God sends us the rainy season, and if it causes certain problems it also comes bearing gifts. Among them are some ordinary wild herbs such as tamlueng, yawt krathin and yawt cha-ome, three plants that Thai cooks can turn into some wonderful dishes.
Vine form: 'Tamlueng' shoots, which appear everywhere in Thailand, assisted by the birds.
All three of them grow in the natural environment and thrive especially well during the rainy season. They can be found easily enough in the wild, but most people need them so often, and include them in so many meals, that they grow their own. Some can be grown around the edge of the property to make a natural fence, so that they are sometimes referred to as pak rim rua, or hedge vegetables. When they are planted this way they not only look beautiful, they also save the household the time and expense of buying them in the market.
These hedge vegetables and the way they are grown show an important aspect of traditional Thai society — a willingness to share food. In the past, as now, neighbours were welcome to pick shoots from the hedge plants as long as they asked permission first. If the owners weren't at home, they could help themselves, tell them later, and be greeted with a smile.
The first of these vegetables that I would like to look at, and to discuss which dishes can be made with it, is the tamlueng vine. Its appearance in the fields often owes something to the handiwork of birds. When the plant matures it bears fruit that turns red when ripe. Birds like to eat them, and release the seeds in their droppings. When these are watered by the monsoon rainfall they sprout and produce new plants.
Tamlueng vines climb other weeds, and if those plants have branches to support them the vines spread out in all directions. When they grow in good soil in the right kind of location they develop into attractive plants with big, shiny leaves and vigorous shoots. Tamlueng is completely safe to eat. If small birds can eat it without any ill effects, humans can be sure that there is no danger. During the monsoon, the leaves are very clean because they are constantly being washed by the rain.
When growing tamlueng as a hedge it can be made to climb a bamboo frame. During the rainy season the shoots can grow as much as 20cm a night, so that there is always plenty to eat.
The tender leaves near the end of the shoot are the best ones for cooking. Kaeng jued kap moo sap, a mild, clear soup made with tamlueng shoots and seasoned minced pork is a favourite. The shoots can also be stir-fried with nam man hoy (oyster sauce) or eaten together with nam prik. Some pork noodle restaurants like to include some in the bowl, too.
The second of the three hedge vegetables I'll mention is krathin, a small plant that propagates itself by way of seeds contained in its pods. But when cultivating it, people usually take old stalks and root them before planting them as hedges. In the rainy season these stalks sprout new branches with tender shoots at the end. If there is a gentle rainfall at night and there is no dust, these shoots will be big and perfectly formed, and the more of them that are picked, the more new ones appear. And like the tamlueng they are completely safe to eat. They have a smell that keeps worms and other pests away, but the same scent is appetising to humans.
Krathin shoots find their way into many dishes. They can be made into a yam (hot and sour salad) with lightly boiled prawns and a seasoning mixture of nam pla, prik ki nu and sour tamarind water. Sliced shallots and perhaps a little coconut cream are also added. Some crisp-fried chopped shallots are sprinkled on just before serving and the result is delectable. Krathin can also be eaten with nam prik kapi (a chilli dipping sauce).
When Thais eat raw oysters, they prepare them in a way that is different from the Western method. They fry some shallots until they are crisp and sprinkle them over the oysters, squeeze on some lime, and eat them together with some krathin shoots. If they want something spicy, they make a dipping sauce of lime juice, prik ki nu, and chopped garlic.
The third of the hedge vegetables is cha-ome. The plant is a small tree that can be planted as a protective hedge to keep both people and dogs off the property because it is covered with sharp thorns. During the rainy season the shoots grow very quickly, but they have to be gathered in the morning while they are tender and green. The next morning there will be even more, and the more that are picked the greater the number of new ones that appear. If there are too many for the family to eat, neighbours can be invited to come and collect some because if they aren't picked every day and the shoots are left on the plant they mature into woody branches with thorns.
Cha-ome shoots have a strong odour, but it is this smell that produces the flavour that makes them so appealing in the dishes that contain them. Some people have to avoid them at certain times, however. Women who have recently given birth should give them up temporarily because the shoots can reduce the production of breast milk. Anyone — gout sufferers, for example — with too much uric acid in the blood should stay away from them, too, but anyone else can eat cha-ome or either of the other hedge vegetables without worrying.
Many dishes can be made with cha-ome shoots. They can be mixed with egg and fried to make cha-ome choop kai, a kind of omelette that can be eaten with nam prik kapi or added to the soup-like curry called kaeng som. This is one of the most popular kaeng som recipes.
It is also used in vegetable soups like the kaeng pak ruam in its northern or Isan versions or the kaeng awm made in Isan. None of these dishes can be made without it.
So, the rainy weather may bring some problems and worries with it, but it also brings a trio of tasty vegetables, as free for the taking as they are useful and delicious, to our tables. Enjoy them now, while they are at their peak.
