Having gone to so many fresh markets in Asia, including the Philippines, I like taking pictures of the oddest or wonderful things they have in the fresh market. I love going to wet markets, everything is almost alive, or if not, in it’s uncooked form. All sorts of odd vegetables, herbs, fish, and other animals fit for consumption show how rich the cuisine is in the area. So here are the goodies I found in a Chiang Mai wet market:
Instant fried meats – In most places in Thailand, I’ve realized Thai really do love snacking. They only need a small plastic bag and barbeque stick to enjoy a sausage with all the vegetable condiments in it. For Chiang Mai, I’ve seen so much fried chicken around, already chopped up. But for the Chiang Mai market, whole chickens are breaded and fried…as well as other fresh items that can be pulled out of the other stalls.
Baby Bitter Gourds – well, I took a picture of this because it was so beautiful. I could almost feel the crunch and the slight bitterness of these tiny green veggies.
Snake Heads – these fish look very beautiful as fingerlings, and then they turn into these ugly monsters as they age. But! These are just the best saltcrusted and grilled in the streets! The flesh is so white and the oil content makes it tender when cooked properly.
Fresh Frogs – well these didn’t look too appetizing. It looked like a bunch of Budweiser victims piled up after a drive-by. But anyways, this is something pretty interesting. You don’t see them piled up this way like so many people are going to take them off the shelves instantly. It must be good.
Fresh Rats – well these scared the hell out of me. Personally, I haven’t tried rats. I don’t think I can eat them unless I’m sure they’re farmed, fed with the best food, and caged properly to avoid disease. They have these in certain regions in the Philippines and people find them safe to eat just as long as their from the rice paddies…someday, maybe…not now.
Catfish – these kinds of catfish I only see in petstores here in the Philippines, and we actually buy them and try to make them grow here in fish tanks. In Chiang Mai, they seem to be a food source, and they grow really big, enough to shame any fish aficionado.
Well, I’m really trying to catch up on my writing since I have like 10 articles piled up and I’m leaving again, this time for Khao Yai next week!
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