It is still summer, a time when it is traditional to head for the beach. It is also a good time to enjoy good seafood, because wherever there are beaches there are seafood restaurants. The kind of seafood you'll find on offer depends on where the beach you choose is located.
TASTY: Steamed fresh crabs.
TASTY: Steamed fresh crabs.
If you go to a beach in an east coast province like Chon Buri or Rayong or a west coast one like Phetchaburi or Prachuap Khiri Khan, the choices will be from the kind of seafoods that Central Region residents know well.They might include phat cha pla duk thalay (sea catfish stir-fried with chillies and herbs) or the same dish made with mixed seafood, tom yam made with local fish like pla ket khone or pla sai, kaeng pa pla kraphong (spicy curry without coconut cream made with sea bass), pla insee thawt nam pla (the delicate white meat of the local fish called pla insee fried with nam pla), fried fish patties made from the same fish, and deep-fried breaded squid.
But as you head south, as soon as you cross into Chumphon province the seafood changes to the southern variety. There you will find kaeng luaeng pla kraphong sai yawt maphrao (a very spicy, yellow-coloured southern curry made without coconut cream, this version made with sea bass and heart of coconut palm), pla to Mon tha khamin thawt (a local fish rubbed with turmeric and deep-fried), the strong-smelling bean called sataw fried with shrimp and kapi, and squid fried with kapi.
Most restaurants will offer these dishes. Some places will be better known or have superior kitchen skills to others, but the choice will remain pretty much the same. But the way to get the best seafood is to buy it directly from fishermen, who bring it straight from the sea. Besides getting the freshest fish possible, you will also get a glimpse of the fishermen's way of living and, if you speak Thai, perhaps hear about some of their experiences. Finally, by buying directly from the men who catch the fish, you will get the best price.
Once you have bought the seafood, however, where should you take it to have it cooked? The first thing to remember is that when seafood is fresh there is no need to use it to prepare an elaborate dish. It is tasty enough in itself and doesn't need enhancing to be delicious. There are a few types, like sea catfish and rays that have an odour strong enough to require heavy seasoning to mask it. These can be prepared as phat cha dishes with chillies, basil and the aromatic rhizome called krachai added to cover the fishy smell. Other kinds of seafood like crabs, squid, mussels and mackerel can be simply steamed and served with a spicy-sour-salty dipping sauce made from chillies, lime juice, garlic and nam pla.
Most resorts have their own kitchens, which will be happy to cook the seafood for you. They are willing because they are providing a service for the customers, and they will be getting paid for it.
RARE: ‘Bai paw’ fish, fresh from the sea.
This variety is very hard to find in Bangkok.
How do you go about buying seafood straight from the fishermen? It is easy, because there are many beach areas where the fishermen go out every night. Check around to find out where the boats come in. If there are mountains near the beach there is likely to be a fishing village next to it because the mountains form a shield against the waves during the monsoon, and if there is a wide lagoon or canal the village may be a large one, since there is plenty of space for mooring the boats.
In some places there may be a canal but no mountains, and here the village will be located farther inland. There will be small shacks next to the canal where the boats are moored that the villagers use for shelter when repairing or cleaning their nets.
When you've found a fishing village or a place where fishermen moor their boats, ask what kinds of fish are caught there. The answer may differ from place to place. Some fishermen may go out for crabs, while others look for shore-loving fish or squid. In some areas like Pran Buri and Prachuap Khiri Khan the fishermen just set traps for squid.
Most boats return to shore at eight or nine in the morning. Fishermen who catch crabs have to remove them from the nets either at home or in their working shacks, and this can take some time. If you go to buy some in the morning you probably won't fail to get them.
The boats that go out after fish sometimes come back with prawns, too. The fishermen remove them from their nets and put them into bamboo trays while still at sea so that once they reach shore their wives can take them to sell at the market right away. Sometimes merchants are waiting to buy them directly from the fishermen. The fishermen will be happy to sell them to you piecemeal or in small quantities if you get there when they come in.
Another way to get seafood is just to go to the market stall where fish are sold. The advantage here is that each boat catches a variety of different kinds of fish, and by looking around you have a good chance of finding the variety and size you want.
When preparing crabs, for example, simple steaming is enough. Fresh mackerel like pla thu can be grilled or fried. Pla insee can be grilled, too, if it isn't too large, as can squid.
If you are going to buy seafood, separate it into categories depending on how it cooks up best. There are types ideal for grilling. Then there are shore fish like pla sai and pla het khone that are small but meaty and tender, and are ideal for a tom yam where their flavour will come through delectably. Most large fish will have a strong odour that will be masked in a spicy kaeng pa.
Eat any of these dishes with good, hot rice and you'll have a meal that in itself justifies a trip to the seashore. You'll have fun, spend little and find one more of the things that make weekend travel in Thailand so enticing.
In some places there may be a canal but no mountains, and here the village will be located farther inland. There will be small shacks next to the canal where the boats are moored that the villagers use for shelter when repairing or cleaning their nets.
When you've found a fishing village or a place where fishermen moor their boats, ask what kinds of fish are caught there. The answer may differ from place to place. Some fishermen may go out for crabs, while others look for shore-loving fish or squid. In some areas like Pran Buri and Prachuap Khiri Khan the fishermen just set traps for squid.
Most boats return to shore at eight or nine in the morning. Fishermen who catch crabs have to remove them from the nets either at home or in their working shacks, and this can take some time. If you go to buy some in the morning you probably won't fail to get them.
The boats that go out after fish sometimes come back with prawns, too. The fishermen remove them from their nets and put them into bamboo trays while still at sea so that once they reach shore their wives can take them to sell at the market right away. Sometimes merchants are waiting to buy them directly from the fishermen. The fishermen will be happy to sell them to you piecemeal or in small quantities if you get there when they come in.
Another way to get seafood is just to go to the market stall where fish are sold. The advantage here is that each boat catches a variety of different kinds of fish, and by looking around you have a good chance of finding the variety and size you want.
When preparing crabs, for example, simple steaming is enough. Fresh mackerel like pla thu can be grilled or fried. Pla insee can be grilled, too, if it isn't too large, as can squid.
If you are going to buy seafood, separate it into categories depending on how it cooks up best. There are types ideal for grilling. Then there are shore fish like pla sai and pla het khone that are small but meaty and tender, and are ideal for a tom yam where their flavour will come through delectably. Most large fish will have a strong odour that will be masked in a spicy kaeng pa.
Eat any of these dishes with good, hot rice and you'll have a meal that in itself justifies a trip to the seashore. You'll have fun, spend little and find one more of the things that make weekend travel in Thailand so enticing.
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