The perfect one bite from Thailand: Part 2

The Market

 

If you have never been to a market in Thailand, you’re in for a treat. It’s semi-outdoors, meaning there are joint canopies that cover the tables to make up the many stalls that can be easily entered from the street. Each stall sells a specialty of some sort: fresh tropical fruit, homemade noodles, knock off brand bags, “I heart Phuket” tank tops, and so much more that constantly tempt the wallet. The vendors actively call out “hello-ka madam” or “good evening-ka sir” trying to get you to attend their wares. If you make an eye contact with a store clerk, you are quickly invited to touch an item or whisked away to enter their crowded store with immerse in the endless goodies.

There was no calling out or haggling at this local market on our second day in Phuket. We were the only tourists, with only Thai as the main language of communication. We used our fingers to point at the food we wanted, and ask for the price. To ask about the ingredients or its name was a luxury our hungry stomachs didn’t allow. Sometimes the vendor gave us the price in English, but more commonly, it was typed on the store calculator for both parties to check the numerical value at the same time.

In addition, this market only had food, with pick-up trucks piled high with pineapples, freshly butchered chunks or meat, and piles of green leaves for soups. There was also plenty of pre-made food, like curries, rice and noodles - much of it actively being packed in small plastic bags or containers ready to be taken away. Scooters and motorcycle traffic was constant, with people cueing then quickly leaving with what they need for the morning, whether it is curry with rice and vegetables, fresh flower wreaths for the alters, and of course, the internationally and locally famous Thai iced tea.

We took a quick walk around to see what is being offered at the different stalls, and then went back to stall where all the locals were lining up. A huge stainless steel bowl contained seasoned brown noodles. The older lady chef with glasses scooped one big scoop of the noodles with a wide metal spoon, then a few more strands onto a pre-cut banana leaf, which was topped with slivers of carrot, beansprouts, and scallions. Sprinkles of sugar, pepper flakes, and fried shallots were layered on top of the noodle mix, before the whole thing was wrapped up in to a triangular leaf bundle with a toothpick skewer.

These green bundles of noodles, along with a clear soup with a few pork meat and bones were selling one every few seconds. So naturally, we pointed to one so that we can try it. It was small portion, and while I was looking for more, I spotted the perfect one bite dish