Thai Herbal Snack (Miang Kham)
If you like Thai food because of its pungent aroma of Thai herbs, you'll definitely enjoy this savory Thai snack. It's not only delicious, but fun to eat!
It's called miang kham, which literally means a bite of food wrapped in a leaf.
Ingredients
There are three parts of miang kham. The first one is the leaf that serves as a natural wrap, where you put the other ingredients. Thais use either wild betel leaf called chaphlu or Indian coral tree leaf called thong lang. Some people prefer lotus petals because they are more exotic looking.
Wild betel leaf has a more distinct fragrance and is very high in iron. Note that it’s not the same kind of betel leaf that old people eat with betel nut, although they look very similar. Indian coral tree leaf has a milder taste, but can be more chewy.
Ingredients for miang kham. The Indian coral tree leaves are on the left in the basket,
and the wild betel leaves are on the right.
The second part of miang kham consists of many ingredients, both fresh and dry, that will be put in the leaf. The fresh herbal ingredients include ginger, lime, shallot and chili. The first three ingredients are cut into small pieces.
The dry ingredients are sun-dried boiled shrimps, roasted peanuts and roasted fine coconut meat.
Finally, the last part is caramelized sauce made of water, palm sugar, shrimp paste, galangal root, lemon grass and shallot. In a traditional recipe, fine pieces of roasted coconut and ground peanuts are also added to the sauce for thickness.
How Thais Eat Miang Kham
First of all, roll a leaf into a cone shape. Then, put some fine pieces of roasted coconut in the cone, as well as a few pieces of each of the other ingredients. Finally, top with the sauce and put the wrap in your mouth.
When Thais eat this snack, they like to sit in a circle on the floor, with the dish in the middle. It’s the Thai way to hang out, chit chat and have a snack.
Certain miang kham vendors wrap them and sell them on bamboo skewers.
Where To Buy
You can buy this Thai herbal snack at certain weekly local markets or in most touristic places like floating markets and Koh Kred, an island in Nontaburi province. It comes in a plastic bag, with each ingredient put in separate little bags.
I usually buy it at the cashier counter in a local supermarket or at Prachuap Hospital's co-op store, where they also sell ready-made food.
You should give this Thai snack a try; it’s zesty, healthy and fun to eat!
If you like Thai food because of its pungent aroma of Thai herbs, you'll definitely enjoy this savory Thai snack. It's not only delicious, but fun to eat!
It's called miang kham, which literally means a bite of food wrapped in a leaf.
It's called miang kham, which literally means a bite of food wrapped in a leaf.
Ingredients
There are three parts of miang kham. The first one is the leaf that serves as a natural wrap, where you put the other ingredients. Thais use either wild betel leaf called chaphlu or Indian coral tree leaf called thong lang. Some people prefer lotus petals because they are more exotic looking.
Wild betel leaf has a more distinct fragrance and is very high in iron. Note that it’s not the same kind of betel leaf that old people eat with betel nut, although they look very similar. Indian coral tree leaf has a milder taste, but can be more chewy.
Ingredients for miang kham. The Indian coral tree leaves are on the left in the basket,
and the wild betel leaves are on the right.
The second part of miang kham consists of many ingredients, both fresh and dry, that will be put in the leaf. The fresh herbal ingredients include ginger, lime, shallot and chili. The first three ingredients are cut into small pieces.
The dry ingredients are sun-dried boiled shrimps, roasted peanuts and roasted fine coconut meat.
Finally, the last part is caramelized sauce made of water, palm sugar, shrimp paste, galangal root, lemon grass and shallot. In a traditional recipe, fine pieces of roasted coconut and ground peanuts are also added to the sauce for thickness.
How Thais Eat Miang Kham
First of all, roll a leaf into a cone shape. Then, put some fine pieces of roasted coconut in the cone, as well as a few pieces of each of the other ingredients. Finally, top with the sauce and put the wrap in your mouth.
When Thais eat this snack, they like to sit in a circle on the floor, with the dish in the middle. It’s the Thai way to hang out, chit chat and have a snack.
Certain miang kham vendors wrap them and sell them on bamboo skewers.
Where To Buy
You can buy this Thai herbal snack at certain weekly local markets or in most touristic places like floating markets and Koh Kred, an island in Nontaburi province. It comes in a plastic bag, with each ingredient put in separate little bags.
I usually buy it at the cashier counter in a local supermarket or at Prachuap Hospital's co-op store, where they also sell ready-made food.
You should give this Thai snack a try; it’s zesty, healthy and fun to eat!
Wild betel leaf has a more distinct fragrance and is very high in iron. Note that it’s not the same kind of betel leaf that old people eat with betel nut, although they look very similar. Indian coral tree leaf has a milder taste, but can be more chewy.
|
|
Ingredients for miang kham. The Indian coral tree leaves are on the left in the basket,
and the wild betel leaves are on the right.
and the wild betel leaves are on the right.
The second part of miang kham consists of many ingredients, both fresh and dry, that will be put in the leaf. The fresh herbal ingredients include ginger, lime, shallot and chili. The first three ingredients are cut into small pieces.
The dry ingredients are sun-dried boiled shrimps, roasted peanuts and roasted fine coconut meat.
Finally, the last part is caramelized sauce made of water, palm sugar, shrimp paste, galangal root, lemon grass and shallot. In a traditional recipe, fine pieces of roasted coconut and ground peanuts are also added to the sauce for thickness.
The dry ingredients are sun-dried boiled shrimps, roasted peanuts and roasted fine coconut meat.
Finally, the last part is caramelized sauce made of water, palm sugar, shrimp paste, galangal root, lemon grass and shallot. In a traditional recipe, fine pieces of roasted coconut and ground peanuts are also added to the sauce for thickness.
How Thais Eat Miang Kham
|
|
First of all, roll a leaf into a cone shape. Then, put some fine pieces of roasted coconut in the cone, as well as a few pieces of each of the other ingredients. Finally, top with the sauce and put the wrap in your mouth.
When Thais eat this snack, they like to sit in a circle on the floor, with the dish in the middle. It’s the Thai way to hang out, chit chat and have a snack.
Certain miang kham vendors wrap them and sell them on bamboo skewers.
When Thais eat this snack, they like to sit in a circle on the floor, with the dish in the middle. It’s the Thai way to hang out, chit chat and have a snack.
Certain miang kham vendors wrap them and sell them on bamboo skewers.
Where To Buy
You can buy this Thai herbal snack at certain weekly local markets or in most touristic places like floating markets and Koh Kred, an island in Nontaburi province. It comes in a plastic bag, with each ingredient put in separate little bags.
I usually buy it at the cashier counter in a local supermarket or at Prachuap Hospital's co-op store, where they also sell ready-made food.
You should give this Thai snack a try; it’s zesty, healthy and fun to eat!
I usually buy it at the cashier counter in a local supermarket or at Prachuap Hospital's co-op store, where they also sell ready-made food.
You should give this Thai snack a try; it’s zesty, healthy and fun to eat!