How is it different from som tam or larb?
Au pla is a curry made with freshwater fish. Unlike som tam, where papaya is pounded, or larb, where minced meat is seasoned, you can have the fish and the sauce with rice.
Au pla
Au Pla
If you want to try an Isan dish other than som tam in Khon Kaen, look for au pla. It is a spicy, salty curry made with freshwater fish. If you like fish dishes, it is worth choosing to eat with rice. The fish and seasonings used can differ from shop to shop.
What does it taste like?
It is a curry that adds heat and saltiness to freshwater fish. You get a different kind of meal from dishes with crunchy vegetables such as som tam, or meat dishes such as larb. Have it a little at a time with rice.
Eat slowly and watch for fish bones.
Dish basics
- Dish name
- Au pla · Au Pla
- Type
- Soups and curries
- Regional link
- Northeastern Thailand · Isan · Local dish of Khon Kaen
- Main ingredients
- It is a curry made with freshwater fish. The fish and seasonings used depend on the menu you order.
The dish and its region
In Isan there is a culture of using freshwater fish from the rivers in cooking. Au pla is the menu item presented as a local dish of Khon Kaen. It suits anyone who has had som tam and larb, which are known across Isan, and now wants to learn about another dish of Khon Kaen.
How to order and eat it
- Find au pla on the menu and ask which fish is used. It also helps to ask whether the heat can be adjusted.
- Order rice to go with it and have the fish and the sauce a little at a time.
- Eat slowly and watch for fish bones. The kind of fish and the details of the seasoning depend on the menu you order.
Frequently asked questions
Is it linked to Khon Kaen?
Yes. It is a menu item that the Tourism Authority of Thailand presents as a local dish of Khon Kaen. If you want to try a freshwater fish dish on an Isan trip, it is worth a look.
More dishes and cities to explore
Official sources
If you want to read more about the food and the regions behind it, these sources are a good next step. Ingredients and cooking methods can differ from one place to the next.