More on street food

The folks across the street--Ma, Pa, Bam, the older daughter who speaks English and deals with me and my pointing and questioning, two brothers and a younger daughter--take good care of me. And they profit well from it, but not absurdly.

You sit on the sidewalk where they've spread a plastic mat under a low and remarkably abused table (there's a good chance it started life as a door, board, or bit of metal siding) and if you are literate you mark up the menu and send it to the carts with one of the girls.

All the action centers on two carts, one table, four hotspots, and three coolers.

Up front, the glass-case cart displays the day's picks, the barbecued goodies, and things still crawling around.

Next to it is the table, spread with finances and aromatics/seasonings--birdseyes, garlic, ginger, fruit, and the five seasonings: lime, fish sauce, fermenting fish, sugar, and palm sugar.

This is Ma making the YamMaMuang for a YamBlahDukFoo.

Pa mans the two propane burners, and is here making YamBlahDukFooMaMuang, a salad of catfish cracklins with spicy green mango. Sometimes, the kids get to make easy dishes, or to experiment on the farang.

One of the brothers mans the grill station and the back cart, where they store plates.

And the coolers hold meat, bought in plastic baggies and tossed on chipped ice.

More Street Food

And here's the menu. Amazing what's possible with a few ingredients and ingenuity.

Column 1

1-7: drinks

1. Bier Sing.... Bier Heineken

2. Bier Chang.... Bier Leo

3. Sang Som...Mekong...HongTong...MuangTong

4. Rodlam...Rubina...Rocca...Soda

5. NamPlaiLuSa...NamKaeng (water firm: ice)...???

6. GratongDeng...NamYen (cold water)...PaiSad...Buree (cigarette)

7. NamAdLom...Lek (small)...Yai (large)

8-17: soup. “Tom” means “Boiled,” and in practice, TomSab, TomKhlong, and TomYam are the same spicy-sour base. LakJim is a clear, non-spicy soup.

8. TomSabKrongNi (Boiled broth inside filter: tripe) Muo (pork)... Nua (beef)

9. TomSabNuaSod (Beef Fresh)... TomSod (spicy soup) Wua (cow)... Muo (pork)

10. TomSabGai (Spicysoup Chicken)... TomSabGradohnOhn (TomSab Bones Fresh/tender: riblets)

11. TomKhlongBlahKugYang (Boiled poetry fish prison barbecue: poetic mix of fish grilled in wire baskets in a spicy broth)... TomKhlongGung (TomKhlong Shrimp)

12. TomKhlongGaiYang (TomKhlong Chicken BBQ)... TomYamRuamMik (TomYam Mixed Seafood)

13. TomYamBlaKapong (TomYam Seabass)...???

14. TomYamHoiBlah (TomYam Shellfish)... TomYamGung (TomYam Prawn)

15. TomYamHongTaLeh (TomYam Seafood)... TomHongKrungNiWua (TomHong Cow Tripe)...Muo

16. LakJimKrungNiWua (Scalded Dipped Inside Filter Cow: non-spicy tripe soup)... Muo

17. LakJimMaSod KobSod (LakJim tender/raw or day-cured)... Muo... Taleh (seafood)

18-28: Yam is the word for salads with chili-lime dressing

18. YamFaiDok (Yam skin break: salad of cured fish skins)... YamRuamMidtTaleh (Yam Mixed Seafood)

19. YamKrungNiMuo (Yam Insides Pork)...Nua

20. YamWunSenRuamMidt (Yam Bean Thread Mix)... YamBlahMeukSod (Yam Fish Ink Raw: Yam Raw Squid)

21. YamHoiDiRong (Yam shellfish)... YamDaKrai (Yam Lemongrass)

22. YamHetKhowRuamMidt (Yam Mushroom White Mixed)... YamMeukRob (Yam Ink Round: Squid rounds)

23. YamMaMa (Yam Mama Noodles: Ramen)... YamKaiDtom (Yam Egg Boiled)... YamGungPuh (Yam Prawn Tassles)

24. YamBlaMeukFoiMaMuang (Yam squid Tassels Mango: shredded green mango with fresh squid)...YamMeukfoi (Yam ink tassel)

25. YamBlahDukFooMaMuang (Yam Catfish Crack'lins mango)...YamKaiMuangDaTaLeh (Yam Egg Mango Seafood: Yam mango/caviar)

26. YamLebMuhNang (Yam Toenails Cured: pickled pig's feet)...YamSahmGrob (Yam Three Flavors)

27. YamSaiDom (Yam Transparent Boiled: Yam boiled tendon) … YamSaiOohn (Yam Tendon Tender)... YamYai (Yam large)

28. YamKohMuoYangHuaPrao (Yam Throat Pork BBQ Coconut)... YamSuhRohngHahiHuaPrao (Yam connect weep coconut)

29. Muo-Gung SaDung (Pork-prawn piled prawn)... GungSaGungLin (Prawn Piled Prawn Tongue)

30. MuoMaNao (Pork Lime-cured)... GaiMaNao (Chicken Lime Cured) … MeukMaNao (Ink Manao)

31. BlaKaPongMaNao (Catfish Manao)... YamKaiYiowMah (Yam Egg Piss Horse: Yam Salty eggs)

32. GungSahb (Prawns spiced soup)... PlaGung (Salad Prawns)... PlaHoi (Salad Shellfish)

33. GungChaeNamBlah (Prawn Soaked Water Fish: prawns with fish sauce)...TodManGung (Fried Firm Prawn)

34. SaiTonTodGraTiem (Intestines Fried Garlic)... Muo, Nua, TodGratiem (Fried Garlic)

35. KaoGreApTod (White chips fried: prawn crisps)... MekMaMuangTod (Pills Mango Fried: mango seeds)

36. TuaKiem (Peanuts Salty)... TuaSahmGrua (Peanuts Three Flavor) Muo, Neua DaedDiow (Cured sunlight)

37. NokTodGratiem: (Bird Fried Garlic)...MeukChoopFangTort (Ink Dipped Crumbs Fried: calamari tempura)

38. GungChoopFangTort (Prawn Tempura) … GaiTortNamBlah (Chicken Fried Water Fish: battered chicken with fish sauce)

39. GaiTodGrob (Chicken Fried crisp/brittle/frame/border) … GradungOonTort (Bone Tender Fried)

40. HoiKrengPao (Shellfish charred)... Lek (small)

41. HoiMalengPob... Pao (Charred)... BlaPaoGlua (Fish Charred Salt)

42. SugIsaan (Cooked Isaan) Muo, Gai, Nua, Taleh

43. KaiYeahowNamPadGraPao (Egg Light Water Stirfried Basil) … Gung, Boh (Crab)... ObWanSen (Roast Day String)

44. KaiPadMekMaMuang (Chicken Stirfried Mango)... KaiJiow, KaiMokDeng (Fried Eggs, egg ant red: fried ant larvae)

45. BlaKapongJianSamRod (Seabass dipped three flavor) … Gung ???

46. SeeFudPadNamPrikPao (Seafood Stirfried Water Chili Fire) … GungKeet (Coconut Prawns)

47. BeekGaiYang (Wing Chicken BBQ)... GaiYang (Chicken BBQ)

Column 2

1. PadPak (stirfried veggies) Gung, Blah, Mook, MuoBah (Pig forest)

2. GangJeutWunSen (Soup mild/tasteless bean thread)... KaiJiowMuo, Gung, Boh (egg fry: omlette)

3. GangKowBohDahm (Soup light crab black).... GangKowMuo

4. GangSoom (Sour yellow curry) Gung, Boh, Blah.... GungObGlua (Prawn Roast Salt)

5. BoPadPonGaree (Crab Stirfried Powdered Curry).... BoPadGeet (Crab Stirfried Coconut)

6. BoPadPrikTaiTam (Crab Stirfried Pepper Free Mouthful: crab with fresh green peppercorns).... PadBengFaiDeng (Stirfried Slit Fire Red)

7. GangMuoGrob (Soup Pork Crisp/brittle/frame/border).... BlahMookYang, Gung, Boh (Fish Ink BBQ)

8. BlahDukYang (Catfish BBQ).... Tok (fried).... LukChinYang (Fishballs BBQ)

9. KrungNighYang (Inside Filter BBQ).... KohMuoYang (Throat Pig BBQ)

10. NamDokNeua (Water Fall Beef: BBQ strips with chili lime).... NamDokMuo.... NamDokBed (Waterfall Duck)

11. NamDokGai.... NeoYangDidMan (Clean/plain BBQ Spread Firm)

12. SuaRongYang (Tiger Crying BBQ).... Tok (deep fried)

13. LinYangMuo (Tongue BBQ Pork).... LinYangNeua (Tongue BBQ Beef)

14. LinTokMuo (Tongue Fried Pork).... LinTokNeua

15. HaehNamYang (Fishnet Water Grilled).... SegLekMuo (Meatball Pork)... Neua

16. DabMuoYang (Liver Pork BBQ).... DabNeuaYang (Liver Beef BBQ)

17. SaiKrogMuoWahn-Ped-Briow (Intestines Pork Sweet-Spicy-Sour)

18. NeuaTub (Beef Bashed)... MuoTub (Pork Bashed)... MahMaMuoYang (MaMa Pork BBQ: Ramen Noodles with BBQ pork).... MahMaNeuaYang (Mama Noodles with BBQ Beef)

19. MahMaTok (MaMa Noodles Fried).... MuoFai (Pork Spray/fiber/filament)

20-24, Lahb: spicy meat salad, usually mincemeat, with chili-lime-garlic-onion juice

20. LahbMuo (Mincedmeat Pork).... LahbNeua (Mincedmeat Beef).... LahbTok (Mincedmeat Fried).... LahbGai (Mincedmeat Chicken)

21. LahbBlahDuk (Mincedmeat Catfish).... LahbBlahKapong (Mincedmeat Sea Perch).... Lahb Sod (Mincedmeat fresh/tender)

22. NaahmGraDukOhn (Pickled Pork Cartiledge).... LahbMahMaMuo...Neua (Lahb with Mama noodles)

23. LahbMuoGrob (Mincedmeat Pork Crisp/brittle/frame/border).... LahbRuamMookTaleh (Mincedmeat Mixed Seafood)

24. LahbKaiMookDeng (Mincedmeat Egg Ant Red).... LahbNaahmLohd (Mincedmeat Pickled Pork Pipe)

25. YamNaahmSok (Yam PickledPork Fresh/tender).... GoiMuoSok (Toenails Pork Fresh/tender).... GoiNeuaSok (Toenails Beef Fresh/tender)

26. SibNeauNiSiMuo (Zipper....Pork)....Neua

27. Kob Wen Neua...Muo

28-33: Som Tam is a salad that begins with pulverizing garlic and chilis with fish sauce, lime, and palm sugar, then adding structural components

28. SomTamTaiBoh (SomTam Free Crab: green papaya salad with lime-chili-garlic-fish sauce dressing and fresh crab).... BoMa (Crab Horse)

29. SomTamMaMuangSaiBoh (Somtam Mango With Crab).... SomTamKaiDeng (Somtam Egg Red)

30. SomTamBlahRua (SomTam Fish Leak).... SomTamDengSaiBo (SomTam Red With Crab)

31. SomTamTai (SomTam Free).... SomTamBo.... (Somtam Crab).... SomSow

32. SomTamFaLang (SomTam Ripe Mango).... SomTamBlahDukFoo (SomTam Catfish Cracklins)

33. SomTamMuoYang.... SomTamRuamMookTaleh

34-46, Khao: Rice

34. KhaoNiow (Rice Sticky).... KhaoSuay (Rice Pretty/Attractive)

35. SenKaNohmJinBlah (Stringer sticky-rice-noodle-with-sauce fish)

36. KhaoPadRuamMook (Rice Fried Seafood).... KhaoPadBoh

37. KhaoPadGung.... KhaoPadBlahMook

38. KhaoPadPrikMuo (Rice Stirfried Pepper Pork).... Gai

39. KhaoPadPrikGung.... BlahMook

40. KhaoPadGrapaoMuo (Rice Stirfried Garlic Pork).... Gai

41. KhaoPadGrapaoGung.... BlahMook

42. KhaoPadGaBee (Rice Stirfried Sword)

43. KhaoMuoDeng (Rice Pork Red: rice with sweet BBQ pork).... KhaoManGai (Rice Firm Chicken)

44. KhaoManGrob (Rice Firm Crisp/brittle/frame/border).... GaoLaoKrungNighMuo (Scratch/drag Sharpen/whittle Inside Filter Pork)

45. RadNaTaleh, Muo, Gai (Rad Nah: Noodles with pan gravy)

46. Pad See Ew, Gai, Gung, Muo, Ruam Mook (Thai version of chow mein)

Brief Glossary

Blah: Fish

Blah Duk: Catfish

Blah Kapong: Seabass

Blah Meuk: “fish ink,” squid

Boh: Crab

Gai: Chicken

Gang: soupy/brothy

Gung: shrimp/prawns

Kai: egg

Muo: Pork

Nam Blah: water fish—fish sauce

Nam: water

Naahm: Pickled pork

Nahm: milk (Don't ask me to differentiate)

Neua/Nua: Beef

Pad: stirfried

Pak: cooking veggies (a specific subset I can't pin down: “Pak” does not contain any component of “salad,” mushrooms, tubers, or aromatics [which are stirfried in other dishes], but it isn't just the leafy cooking kale and cabbage).

Prik: Birdseye chili pepper

Ruam Midt: “Collected Friends”--some of each

Taleh: Seafood

Tok/Tod: deep fried

Tom: boiled

Wua (“woo-ah”): cow

Yam: spicy chili-lime dressing

Yang: BBQ