29/07/2024
Miang Kham (เมี่ยงคำ)
One of the famous and nutritious Thai snack, an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ITH) of Thailand*.
What it is:
"Miang" means a wrap of food, "Kham" a bite-size. Another meaning of "kham" is gold. As a whole, "miang ham" refers to a "one bite wrap" snack with an outstanding taste.
History:
This famous cultural Thai snack dates back for centuries. The ingredients consist of various local plants, herbs and dried shrimps:
Ingredients:
The pouch:
-Betel (ใบชะพลู) or Coral leaves (ใบทองหลาง)
-Lotus petals (กลีบบัวหลวง)
-Roasted sliced coconut (มะพร้าวคั่ว)
-Dried shrimp (กุ้งแห้ง)
-Roasted lotus seeds (เมล็ดบัว)
-Diced shallot (หอมแดง)
-Unpeeled diced lime: (มะนาว)
-Roasted peanuts (ถั่วลิสงคั่ว)
-Sliced pepper or bird-eye chilli (พริกขี้หนู)
-Diced ginger (ขิง)
-Diced Galangal (ข่า)
-Diced Garlic (กระเทียม)
-Sliced Lemongrass (ตะไคร้)
Miang Paste:
น้ำเมี่ยง Miang sauce or paste
-Coconut/palm sugar (น้ำตาลปึก)
-Shrimp paste (กะปิ)
-Roasted coconut (มะพร้าวคั่ว)
-Roasted peanuts (ถั่วลิสงคั่ว)
-Dried shrimp (กุ้งแห้ง)
-Shallot (หอมแดง)
-Rock salt (เกลือสินเธาว์)
-Etc.
The journey to the kaleidoscope of tastes:
-To prep for your journey, fold the fresh betel or coral leaf into a conical pouch, compose the pouch with a bit of every ingredient. Lastly, add a drip of the paste as its topping then wrap the whole thing into a comfortable bite-size.
-To start the journey, fill it in your mouth, chew it gently, explore and appreciate the complex kaleidoscopic flavours: sweet, sharp-sour, bitter, salty, spicy, nutty, peppery and umami, harmoniously burst to your taste and smell senses with an array of eclectic textures that slowly subsides until the journey ends. And you will ask for more!
Some Nutritional Facts:
200 Kcal per bite
Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat, Fiber, Vitamin C, A
Calcium, Sodium, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, Copper, Betacarotine, Antioxidants, Capsaicin, etc.
Nutritional Benefits of Miang Kham:
Maintenance of bones, bone marrow, tendons and skin
Cold and cough relief
Helps appetite
Improves digestion
Cures bloating and squeamish
Helps prevent acid reflux (GERD)
*Miang kham was registered in 2014 as an item of intangible cultural heritage by the Thai Ministry of Culture under the category of knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe.