It's a fact little known to most foodies that lots of Thai people LOVE to eat snake. Which is just as well, cos we have rather a lot of them in hot, tropical Thailand. Let's face it, it's a practical solution to an abundance challenge. 🐍
It's NOT something you see on Thai restaurant menus, that's for sure. But if you know where to ask at regional markets, there is ALWAYS some guy with a few big, juicy, live snakes in a box somewhere. They like to keep them alive rather than selling them dead. Improves the flavor, I've been informed.
It's also not commonly understood by foodies and Thai chefs, that a LOT of regional and rural people still don't have kitchens and cook outside on either an open fire or on what we call a BBQ in Thailand, but is basically a small concrete bucket arrangement designed for minimizing fuel and minimizing fire risk in villages where the houses are predominantly wood and bamboo.
For those who don't know me, I'm a 58 year old Dutch-Australian, living here in Northern Thailand, and raising a half-Thai daughter. Her Thai father (divorced 15 years) occasionally feels it necessary to show off the more shocking side of Thai culture, and thus it came about that I took my daughter to visit him in Chom Thong (between Chiang Mai and the rural area around Op Luang on the way to Hot) and we literally almost stepped on a large and very recently killed snake on his doorstep.
Yes, these ARE my own pics 😁 and this is how a traditional, rural Thai person would prepare a snake prior to popping it in the curry pot.
Step 1.
As recently dead as possible, coil the snake directly on to a small fire.
Step 2.
If the snakes is a big one, you will have to coil it a section at a time. You're really looking for that tough, outer leather to cook and split.
Step 3.
Remove the head and any poison glands. Strip off the charred skin with a sharp knife. No chopping board? A broken roof tile works too. 😆 Chop the snake into small sections and toss in the curry pot. Northern Thai curries are NOT coconut based, so you would pop the snake sections in some boiling water, and then add red onions, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, chili and a nice chunk of galangal.
Snake meat is tough, so it needs to burble for a few hours. In the village where traditional vegetables and greens are preferred, you might add some cha-om for the last few minutes of cooking.
Cha-om, botanically classified as Senegalia pennata, is an herbaceous tropical plant belonging to the Fabaceae family. The fast-growing shrub is native to Southeast Asia and can reach up to five meters in height, found along roadsides, in forests, and cultivated in home gardens. Cha-om is a productive plant that develops new leaf growth year-round, providing a steady source of tender greens for foragers. The plant is harvested for its young and tender leaves, and the dark green leaves are cooked and used as a favored vegetal flavoring. Cha-om is also botanically known under the scientific name Acacia pennata and has several common names, including Climbing Wattle, Khang, Stinky Leaf, Petai Duri, and Rau Thoi. The slender leaves have a pungent odor, especially when raw, and are most commonly cooked to reduce their smell and develop a pleasant, subtly crisp texture.
Cha-om is a good source of vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, calcium and phosphorus to protect bones and teeth, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, and iron to develop the protein hemoglobin to transport oxygen through the bloodstream. The herb also provides fiber to regulate the digestive tract and B vitamins to promote optimal cell functioning. In natural, eastern medicines, Cha-om is boiled and consumed to soothe digestive issues and stomach pain. Source
Take it off the fire, and then add lime juice, a little palm sugar, fish sauce and some freshly chopped coriander.
How does it taste? 🤣
Pretty good if you're hungry enough. 😜 LOTS of small bones, so it's something that needs time to eat, and a few hours to prepare.
Enjoy the foodie moments when they find you!
Prepared as part of The Weekend Engagement topic challenge: burning food and outdoor cooking.
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