A highlight of Thailand’s Isaan region is its cuisine, so as the sun started to descend on Khon Kaen, we made our way from the lakeside markets through the town centre, where the footpaths are crammed with food stalls, and the night markets were in full swing.
I was still blown away by how many chillis were floating in the curries I saw at the market by the lake, so, despite needing to get some work done back at our villa (like downloading literally a thousand photos I’d taken that day at Prasat Hin Phimai and Chonnabot), we couldn’t resist checking out the action.
There are a few Isaan dishes I love, dishes that you have to try if you visit the region, and they were all here for the savoring at Khon Kaen’s markets.
Probably the most recognised dish of the region and one that was ubiquitous in Khon Kaen – listen out for the constant rhythm of the mortar and pestle, only interrupted by frequent testing of the dish – is som tam, a spicy shredded papaya salad which the locals (but rarely visitors) enjoy with fermented crab or fermented fish paste (plaa-raa). Regardless of what version you go for, it’s the mix of chilli, fish sauce, lime, and sugar that makes this dish sing.
Almost as well-recognised and amazingly fragrant is gai yang or ‘spatchcocked’ chicken cooked over a charcoal BBQ. Served with nam jim jaew (a very hot chilli-based dipping sauce), it’s the antithesis of a plain roasted chicken because of the smokiness of the meat, the fact that it’s usually juicy because the cooking time is even due to the flattening of the chicken, and a dipping sauce that’s out of this world.
When you hear the sound of a cleaver in the market it probably means another order of ko mu yang (grilled pork neck) is about to go out to the tables. This marinated pork dish should hopefully have a crispy exterior (from the palm sugar in the marinade) and a smoky flavour. We like to stick with nam jim jaew as a dipping sauce for this although many opt for nam chim chaeo a sweeter dipping sauce. This is a great dish to eat with som tam.
The next thing that will catch your eye are the famous bright red Isaan sausages – sai krok Isaan – that are unlike any sausage you’ll ever try. Sometimes they’re spherical-shaped, sometimes in a long length of sausage links. While we know a couple of vendors in Bangkok who do them very well, the sour fermented sausages are often disappointing in the capital, where vendors take shortcuts when making them, from using too much rice or even putting rice noodles into the mix, to shortcutting what should be at least a 48hr fermentation. In Khon Kaen, though, they’re delicious – the kaffir lime leaves, saltiness, sourness, and heat levels are heaven in a hog casing. You’ll see these served with chillis, sliced ginger and cabbage.
What you’ll see being tossed in a wok in the market probably won’t be another generic version of pad Thai, the ubiquitous noodle dish that’s so beloved by visitors. It will probably be laab moo, a spicy pork mince salad with the unique crunch of khaw kua, toasted rice powder. When they see that a foreigner is ordering it, you’ll probably get one quarter of the amount of birds-eye chilis the locals get, though even then it will bring tears to your eyes. And if you see a vendor doing a duck (ped) version of it, order it. You won’t regret it.
One of the best ways to kill off the heat from these dishes is with sticky rice – a must-have for a true Isaan meal. Do as the locals do and take the sticky rice between your fingers and dip it into the fiery sauces at the table. They really like it hot here.
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