Isan's fermented flavours and freshwater fish dishes
In Khon Kaen, enjoy Isan food with som tam and larb along with sticky rice. In one meal you share crunchy papaya, rich meat and a tangy dressing. Also look at sai krok Isan, a fermented sausage, and au pla, a freshwater fish curry. They are dishes whose ingredients and way of eating differ even within one region.
Choosing a meal in Khon Kaen
When you eat som tam or larb, order sticky rice too. If the smell of fermentation is unfamiliar, it helps to ask first whether the som tam has pla ra in it. On a day when you want fish rather than meat, look at au pla.
In Isan, sticky rice and fermented seasonings are used widely in food. The ways of building flavour vary, from som tam, in which papaya is pounded, to larb with herbs and toasted rice powder and a sausage of fermented rice and pork. We also introduce au pla, a local dish of Khon Kaen that uses freshwater fish.
Som tam, larb and sai krok Isan are eaten in many parts of Isan. Au pla is introduced as a local dish of Khon Kaen.
Pick a dish you would like to try. We explain what it tastes like and what to eat it with.
Sour and spicy seasoning blends with the crunch of papaya. In the versions that use pla ra, a fermented fish seasoning, you can also notice the smell of fermentation. Even with the same som tam, the taste differs with how the seasoning and chilli are used.
Som Tam: taste and how to eat it →
The sourness of lime and the aroma of herbs are joined by the nutty taste of toasted rice powder. The seasoning is mixed evenly through the minced meat, so it is easy to eat a little at a time with sticky rice. The taste also differs with the meat used, such as pork, beef or duck.
Larb: taste and how to eat it →
Its character is the richness of pork and the tang that comes from fermentation. The strength of the sourness differs with the degree of fermentation and the cooking method. The raw chillies served with it can be hot, so try them on the side a little at a time.
Sai Krok Isan: taste and how to eat it →It is a curry in which heat and saltiness are added to freshwater fish. It gives you a different meal from a dish of crunchy vegetables such as som tam, or a meat dish such as larb. Eat it with rice, adding a little at a time.
Au Pla: taste and how to eat it →A fruit's famous growing area may not be where you buy it today. Check the season and taste, then pick the fruit you want to eat.
It is a crunchy, juicy fruit. Fresh fruit and the shake blended with ice give you different textures.
Watermelon: season, taste and how to eat it →
Ripe papaya is a fruit in which you enjoy soft flesh. Unripe papaya is also used as a cooking ingredient, so its texture differs from papaya eaten as fruit.
Papaya: season, taste and how to eat it →
Sweetness and the firmness of the flesh differ with variety and ripeness. It helps to tell apart bananas eaten when ripe and yellow and bananas used for cooking.
Banana: season, taste and how to eat it →
Ripe mango has a soft, sweet taste. Some green mango varieties are eaten for a texture different from ripe mango, so you need not assume that every green one is unripe just by its colour.
Mango: season, taste and how to eat it →Som tam, larb and sai krok Isan are eaten in many parts of Isan. Au pla is introduced as a local dish of Khon Kaen.
When you eat som tam or larb, order sticky rice too. If the smell of fermentation is unfamiliar, it helps to ask first whether the som tam has pla ra in it. On a day when you want fish rather than meat, look at au pla.
If you want to read more about these dishes and regions, these sources are a good place to start. Ingredients and cooking methods can differ from one eatery to another.
