favorites like chili cookies, sesame bars, puffed rice cakes and a different variety of local products.

Different goods are neatly displayed and stacked according to type for shoppers’ convenience. Attentive sales ladies are there to assist customers and there is plenty of parking space should clients bring their own transportation. The shop is located on Thep Kasattri Road, very close to Phuket International Airport.

It would not be an overstatement to say that Khun Mae Ju’s shop is among Phuket’s top souvenir stores today. So do stop by before catching a flight home and we promise that you will not go back empty handed.

(text is from Phuket E-magazine)

Well this was quite a large shop which we passed as we drove to the airport so we chose to go inside it! 

It was certainly the place to go if you wanted some Southern Thai delicacies and more!

Address: 159/21 Moo 5 Thepkasattri Rd., Thalang Phuket Thailand 83110

Tel: 076 621 226-7

Dried fish markets...

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Sweet dried fish with sesame seeds 

Dries fish markets are certainly not something for everyone but they are very conveniently located outside, all together and are certainly different!

The market we visited here was actually off Phuket Island - we had visited the Sarasin Bridge, visited some local temples and then we had had lunch at the Thanoon Seafood Restaurant.

 Dried Hoi?

'Pla Ching Chang' - Dragon fish

Dried Squid pieces

Dried Sting Ray

The shops were of Chinese Origin - it is clear with the small shrines placed out the back!

Mackerel in vegetable Oil

Thai Pla - preserved fish stomach and innards 

Tai Plah is used to make the famous super spicy Southern Thai curry dish, Gaeng Tai Plah. Tai Plah is made up of the fermented belly and intestines of small ocean fishes (usually pla thoo, pla sai or pla hed khon). The innards are marinated with sea salt, bottled and then set out in the sun to ferment for two to three days.

information from www.templeofthai 

But this is the most odd - whatever it is - it is put into old whisky bottles...