Friday, December 30, 2005

Pim Pim & Pok Pok

While living in the USA I met online Pim Pim from Thailand.



I told her that my favorite food is Thai food, specifically the red-curry chicken in coconut milk.

She told me that her favorite food is Papaya Pok Pok.



So I visited a Thai restaurant but they never heard of it.

Later I moved to Malaysia where Thai food is very popular because they are very near Thailand. Once again I asked for Papaya Pok Pok but they never heard of it.

Finally I visited Thailand and I asked for Papaya Pok Pok but still nobody heard of it.

I was starting to think Pim Pim made it up as a joke so I searched Google and I found over 650 results. Pim Pim's sister Sri sent me this pic of her and Pim Pim about to enjoy some delicious Papaya Pok Pok.



She also sent me this pic. They are too cute so I had to include it.



I asked Pim Pim why nobody heard of it. She says that it is only famous in Bangkok. I visited a southern city in Thailand near the border of Malaysia where they cater to the tastes of Malaysian tourists.

I was warned that if I moved to Bangkok that I would love Papaya Pok Pok so much that I would eat it constantly and get very fat. If I love it as much as the Americanized Thai curry chicken in coconut milk, I can believe it.

If I had to choose between eating my favorite Americanized Thai red-curry chicken in coconut milk ... or sex, it would be a difficult choice.

I searched Google and found a Thai restaurant in Portland, Oregon that is named Pok Pok. Here is how it describes the dish.

Papaya Pok Pok - Green papaya salad with tomatoes, long beans, thai chili, lime, tamarind, dried shrimp, naam plaa, garlic, palm sugar and peanuts made to order in the pok-pok (mortar and pestle). $4.95

Wikipedia has a nice picture of it.




I also found the recipe and learned that it is also called Somtam.

Green Papaya Salad aka: Papaya Pok Pok (SomTum)

Ingredients

* 2 c Finely shredded Thai green papaya (note: When papaya is not available, carrot can be use as a substitute)
* 1 tomato cut into wedges
* 1/3 c roasted peanuts
* dried shrimp (as desire)
* 2 T sugar
* 2 T fish sauce
* 2 Large clove garlic
* 2 Lemon juice
* Fresh chili pepper (as desire)

Cook'em!!

* Pound together chili and garlic until fine. Add papaya, tomato, sugar, fish sauce, and lemon juice.
* Add peanuts, dried shrimp.
* Taste as desire. Serve with sliced cabbage
* Enjoy it!


I found another web page that says

Som Tam (Papaya salad) Affectionately known as " Papaya Pok Pok" this spicy salad originally from the northeast, is now a national favourite. Made from sliced green papaya, peanuts, dried shrimp, and raw vegetables, it's usually eaten as with sticky rice and fresh grilled chicken. Very tasty but spicy, so ask the cook to make it "my pet" (not spicy) if you don't want it too hot!

My quest for the "better than sex" orgasmic taste experience of Thai Papaya Pok Pok continues.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Pat I 've picture of papaya pok pok It's look good of color of food & delicious

Mon Jan 02, 05:21:00 AM 2006  

Post a Comment

<< Home