Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) Tourist Guide


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MOO KHA TA
A NEW WAY OF EATING

by Graeme Monaghan

Although it is rare, every now and then there comes along a change in our eating habits and styles. A few years ago the world became gripped by the fever of eating pizza as though there was nothing else available, and that has continued to this day to a certain extent. Though the Italians have been eating them for centuries, the rest of the world discovered them about thirty years ago, and look what has happened. One could even say it has become fashionable to pick up the phone and order up a pizza, which will arrive within minutes, delivered by a man riding a motorbike at breakneck speed. And soon afterwards everybody is happily munching away on a pepperoni and pineapple or some other such weird combination of foodstuffs. It seems that everybody likes a pizza at some time or other. I may be the sole exception to this newfound golden rule, as I don�t particularly like them but that�s another story.

Decades before the pizza revolution began we saw the introduction of such delicacies as hot dogs, hamburgers, spring rolls, and of course the indispensable French fries, for which I confess to having a genuine weakness.

Of course we all know about the transformation in the dispensing of what are commonly known as �fast foods�, which have certainly altered the eating habits of many. Frankly though, I have serious doubts as to whether or not some of these can seriously be described as �food� (including some of the above mentioned), a statement, I well know, may lose me a lot of friends, especially those engaged in the fast-food industry.

Right here in Chiang Mai there has been, of late, a minor revolution in eating habits with the introduction of moo kha ta style of dining, and I believe it to be a good one. And what is moo kha ta? I hear you ask. Well it is not a new type of food, such as pizza or cheeseburgers; it is more or less, a new approach to dining out. You see, eating the moo kha ta way has several things going for it, all of which I find acceptable. Like many, I had not heard of it a couple of years ago until I was taken to a restaurant in Hang Dong Road, and was pleasantly surprised. Since then, I have been to several others, and all seem to be somewhat in equal quality, which is a very nice thing.

Firstly, and very importantly, it is incredibly cheap. Most places around town charge about 69 baht per person, and you can eat all you want for that price. (So you see what I mean by �incredibly cheap�.) Secondly, you get to choose your own food from the refrigerated buffet cabinet, and that is a big plus for me personally. I must admit I am not fond of being served food by someone who tells me it is delicious when it may taste like something that had just risen from the depths of the Black Swamp. Lastly, but not least, you cook everything yourself at the table. This means you can take your time, cook what you want when you want, and eat and drink at a leisurely pace. A very large Thai cooking dish, with a high centre and a moat of water round the outer rim is placed on the table before you. Beneath is a pile of those burning coals that are seemingly endless, and away you go. On top of the cooker are placed several strips of pork fat, not for consumption (unless you are a raving lunatic), but to avoid the food sticking to the cooker. You see, as the fat melts it puts a surface on the dish to eliminate that possibility. Very clever indeed. The selection cabinet usually carries such dishes a squid, boneless fish, pork liver, shellfish, thinly sliced pork rib, and added to these, a wide variety of vegetables.

Basically, you grill the meats on the top part of the cooker, which is above the waterline, and the veggies go into the water. This means that you have the choice of barbequing your food or boiling it; the latter system I usually use for the fish. Things such as squid and pork rib I prefer barbequed. It is worth noting that squid must be cooked quickly or it gets a little too tough, which is another reason I enjoy cooking my own. The same applies to pork liver. Overcook, and it�s ruined, but done just right, it�s delicious. At least, in my opinion anyway, and I�m the one who is eating the stuff. The vegetables are another plus. A large variety of them and, once again, you can cook them to the texture you like best, and I personally am not enamoured of overcooked veggies. Finally, I must mention one of my favourite parts of moo kha ta dining, and that is the glass noodles and green spaghetti that is available. Dunked in the boiling water for only a minute or two and you have a delightful addition to the rest of the fare. Yes, I must admit I am a great fan of moo kha ta. Not that I would want to eat it every night, or even once a week, but for something a little different, inexpensive and enjoyable as well, it can be a very pleasant evening out.

One only has to look around at the number of people who patronize these places to understand how popular it has become. You should try it some time.