Thai culture and water (part 2)
An earlier posting has written about Thai culture and water. Water and food are inextricably linked. Fish also play an important role in the life and culture of the Thais.
One of the earliest inscriptions of the Thai language gives the following phrase from the kingdom of Sukhothai: “In the time of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great, the land of Sukhothai prospered. It gives fish in the water and rice in the fields.” Historians are almost certain that these are the words of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great, ruler of the Sukhothai kingdom (1279 – 1298) and the founder of the Thai alphabet.
The description indicates how important fish was to the population. Due to the many rivers that flowed through fertile areas, there was plenty of fish available. However, the people believed that fish were given by the nature spirits to feed the people. Killing the fish in order to eat then has a different relationship than killing and eating other animals in the Buddhist sense.
For example, it is a tradition to return stranded fish to the water at high tide in order to acquire a religious merit, the so-called “Tambun”. This usage still applies. You can buy live fish at the Wat, which you then release into a nearby body of water.
In the cool season from November to February after the end of the rainy season, the fish are best fed by the nutrient-rich water. During that time, the rice can also be taken from the land and there is plenty of food. This is how the proverb came about: "Khao Mai Pla Man" or "new rice, fat fish" (freely translated). Most marriages occurred at this peak of the year.
The remaining fish was dried or preserved with salt. These preservation methods have resulted in a number of variations in taste, which can still be found in the various dishes.
Saltwater fish are depicted in the photo accompanying the article. This is of course especially a given in and near the sea areas. Thailand has many of them of different nature.
I find the amount and number of freshwater fish species still eaten in Thailand to be a true culinary (re)discovery. From live fresh catfish (Pla duc) wriemeled in water troughs in the markets, over grilled Pangasius (Pla nin) and snake head (Pla Chon) on the street, to dried or brine-imposed small grits, they are a delight for the taste buds.
This was also the case in Europe in the past. Fried roach, perch in brown beer, pickled bream and various preparations with pike and carp, among other things, were regularly served in the low countries. Today, the consumption of freshwater fish is quasi folkloric in nature, e.g. eel festivals.
An exotic import species such as pike-perch fillet still turns up in the better restaurant, and the cheap farmed frozen import Pangasius are exceptions that confirm the rule.
Yummy freshwater fish…another reason why I love Thailand 🙂