Goody Foodie

So. Being a foodie, I have apparently let my public down. Or so I've been told. Well, in my defense, I am an alien here, an abnormality in a land of normals. Meat-loving, bone-chewing normals....Ok, they're too cute to chew bones. Still. There were days when, for some reasons, I had limited access to markets and I feasted on wheat bread and water. But apparently, my 'friends' don't want to hear my heart-rending tales of woe and suffering. They just wanna see food. Fine. Whatever. Hmpf. I so empathize with whoever did this piece of graffiti...

Thailand has its share of ultra-refined supermarkets laden with imported products, farmers' markets bursting with fresh produce and such. I appreciate I have a refined audience who've seen it all and would not gawk at all that like a country bumpkin fresh off the boat from a drought-ridden village in a third world country. Just saying.... Not that that was me......Moving on.

Street food dominates the food scene in this country. It's vibrant, it's interesting and it's everywhere. Some of the stuff I see as I walk the streets...

This I really do see a lot of! Various types of meat on sticks, that sell anywhere from 10 to 50 rupees or so depending on the meat.

So, this guy I really love watching. It's kinda like Subway on the street. He makes made-to-order omelets. You can pick your ingredients, which he puts into the steel cup, breaks in an egg or two, adds seasonings and sauces and fries it up.

Fruits. A big packet of a chopped up fruit of your choice costs Rs.40. It's kept on crushed ice, so its refreshingly cold and crisp when you bite into it, just like God intended.

Wayside eateries operate on narrow strips of pavement. They usually serve meat with noodles, soup or rice. This one specializes in the most popular dish I've seen here in Bangkok, eaten morning, noon and night- a fried egg or an omelet served over steamed rice, with some sides of meat. They usually operate in a tiny space- a small dish-washing area, a cooking area and a strip of road that's the serving area.

This is a delicious dessert that will make the fat molecules in your body send out a clarion call to the fat molecules floating in the Universe with the message, 'Come home.'

The sign reads:
Roti with egg and banana  Rs. 70
Roti with banana              Rs. 60
Roti with (I forgot)             Rs. 40
Roti, pandan flavored         Rs. 30
Roti                                 Rs. 24

So the plain one, she flattens the dough ball, fries it in enough butter to make you look to the stars for divine help, douses it in enough condensed milk to let you know that help ain't never coming, asks you audaciously if you want a liberal helping of sugar and then rolls it up. I got the banana one; it's stretched out and therefore thinner-

Some stuff... I cannot fathom what they are, and having less signing skills than the more advanced gorillas, all I know is that this is some sort of sweet thing.

They're big on desserts here. There's sticky rice, sometimes colored and flavored, jellies, glass noodles, dried/preserved fruits, different types of beans and stuff, all swimming in coconut milk or other sweetened liquids....

This is an ultra thin crepe, with some marshmallowy thingy on top. It takes a lot to put me off anything sweet, but somehow this manages it nicely. 

And the same thing exists in a sickly sweet and savory combo. Thin sweet crepe, quail egg and a tiny meat sausage. Rolled up and served. I had a sans sausage version and felt like puking after the first bite. So yeah, not a fan!

This crepe is very diferent. While the ones above are crispy like our South Indian dosa, this one is super spongy soft. At first I thought they dip a cloth in the batter and rub it on the skillet, but it looks like the batter itself, which is of a somewhat solid sticky consistency, is applied directly by hand. They stack 'em up and sell them to people who take it away.

Sushi is popular, as expected and very pretty to look at.

At night, they become hard core and bring out all kinds of grilled squid.

Apart from that, there's the stuff you find that's very common. The chicken on a stick sold with packets of sticky rice, fruit juices, papaya salad, steamed dumplings, deep fried meat, milk tea with bubbles....

Chicken on a stick

The most popular juices are orange and passion fruit. The costliest one at Rs.100 is pomegranate and the cheapest at Rs.20 is actually vallaara keerai juice! (Centella asiatica). It's not as common as the others and tastes, um, not great. But I bet its healthy as heck! I've had it only once. *bows head in shame.

Steamed Dumplings

Omelette on plain steamed rice

Fried fish. Now, I don't know about your mommy but if you had an Indian mommy who saw this, like I do, she'll gasp, cover her mouth with her hand and wonder about the fish guts that are obviously still inside the fish. She'll walk away, shaking her head, smug in a way that only an Indian housewife who's been cooking perfect meals for multiple generations can be smug.

Milk Tea, various flavors, with 'bubbles'. I swear, if they lined up the tins of condensed milk used in this country per day, it would probably set some record like stretching from one coastline to another or something...

So, that's the street food I've seen. I may have left out a thing or two. I don't go to any restaurants, especially the wayside ones I'd love to try if I could eat there. But I do accompany friends on weekends and I chomp on french fries or make a smoothie last unnaturally long. The usual stuff like Pad Thai or Tom Yum soup are delicious, I hear. I traveled some distance to get this vegetarian version of Tom Yum and it's worth it- chock full of flavor!

As usual, some of the restos have menus that they've goofed up on big time. They're good fun, though and I particularly enjoyed the menu at a place called 'The Beer Park'.

Crispy peanuts and cripy ones, anyone? I'm glad they didn't have a choice of 'crappy'; they'd have run out of peanuts, for sure.

(Apparently, the thai version reads peanuts/cashewnuts)

Next,

Move past the pig intestines, people, and take a look at the hunks of meat below! Our group was mostly women, so this caused quite a few raised eyebrows. I myself was all for it. It caused a long conversation that went something like:

Ooo, let's order this one.
Yeah! I'd like me some vikings!
Do they serve them hot?
I don't know if one serving will do....
We can share!
But I don't wanna share.
What?! I thought you were my friend!
But I want my own...
So that's how it is.
But...
Don't. I can't even look at you right now.
Hey, you wanna get some Vikings?
I'll take 'em to go!

That's the gist of it. The Thai version says spicy chickens. I don't know if someone conned these poor owners into printing this, but they have my undying admiration. If anyone came to me for help of this nature, God save the initial draft of their menus, before my conscience kicks in, or rather, kicks me.

Finishing off with a pic of the food I eat- multiple variations of tofu and soy proteins cooked with different vegetables and spices. You see the deep fried stuff on the counter, on the top right of the picture? That's sticky sweet batter fried mushroom, kinda like the chicken on the stick, I think. I eat that everyday, rain or shine. It's that good.

So, that's a nice post on food, eh? I've done my bit for the public... apart from the great joy I bestow by simply existing?... (so many eyes rolled for that one that the earth's axis shifted a bit). Anyway, here's hoping you always enjoy your food- we're blessed to be living in countries where we have so many opportunities to exercise choice... *Now, which one of you three vikings will do for dessert, hmm? 

;)

Go forth and sink no more!

It's funny how we all come together and part- like the undulating units of an ocean, we brush, delve into or crash against each other and silently glide away, over and over. Maybe the magic of life is riding the troughs, looking at the moonlight glistening on the crests, welcoming the dawn together, uncaring of where we're all going, or perhaps, helping each other understand that there's nowhere to go. We're just here to dance into each other. Easier said than done, I know, but what a peaceful, intimate picture. I mention it because I see so many of us paddling frantically. We should learn to float.

That's what I was telling my 'krathong' to do, when I released it. Heh, no, it's not a piece of swimwear I let loose in the murky waters of Bangkok; it's a beautiful arrangement of flowers with candles and incense. The Loi Krathong festival was celebrated in Thailand yesterday. I was personally thrilled since it coincided with the Karthigai Deepam festival back home- to me, more the 'Festival of Lights' than Diwali will ever be. So my friends and I made our way to the nearest pier, only to find a mass of humanity there, all bent on getting onto the ferries. We weren't in the mood for drowning, so I had to make do with releasing the krathong at the pier itself, but I do think it looked beautifull! -

Lanterns were released into the air and again, it was such a beautiful sight. None of our pics came out decently, so I'm flicking one off the net-

I also made my way back to China Town the day before. I found it exactly as it should be- a place where you can get lost, something that I'm very good at, thank you very much. There were so many things to see! But first, for those who know me well enough to know about the earring fetish, listen up! Did I find Chinatown's wholesale earrings lane? Yes, I did! Did I start bouncing off the walls? Heck, yeah!
(Ahem, lady friends writhing in jealousy back home, please message me privately and we'll discuss my being nice to you ;))

There was a lot of food. Especially the dried foods shops. I couldn't make out what a few things were at all... I got some type of dried citrus thingy, a species of dried mushroom that looks so pretty and some tiny dried chillies; just to start with.

I look forward to experimenting with Thai spices and foods eventually. I was thinking that as I was walking along a lane when I blinked and suddenly I saw this vision of rasagullas and gulab jamuns. I thought 'Ok, I've finally cracked. THIS is the final stage of masala dosa withdrawal!' But I'd just wandered into the Indian section. Or rather, the Sikh section. The Sikh community has a very strong presence here- I've seen them driving around, owners of shops, a few International schools, many restaurants and businesses...there's an Indo-Thai population as a result, which I'm quite interested in learning more about!

Traveling there and back on the river... what is it about the sound of water and the sight of waves?!....

I also attended a really cool art exhibit. It was actually a couple of warehouses within a compound, with a resto and a bar, where a few artists live and do their work. Some of the beautiful work-

They have this room full of crudely crafted spoons done in some really rad shapes. Like!

I usually gripe about not being able to understand modern art, but this painting is one that I would gladly get for my home- I found it powerful...

When Nature Calls...Go visit Jim Thompson.

I actually wanted the title to be 'When nature calls, put on your leaf and go answer the door' but it wouldn't fit, and it has nothing to do with my post. (See how craftily I snuck it in anyway, eh? eh?) So,...I have my lunch everyday at a Thai vegetarian eatery, a street away from where I stay. It's a beautiful location, with rough wooden furniture set out in an open courtyard with a small waterfall.

I usually have a book with me, or my notebook and headphones to watch a show while I eat. But everyday, invariably, I'm constantly distracted by these critters that I have become very fond of. I think they're lizards, I'm not sure. But they are super bold! They poke their noses over the edge and kinda feel you out. They sense weakness, I'm sure and they manage to figure out everyday that I'm just a lump of putty. They run right up to my plate and stop at the edge! There's a tense standoff as we stare into each others eyes. Then they  make a kinda  'It's mine! My ancestors could have eaten you for supper!' movement.

I'll go, 'Oh no you don't, short stuff. I evolved, I win!' and pull my plate away. Then the beady eyes become beadier, I relent and put a morsel or two on the bench. They pounce on it and leave, only to return a while later. Here are videos of two of 'em (sorry about the bad quality):

Sometimes they disdainfully spit it out. Oh sorry, did I say spit? I meant propel it out, with a flick of the head, so that it goes flying. Sigh.

They'd have felt right at home, though, in Jim Thompson's house. It's a popular tourist spot, but its one of those places that justify being one. I loved the serenity and beauty of this old house that nestles in what is better called a tropical jungle than a garden. It's breathtaking in places. Inside the house itself are many worn out delicate silk paintings that enraptured me because each was a scene of some story- I wish I knew what the stories were....

Jim Thompson's story itself is interesting. To put it briefly, he was an American who reconstructed this beautiful house by transporting several ancient Thai houses and putting them together, only to disappear mysteriously a few years later in Malayasia. He did much in his time to revive the dying Thai silk industry, becoming all the more popular after it was the featured clothing in the movie, The King and I.

They don't allow photography inside the house and usually, I whine about this. But this time, I kinda get it. You'd better just go see it for yourself. Some pics from the outside...

This guy below was doing the actual process of getting the fine strands of silk from the cocoons. It seems a delicate procedure and I understand it takes great skill. It's also large scale murder, but let's not go there.

All the animals I meet lately are snobs. This guy's nose never once touched the horizontal axis the whole time I was sitting there.

I've been in Thailand for a month now, but I haven't lived in it in the way I imagine all travelers should, if they don't want to be just tourists. It's because of the language barrier mostly, but I feel I haven't grasped life here from the perspective of the 'common man'. I guess also, its because I travel by the skytrain. The roads, in any country, especially third world ones, have a pulse. There's a collision of people from different walks of life. You learn much by being in it. That's what I've seen in India, and what I've glimpsed here.

My friends and acquaintances here are all foriegners, so the extent of insight they give me is hilariously limited to bodily functions. Like burping and farting. I remained safe all this time, but today, as I shifted house, I had the unfortunate opportunity to experience both in a closed taxi environment. Wonderful. Another repeated note is that of nose picking. I haven't been regaled with the sight of that yet- I don't know why the Thais are holding out on me. Doubtless they have their reasons ;)

(May I also mention in passing, that traffic here is a BITCH! First time I've seen toll charges for roads within the city.)


But for all that I haven't experienced yet, there are some things which I have been very glad to. For reasons, some known and some unknown, I waited for my 30's to start living my 20's. Many firsts in my life happened in the recent past. Coming to Thailand is one- its my first trip abroad apart from my birth country. Being added to that list of firsts is my first nightclub experience. And I mean it when I say 'experience'. The music, the dancing, the friends... I don't suppose that a sans drinks night out would count to many people, but the booze ain't happening, so this is as good as it gets for me!

That was the intro, now for the meat. Heh. Ok, first of all I never knew I could love watching people get drunk so much. I've heard stories, but the reality of it is hilarious. I saw a bottle take flight and die a sad death, and I saw human sandwiches. I also heard the funniest stuff. (If A is reading this, or some sneak points it out to him, I'm sorry, my man!) So,... A gets so drunk, I'm amazed he can keep his head up. Even more amazing was the fact that the lolling head could speak.

We head off the dance floor, suddenly he's sitting next to me on the couch, valiantly trying to focus. "So," he says, "Are you a Hindi?" He went on to talk about someone's religion, so that was obviously a 'Are you a Hindu?' It cracked me up :D

Later on, he walks out of the nightclub and I'm standing there getting some fresh air. And I shout "OMG, I left G's handbag with you. Did you give G her bag?" And he says, in all seriousness "Yeah, I gave G a bath." Lol. You need to know what a kickass lady G is to really appreciate how hilarious that is!

So yeah, I had a taste of Bangkok's nightlife, in its famous Khao San Road, and I enjoyed it. The eyeing, the dancing, the laughing... Here's a pic, and I defy you to not spot A!

Moving on, I must say that I feel renewed after moving to a new place- a quaint and cute guesthouse called Chewhouse. People from all over have stayed here and you know that coz they've written and drawn stuff on the stairway walls before leaving. I like the idea a lot! Some pics-

This fella lives in the 7/11 nearby. I'm so glad they let him! :)

The area I'm in, Aree, is totally cool. For one, its got that vegetarian place I mentioned in my first post. For another, its beautiful to look at architecturally, because its a mixture of the old and the new. I see a lot of the old wooden houses that really appeal to me from an aesthetic viewpoint. Having said that, I must also add that Chewhouse is all wood too and the creaking with every step and the walls that indiscriminately allow all sounds to pass through are not attractive features. I'm amazed these people were able to conceive kids. No 'Oh God, baby's in this history, for sure!

Here's a building next door.

This one below is the first moola kadai (corner store, in Tamil) I've seen here. It's wonderful :) I love shops where even God would have to ask the shopkeeper where something is.

To finish off, a few more pics from Jatujak, the weekend market-

This coconut icecream is very popular there. The shaved tender coconut is at the bottom, with scoops of coconut icecream on top, topped with jelly like fruit and roasted peanuts. Yum!

They sell just about everything. Tons of patches that can be fixed onto cloth, some very cute!

 Foot massage is a thriving business in the market, and it's no surprise why!

Ladies' delicates, cheap, pretty and sometimes slutty ;)

Which brings us to what I got! Lol. I took one look and I knew that no future home of mine would be complete without these. The void would be too great to bear... ;)