Northern Thai Cuisine

Lanna cuisine is the cuisine of the Northern Thai people of northern Thailand.

From the 1200s to the 1700s, Northern Thailand was an independant kingdom called the Lanna(ล้านนา) Kingdom. Much of Northern Thai culture developed from this period, and the term Lanna can also be used in reference to Northern Thai culture. Since the beginning of the Lanna Kingdom, Northern Thai people lived in small city-states or principalities called mueang(คนเมือง). They sometimes refer to themselves as khon mueang(คนเมือง), meaning people of our mueang. Northern Thai people may also be referred to as Lanna people, Tai Yuan

The Northern Thai people speak the Northern Thai or Lanna language, locally called kham mueang(คำเมือง).

Chiang Mai(เชียงใหม่) is a former capital of the Lanna Kingdom and cultural center of Northern Thailand.

Northern Thai cuisine shares many features with Lao cuisine of Laos, Shan cuisine of eastern Myanmar, and Dai cuisines of southern Yunnan Province in China.

Ingredients

Sticky rice is a staple food of Northern Thai cuisine.

Makhwaen[มะแขว่น], a relative of sichuan peppercorn, is a specialty of northern Thai Cuisine

Dipli(ดีปลี) or long pepper is another specialty related to peppercorn.

Piper lolot(ผักแค)[ชะพลู]{lá lốt} is used and also found in Vietnamese cuisine.

Dishes

• steamed sticky rice
• nam phrik kha[น้ำพริกข่า]: galangal dipping sauce, often served with steamed mushroom
• nam phrik ong: minced pork dipping sauce
• nam phrik num[น้ำพริกหนุ่ม]: roasted green chili dipping sauce
• laab[ลาบเมือง]: seasoned minced meat salad
• kaeng khanun: green jackfruit curry
• kaeng khae[แกงแค]: curry with piper lolot leaves and various vegetables
• aeb: seasoned meat or other ingredients wrapped in a leaf and grilled