Fermented Pickle Soup with Pak Kad Dong & Pork Spare Ribs

In this ongoing series, we ask food professionals for their top recommended fermented foods. This time we speak with Abe Kumiko, a chef specializing in Thai cuisine. Her pick is Thai pickled mustard greens known as pak-kaat-dorng. You can substitute any pickles you like, such as takana-zuke [pickled giant red mustard] or nozawana-zuke [pickled brassica mustard plant], if pak-kaat-dorng is hard to come by. Let’s enjoy this authentic, but simple soup with an immaculate blend of sourness and umami flavor created by fermentation.

Fermented seasonings are at the heart of Thai cooking

Abe Kumiko became fascinated with the depth of Thai cuisine while traveling the world. Thai cuisine has many distinctive regional dishes and a huge range of variations. “No matter how many times I visit Thailand, or how many times I cook Thai food, I never get tired of it,” says Abe.

This wealth of variations is made possible by the numerous fermented seasonings essential to Thai cooking.

Besides the well-known nam pla fish sauce, common Thai fermented seasonings, which come in many shapes and ingredients, include thua nao [dried fermented soybeans], which is used by lightly roasting it and then grinding it into a powder, kra-tiam-dorng [pickled garlic bulbs], and ka-pi [fermented krill and shrimp paste]

“Fermented seasonings are the foundation of Thai cuisine. Just as we in Japan might think about whether to flavor today’s stir-fry with miso or soy sauce, in Thailand, the choice of a fish sauce like nam pla or pla-raa, or ka-pi, a fermented shrimp paste, determines the dish’s flavor. They are so commonplace and familiar that people rarely consciously think of them as fermented foods.”

And just like miso and soy sauce, the flavors and tastes of nam pla, ka-pi, and other seasonings vary by the producer, the region of origin, and the degree of maturation.

“The north and south parts of the country have different go-to seasonings, which has fostered distinctive culinary cultures in each region. Thailand is also the only country in Southeast Asia that avoided colonization. That’s why Thailand’s unique food culture remains strong to this day, without having been overly influenced by outside forces. At the same time, Thailand has the flexibility to integrate other countries’ cuisines as part of Thai cuisine, rather than simply bringing them in as is. For example, dishes that incorporate Western elements, such as green curry pasta, have become popular in recent years. I feel that this is something Thailand has in common with Japan.”

Pak-kaat-dorng and spare rib soup — deliciously sour

When it comes to fermented foods in Thailand, pickles made from various vegetables such as daikon radish, mustard greens, and garlic are a must. They are used as ingredients in stir-fries and soups.

For this article, Abe shared a recipe for a sour soup made with pork on the bone. Pak-kaat-dorng pickles, made by salting and fermenting mustard greens, give the soup its saltiness, sourness, and distinctive umami.

Pak-kaat-dorng is one of the more commonly used pickles in Thai cooking. It has lower salt content than Japanese pickles typically have. It’s available at stores that carry ethnic foods and from online stores.

“The distinct flavor of the pickled vegetables instantly gives the soup that authentic Thai taste. Adding glass noodles or tofu is also delicious.”

The wisdom of fermentation brings the world together

“Thai food has a really ingrained image of being spicy. The truth is Thai cuisine has much more to offer than just spicy dishes. The vibe of the food is completely different between the north and the south of the country.”

While studying regional Thai dishes, Abe recalls her biggest surprise was the existence of fermented pork dishes.

“A popular fermented food in Thailand is naem, which is made by mixing pork and rice with salt and chili peppers and letting it ferment. Naem shares many similarities with Aomori’s ii-zushi [rice sushi]. It’s really incredible that similar foods made with fermentation came to be made in both hot Thailand and the harsh winters of Tohoku.”

Ii-zushi is a traditional preserve from the Tohoku region, made by layering rice, koji mold, and vegetables on top of fish and allowing it to ferment.

“In hotter regions, ingredients spoil easily, while snowy climes need to preserve food over winter. It’s clear these preservation methods were born out of necessity, with each region developing its own wisdom.”

Easily add a Thai flavor with fermented seasonings

These days, you can readily obtain seasonings from all over the world at supermarkets and imported food stores. However, quite a few people likely worry about not being able to use up the ethnic seasonings they buy.

Abe’s solution is to incorporate ethnic seasonings into regular Japanese fare, and not just when making Thai food.

“Nam pla is especially versatile. When seasoning soups, hot pots, or stir-fries, reducing the salt or soy sauce by half and adding nam pla will definitely deepen the flavor. And I recommend well-aged, mellow nam pla for raw foods. For example, having sashimi with nam pla gives a refreshing change of pace.”

Japanese cuisine, where adding soy sauce, miso, mirin rice wine, and other fermented seasonings is the norm, naturally lends itself to other fermented seasonings from around the world. Breaking free from the notion that nam pla is only for Thai food, for instance, might just expand the horizons of your everyday meals.

In our next installment, the baton passes to Takaya Kenichi, owner of Nihon Shuya, a restaurant that specializes in saké. Be sure to check out Takaya’s choice fermented foods.