Bunches of coconuts in various stages of maturity.
The answer is yes and no.
In the past, the coconuts used in cooking were harvested when they were still young and green, and sold for their tender meat and sweet juice. After a new variety called maphrao nam hom - which literally translates to "coconut with a fragrant juice" - was developed, the former lost favour and most of the green coconuts now sold at the market are of the new variety.
Maphrao nam hom seems to have been developed specially to be eaten when it is still green. Its juice and young, tender meat have a certain fragrance lacking in the old variety, and are also sweeter. The tree is more prolific, and as it is only about two to three metres tall, the nuts are easier to harvest than those of the cooking variety, which grows to about 20-metres tall.
In Thailand coconut trees are planted on large plantations and small groves. They can be seen along seashores, as well as in gardens where the maphrao nam hom graces the front lawn while the coconut used in cooking towers in the backyard.
Nearly all provinces in Thailand have coconut trees but the southern provinces, from Phetchaburi and Chumphon down to Samui island in Surat Thani, are known for their plantations of coconuts used in cooking, while Sam Phran in Nakhon Pathom is famous for maphrao nam hom.
The coconut tree starts bearing fruit about seven years after planting, and reaches full bearing capacity when it is 10 years old. The fruiting starts when a solid green sheath, known as the spathe or spadix, appears among the green leaves that look like giant fern fronds.
After a few days the spadix opens to expose the flowers, which are transformed into coconuts after pollination by friendly insects. Every month hence, a new spadix appears and new flowers open, until the base of the leaves are surrounded by about a dozen bunches or clusters of nuts in varying stages of maturity.
Seven or eight months after pollination, the coconut can be harvested as the prized maphrao awn, or green coconut, which is sold for its sweet, refreshing juice. At this age the white, jelly-like meat that lines the inside of the shell can be easily scraped from the shell with a spoon and is also eaten.
MATURE COCONUTS FOR COOKING: The coconut reaches maturity 12 months after pollination.
At 10 months, the coconut is either too old to be served as a beverage as the water has turned bland. Its meat, still too young to be pressed for milk, can no longer be scraped with a spoon and has to be grated off the shell for use as a topping or garnish for sweets and desserts.
Twelve months after pollination, the coconut reaches maturity and begins to turn brown. Once it is brown, the shell is removed from the husk and split in half. The white meat, on the average about 10mm thick, is grated off the shell and then hand-pressed for its milk. It is this milk that is used for cooking the many dishes and desserts of which Thailand is known for.
As each bunch of coconuts matures, the accompanying leaf also starts to dry up, turns brown, and eventually drops off. However, there is nothing to worry about, as new leaves and new bunches of fruit will appear at the crown in a continuous process of renewal that goes on and on for at least 60 years.
At old age, the tree no longer responds to care, its leaves become narrow and fruiting becomes irregular. However, plantation owners usually do not wait for their trees to die of old age. After the trees have been bearing fruit for 30 to 40 years, they start to replace these with new seedlings.
Some plantation owners do not even wait that long to replace old trees. When a new, better variety that brings better returns comes up, they replace the old trees with the new variety, which is the reason why most of the green coconuts now sold at Bangkok's markets are maphrao nam hom.
However, in southern Thailand, where coconuts used in cooking are more prevalent, I am sure you can still buy green coconuts of the old variety.
Some people avoid eating dishes using coconut because they think it is oily and fattening, but studies have found that coconut oil in fact is good for the health and has many healing properties. But that's another story.
Post your comments or questions about plants and gardening on the readers' forum at http://www.thaigreenfingers.com, or email to normita@thaigreenfingers.com.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Fruit exporters seal deal
Chanthaburi fruit exporters have made a business agreement with China Shipping Bangkok Co to use the liner as its main carrier for transporting produce abroad.
The agreement was signed yesterday by the association of fresh and frozen fruit exporters of Chanthaburi, the provincial administration organisation, and the shipping line.
Under the agreement, local exporters agree to supply a sufficient volume of fresh and frozen fruit of at least 500 containers next season while the liner will provide more stable freight rates,especially for export routes to cities in China, a major Thai fruit destination.
Pojana Sudsaweang, vice-president of G All Season Co, the province's leading fruit exporter, said China Shipping offered a rate of US$1,100 for a 40-foot container delivery to Guangzhou.
The exporters also asked the liner to stabilise rates to other routes such as the US.
To ensure the association has enough supply next year, it has joined with the provincial administration, with support from the Internal Trade Department, to open a new fruit centre in Tha Mai,Chanthaburi over the weekend to serve as a hub to assemble fresh produce from around the province.
A source from the Internal Trade Department said the centre, built under the government's economic stimulus package, was also designed as a regional centre for gathering and distributing agricultural products for export because of its ideal location near the Gulf of Thailand.
According to the source, the department has obtained about 100 million baht from the stimulus budget to build farm markets in several provinces.
The agreement was signed yesterday by the association of fresh and frozen fruit exporters of Chanthaburi, the provincial administration organisation, and the shipping line.
Under the agreement, local exporters agree to supply a sufficient volume of fresh and frozen fruit of at least 500 containers next season while the liner will provide more stable freight rates,especially for export routes to cities in China, a major Thai fruit destination.
Pojana Sudsaweang, vice-president of G All Season Co, the province's leading fruit exporter, said China Shipping offered a rate of US$1,100 for a 40-foot container delivery to Guangzhou.
The exporters also asked the liner to stabilise rates to other routes such as the US.
To ensure the association has enough supply next year, it has joined with the provincial administration, with support from the Internal Trade Department, to open a new fruit centre in Tha Mai,Chanthaburi over the weekend to serve as a hub to assemble fresh produce from around the province.
A source from the Internal Trade Department said the centre, built under the government's economic stimulus package, was also designed as a regional centre for gathering and distributing agricultural products for export because of its ideal location near the Gulf of Thailand.
According to the source, the department has obtained about 100 million baht from the stimulus budget to build farm markets in several provinces.
HIDDEN BEAUTY
Climbing fig, whose flowers are never seen,can be grown from cuttings with rewarding results By Normita Thongtham
My mother, who is visiting from the Philippines, is wondering why the climbing fig (Ficus pumila , or teen took kae in Thai) covering our fence suddenly has many fruit but she had not seen any flowers.
I told her that the green, pear-shaped "fruit" are actually the flowers. However,they are neither called fruit nor flowers,but syconia (singular syconium).
Figs are one of nature's greatest wonders.They bear tiny white flowers but no matter what species, no one ever sees them because they are clustered inside an outer covering, hidden from the human eye.
The only creature which sees the flowers is a special kind of wasp, which pollinates them by entering a small opening at the bottom of the syconium to lay its eggs.You will know that the flowers have been pollinated when the syconium becomes swollen. As it ripens, its colour turns from green to red, yellow, yellow-green, orange or maroon, depending on the fig's species.
Birds like to eat figs. They then scatter the seeds through their droppings. If you have been wondering why suddenly there is a banyan tree (Ficus religiosa ) seedling growing in your garden or on the crack in your fence, now you know how it turned up there.
Some seeds are deposited on the branches of trees, where they grow up to eventually strangle the host trees to death and take their place. You can see a perfect example of this in the grounds of Wat Bovornnives Voraviharn near Bang Lamphu in Bangkok, where a huge tree no less than 60 years old is now almost completely taken over by a strangler fig.
Thailand has several native species of figs. In the wild they can be seen growing near waterfalls or along streams. Most are non-edible, although some Thais in the North and Northeast found that the tasteless, unripe syconia of Ficus auriculata ,known locally as dua wa , could be eaten when cut in half, soaked in water and then cooked into kaeng som , a spicy sweetsour vegetable soup. In the South crunchy native figs are eaten with kanom jeen nam ya , or fresh vermicelli with fish curry topping.
Few Thais, however, like to eat the edible fig,Ficus carica . In last week's 'Green Fingers', I mentioned that my husband,ML Charuphant, likes fresh fig and to solve the problem of root rot and ensure that he gets a steady supply of the fruit, he planted figs in plastic baskets right outside his office in the Kasetsart University compound. Whenever a fig ripens, he gets to eat it fresh from the tree.
Except for birds and squirrels, he has no competition. His workers dare not eat the fruit, as they believe the filaments inside the fig are worms. They think that as the wasp entered the syconium to lay its eggs,the larvae would have nowhere else to go but live or die inside the fig. I say that if the larvae had died inside the fruit, then there would be no wasps left to propagate the figs.
Not all figs get pollinated. For years my climbing fig has been bearing syconia,which grow to nearly the size of a small hen's egg and remain on the plant for several months without being pollinated.This could be because the wasp that pollinates this particular species is lacking in our area.
Climbing fig is not easy to propagate from cuttings but once it is established, it is one of the easiest figs to grow and maintain. It thrives in almost all kinds of soil with good drainage and a sunny area. If planting it along a fence or wall, space plants 20 to 30cm apart. However, make sure that the fence or wall on which you want it to climb is not painted, as climbing fig seems to be put off by a painted surface.
Post your comments or questions on the readers'forum at www.thaigreenfingers.com, or by email to normita@thaigreenfingers.com.
My mother, who is visiting from the Philippines, is wondering why the climbing fig (Ficus pumila , or teen took kae in Thai) covering our fence suddenly has many fruit but she had not seen any flowers.
I told her that the green, pear-shaped "fruit" are actually the flowers. However,they are neither called fruit nor flowers,but syconia (singular syconium).
Figs are one of nature's greatest wonders.They bear tiny white flowers but no matter what species, no one ever sees them because they are clustered inside an outer covering, hidden from the human eye.
The only creature which sees the flowers is a special kind of wasp, which pollinates them by entering a small opening at the bottom of the syconium to lay its eggs.You will know that the flowers have been pollinated when the syconium becomes swollen. As it ripens, its colour turns from green to red, yellow, yellow-green, orange or maroon, depending on the fig's species.
Birds like to eat figs. They then scatter the seeds through their droppings. If you have been wondering why suddenly there is a banyan tree (Ficus religiosa ) seedling growing in your garden or on the crack in your fence, now you know how it turned up there.
Some seeds are deposited on the branches of trees, where they grow up to eventually strangle the host trees to death and take their place. You can see a perfect example of this in the grounds of Wat Bovornnives Voraviharn near Bang Lamphu in Bangkok, where a huge tree no less than 60 years old is now almost completely taken over by a strangler fig.
Thailand has several native species of figs. In the wild they can be seen growing near waterfalls or along streams. Most are non-edible, although some Thais in the North and Northeast found that the tasteless, unripe syconia of Ficus auriculata ,known locally as dua wa , could be eaten when cut in half, soaked in water and then cooked into kaeng som , a spicy sweetsour vegetable soup. In the South crunchy native figs are eaten with kanom jeen nam ya , or fresh vermicelli with fish curry topping.
Few Thais, however, like to eat the edible fig,Ficus carica . In last week's 'Green Fingers', I mentioned that my husband,ML Charuphant, likes fresh fig and to solve the problem of root rot and ensure that he gets a steady supply of the fruit, he planted figs in plastic baskets right outside his office in the Kasetsart University compound. Whenever a fig ripens, he gets to eat it fresh from the tree.
Except for birds and squirrels, he has no competition. His workers dare not eat the fruit, as they believe the filaments inside the fig are worms. They think that as the wasp entered the syconium to lay its eggs,the larvae would have nowhere else to go but live or die inside the fig. I say that if the larvae had died inside the fruit, then there would be no wasps left to propagate the figs.
Not all figs get pollinated. For years my climbing fig has been bearing syconia,which grow to nearly the size of a small hen's egg and remain on the plant for several months without being pollinated.This could be because the wasp that pollinates this particular species is lacking in our area.
Climbing fig is not easy to propagate from cuttings but once it is established, it is one of the easiest figs to grow and maintain. It thrives in almost all kinds of soil with good drainage and a sunny area. If planting it along a fence or wall, space plants 20 to 30cm apart. However, make sure that the fence or wall on which you want it to climb is not painted, as climbing fig seems to be put off by a painted surface.
Post your comments or questions on the readers'forum at www.thaigreenfingers.com, or by email to normita@thaigreenfingers.com.
Friday, September 4, 2009
GETTING TO THE MEAT OF THE ISSUE
Our resident vegetarian shares her experience of surviving in the "City of Carnivores".
Like a heretic, witch, or communist, I too have been branded.
Unlike my historically persecuted counterparts, my plight isn't rooted in grand religious or political causes, but something more humble - vegetarianism.
I know what it feels like to don a scarlet "V" as the one who cannot indulge in meat deluxe, seafood cocktail or bacon super delight when I go out with friends for a fine gourmet pizza.
I've been quite successful in resisting temptation since jumping on the herbivorous bandwagon almost two years ago. Bangkok even has the annual Kin Jae (vegetarian) Festival every October, which helps. But special treatment isn't afforded to my kind regularly. Socially, sometimes being vegetarian feels like an imposition, especially when it comes to eating with different groups of people in various situations.
Before Bangkok transforms into a haven for vegetarians next month, I've decided to share some of my meat-free experiences. This is my story of coping in the City of Carnivores.
THE VEGETARIAN MEETS A CURIOUS CARNIVORE
"So why did you decide to become vegetarian?"
It's a question all veggies have been asked by inquisitive non-veggies meeting them for the first time.Carnivores then tend to look at us expectantly, as if our answer will solve the mystery of why traffic always seems to move when you get out of the taxi to walk.
While we may be tempted to respond,"I decided to be vegetarian for the same reasons you chose to be annoying," don't let your crankiness get the better of you. That just gives people even more of a reason to dismiss vegetarians as a strange breed of irritable hippies.
From one diplomatic vegetarian to another, a better answer would be:"Well dear sire, the decision to eliminate meat from my diet is a complex story that spans decades of experience. In my sleep one night,I heard a voice telling me to follow the path of the papaya and that I would find a pot of somtam at the end."
What's wrong with a little sarcasm? It's bad enough that many non-vegetarians think we gave up meat because we want something good to happen to us in return. That's what going to temples, making merit,and joining charitable organisations are for. And of course, you can always borrow my line:"I'm a ThaiIndian girl, who does yoga and has her nose pierced, so isn't the next logical step for me to become a vegetarian?"
THE VEGETARIAN EATS WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY
All vegetarians should know that the love of true friends and family can be measured by how much meat an individual is willing to forego to accommodate them.
Being vegetarian becomes a little more complex when it's commonplace to have "family style meals" in Bangkok, where someone hogging their own dish is frowned upon. The nerve! But non-vegetarians should know better than to invite us out if they're not willing to get the ham on the side.
The best advice I can offer is to ensure that you train friends and family to compromise when it comes to different dietary preferences. In my case, the ordering process often sounds like this:Person 1:I really want the tom yam goong , chicken fried rice, and pla neung manao !Person 2:Yeah me too, but Sumati is here! We can't get that.Person 1:How about we get the tom yam without the shrimp, the fried rice without chicken, and just neung manao so she can eat it?Sumati:Aww, guys! Don't forget, no egg in the khao pad either!
THE VEGETARIAN EATS WITH CO-WORKERS
One of the best things about eating lunch at work - not to be confused with the other 50 times Thai people eat at the office - is going out for a particular type of meal. Tuesdays may be the day the lady who sells the best kuay tiew ped is in the area; Wednesdays may be khao man gai day; Thursdays is for yam pla dook foo - the choices are endless. Unfortunately, you'll rarely see people lining up around the soi for the best carrot vendor ever!
We vegetarians don't care if you want to be hunter-gatherers and obtain your moo krata , so nonvegetarian colleagues should really stop looking at us with pity. We really don't mind finding our own leafy vegetables elsewhere, and honestly, the sight of seeing you slurp cow's blood isn't really conducive to our beliefs. I don't mind when my esteemed colleagues want to indulge in "bird gizzard Fridays". Here's what some of my co-workers have to say about what it feels like to have a vegetarian tagging along to eat:Arglit,editor:"Eat meat or I'll sack you."Adam,sub-editor:"I don't mind eating with vegetarians. It's Sumati I can't stand."Oz, writer:"Bringing a vegetarian to dinner is like bringing your cousin with Tourette's syndrome; you love the dude but secretly wish they would get hit by a bus."
THE VEGETARIAN GOES ON A DATE
Contrary to what you may think, vegetarians don't need to date other vegetarians for a relationship to work. It's actually quite great to be the one with "special dietary needs" because you often get to choose the restaurant and you can always blame your crankiness on lack of vitamin B12.
The biggest problem some vegetarians face is the first date, especially when the potential Mr Sumati doesn't know that you're a veggie and takes you to a super-fancy seafood restaurant, with absolutely no vegetarian options on the menu.
In fact, each item sounds something like:"We mated a shrimp and a scallop to get a shrallop, then we mated that with tuna to get shrallopuna, and then finally threw in a shark for good measure to bring you shrallopunark!"
So what's an upstanding vegetarian like me to do in this situation? Well, I can tell you what I did, and I won't lie. I got the scallops.G
VEGGIE FOR LIFE
Helpful tips for maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet:
Add variety to your diet by incorporating lots of fruit and vegetables in a whole range of colours. Having a rainbow on your plate provides different nutritional benefits.
Protein is needed for healthy skin, bones,and muscles. Obtain this from soy products,lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and dairy.
Get your calcium from dark green vegetables such as spinach, kale, and broccoli.
Vitamin B12 is important in preventing anemia. While this nutrient is usually found in animal products, it can be obtained by taking a vitamin supplement, or in dairy products and egg.
Fill your iron intake with leafy green vegetables, beans, dried fruit, and enriched cereals.
Don't leave out zinc, which is important for the formation of protein. Nibble on whole grains and nuts.
Although Thai food uses lots of nam pla and nam man hoy to season dishes,vegetarians can ask for a light soy sauce.
If you find yourself eating a dish that has been cooked in a meaty stock - which is often the case - ignore it! Sometimes you have no choice but to move on!
KNOWYOUR ONIONS
Not all vegetarians are created equal. Different types of vegetarianism include:
Semi-Vegetarians (aka Flexitarians)
This person says,"I'm a vegetarian but I eat meat occasionally." Semi-vegetarians limit the amount of animal products consumed. Although it hasn't been proven, these people probably also say,"I'm a man, but I dress up like a girl occasionally." Subsets of this category can include "pescatarians", who eat fish.
Ovo-Lacto
the most common type Vegetarians This is of vegetarian. They don't eat meat, but eat eggs and dairy products.
Lacto Vegetarian Dairy products are acceptable for this kind of veg-head, but eggs are not. It's estimated Indians make up at least 70 per cent of the lactovegetarians in the world, based on a 2004 census study reported in The Hindu newspaper.
Fruitarians Although this sounds like a superhero, fruitarians eat, surprise, fruit!Fruit is consumed raw, and can include pineapples, mangoes, and berries. The fruitarian also consumes tomatoes,cucumbers, olives, seeds, and nuts. Another similar category to fruitarians are "raw or living foodists" who only eat uncooked food.
Vegans Don't even think about ingesting animal products if you're a vegan! Anything that comes from an animal is rejected by this type,including eggs, dairy, and honey.We wonder if vegans eat grass that a cow has stepped on?
EAT YOUR GREENS
You don't have to starve as a vegetarian in Bangkok. Here are some vegetarian (and vegfriendly) restaurants around the city:
Govinda (Italian)
6/5-6/6 Sukhumvit Soi 22. Open 11:30am-3pm,6pm-11pm; closed Tuesdays.02-663-4970.
Anotai (organic dishes also
Rama 9 Road, behind available)976/17 Rama 9 Hospital. Open 10am-9:30pm; closed Wednesdays.02-641-5366.
Dosa King (Indian)
153/7 Sukhumvit Soi 11/1. Open daily 11am-11pm.02-651-1700.
Khun Churn
G/F Bangkok Mediplex,Sukhumvit Soi 42. Open daily 10am-9pm.02-713-6599.
Chijuya (Japanese)
2/F Fifty-Fifth Plaza,Thong Lor Soi 2 (Sukhumvit Soi 55).Open daily 11:30am-2pm,5:30pm-9pm.02-392-1877.
May Kaidee (restaurant and cooking school)
Two locations at Ratchadamnoen Road,Bang Lamphu, near Khao San road; Walk around to the alley parallel to Tanao Road (behind Burger King);third location at 33 Samsen Soi 1. All locations open daily 9am-11pm.02-281-7699,www.maykaidee.com.
Like a heretic, witch, or communist, I too have been branded.
Unlike my historically persecuted counterparts, my plight isn't rooted in grand religious or political causes, but something more humble - vegetarianism.
I know what it feels like to don a scarlet "V" as the one who cannot indulge in meat deluxe, seafood cocktail or bacon super delight when I go out with friends for a fine gourmet pizza.
I've been quite successful in resisting temptation since jumping on the herbivorous bandwagon almost two years ago. Bangkok even has the annual Kin Jae (vegetarian) Festival every October, which helps. But special treatment isn't afforded to my kind regularly. Socially, sometimes being vegetarian feels like an imposition, especially when it comes to eating with different groups of people in various situations.
Before Bangkok transforms into a haven for vegetarians next month, I've decided to share some of my meat-free experiences. This is my story of coping in the City of Carnivores.
THE VEGETARIAN MEETS A CURIOUS CARNIVORE
"So why did you decide to become vegetarian?"
It's a question all veggies have been asked by inquisitive non-veggies meeting them for the first time.Carnivores then tend to look at us expectantly, as if our answer will solve the mystery of why traffic always seems to move when you get out of the taxi to walk.
While we may be tempted to respond,"I decided to be vegetarian for the same reasons you chose to be annoying," don't let your crankiness get the better of you. That just gives people even more of a reason to dismiss vegetarians as a strange breed of irritable hippies.
From one diplomatic vegetarian to another, a better answer would be:"Well dear sire, the decision to eliminate meat from my diet is a complex story that spans decades of experience. In my sleep one night,I heard a voice telling me to follow the path of the papaya and that I would find a pot of somtam at the end."
What's wrong with a little sarcasm? It's bad enough that many non-vegetarians think we gave up meat because we want something good to happen to us in return. That's what going to temples, making merit,and joining charitable organisations are for. And of course, you can always borrow my line:"I'm a ThaiIndian girl, who does yoga and has her nose pierced, so isn't the next logical step for me to become a vegetarian?"
THE VEGETARIAN EATS WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY
All vegetarians should know that the love of true friends and family can be measured by how much meat an individual is willing to forego to accommodate them.
Being vegetarian becomes a little more complex when it's commonplace to have "family style meals" in Bangkok, where someone hogging their own dish is frowned upon. The nerve! But non-vegetarians should know better than to invite us out if they're not willing to get the ham on the side.
The best advice I can offer is to ensure that you train friends and family to compromise when it comes to different dietary preferences. In my case, the ordering process often sounds like this:Person 1:I really want the tom yam goong , chicken fried rice, and pla neung manao !Person 2:Yeah me too, but Sumati is here! We can't get that.Person 1:How about we get the tom yam without the shrimp, the fried rice without chicken, and just neung manao so she can eat it?Sumati:Aww, guys! Don't forget, no egg in the khao pad either!
THE VEGETARIAN EATS WITH CO-WORKERS
One of the best things about eating lunch at work - not to be confused with the other 50 times Thai people eat at the office - is going out for a particular type of meal. Tuesdays may be the day the lady who sells the best kuay tiew ped is in the area; Wednesdays may be khao man gai day; Thursdays is for yam pla dook foo - the choices are endless. Unfortunately, you'll rarely see people lining up around the soi for the best carrot vendor ever!
We vegetarians don't care if you want to be hunter-gatherers and obtain your moo krata , so nonvegetarian colleagues should really stop looking at us with pity. We really don't mind finding our own leafy vegetables elsewhere, and honestly, the sight of seeing you slurp cow's blood isn't really conducive to our beliefs. I don't mind when my esteemed colleagues want to indulge in "bird gizzard Fridays". Here's what some of my co-workers have to say about what it feels like to have a vegetarian tagging along to eat:Arglit,editor:"Eat meat or I'll sack you."Adam,sub-editor:"I don't mind eating with vegetarians. It's Sumati I can't stand."Oz, writer:"Bringing a vegetarian to dinner is like bringing your cousin with Tourette's syndrome; you love the dude but secretly wish they would get hit by a bus."
THE VEGETARIAN GOES ON A DATE
Contrary to what you may think, vegetarians don't need to date other vegetarians for a relationship to work. It's actually quite great to be the one with "special dietary needs" because you often get to choose the restaurant and you can always blame your crankiness on lack of vitamin B12.
The biggest problem some vegetarians face is the first date, especially when the potential Mr Sumati doesn't know that you're a veggie and takes you to a super-fancy seafood restaurant, with absolutely no vegetarian options on the menu.
In fact, each item sounds something like:"We mated a shrimp and a scallop to get a shrallop, then we mated that with tuna to get shrallopuna, and then finally threw in a shark for good measure to bring you shrallopunark!"
So what's an upstanding vegetarian like me to do in this situation? Well, I can tell you what I did, and I won't lie. I got the scallops.G
VEGGIE FOR LIFE
Helpful tips for maintaining a healthy vegetarian diet:
Add variety to your diet by incorporating lots of fruit and vegetables in a whole range of colours. Having a rainbow on your plate provides different nutritional benefits.
Protein is needed for healthy skin, bones,and muscles. Obtain this from soy products,lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and dairy.
Get your calcium from dark green vegetables such as spinach, kale, and broccoli.
Vitamin B12 is important in preventing anemia. While this nutrient is usually found in animal products, it can be obtained by taking a vitamin supplement, or in dairy products and egg.
Fill your iron intake with leafy green vegetables, beans, dried fruit, and enriched cereals.
Don't leave out zinc, which is important for the formation of protein. Nibble on whole grains and nuts.
Although Thai food uses lots of nam pla and nam man hoy to season dishes,vegetarians can ask for a light soy sauce.
If you find yourself eating a dish that has been cooked in a meaty stock - which is often the case - ignore it! Sometimes you have no choice but to move on!
KNOWYOUR ONIONS
Not all vegetarians are created equal. Different types of vegetarianism include:
Semi-Vegetarians (aka Flexitarians)
This person says,"I'm a vegetarian but I eat meat occasionally." Semi-vegetarians limit the amount of animal products consumed. Although it hasn't been proven, these people probably also say,"I'm a man, but I dress up like a girl occasionally." Subsets of this category can include "pescatarians", who eat fish.
Ovo-Lacto
the most common type Vegetarians This is of vegetarian. They don't eat meat, but eat eggs and dairy products.
Lacto Vegetarian Dairy products are acceptable for this kind of veg-head, but eggs are not. It's estimated Indians make up at least 70 per cent of the lactovegetarians in the world, based on a 2004 census study reported in The Hindu newspaper.
Fruitarians Although this sounds like a superhero, fruitarians eat, surprise, fruit!Fruit is consumed raw, and can include pineapples, mangoes, and berries. The fruitarian also consumes tomatoes,cucumbers, olives, seeds, and nuts. Another similar category to fruitarians are "raw or living foodists" who only eat uncooked food.
Vegans Don't even think about ingesting animal products if you're a vegan! Anything that comes from an animal is rejected by this type,including eggs, dairy, and honey.We wonder if vegans eat grass that a cow has stepped on?
EAT YOUR GREENS
You don't have to starve as a vegetarian in Bangkok. Here are some vegetarian (and vegfriendly) restaurants around the city:
Govinda (Italian)
6/5-6/6 Sukhumvit Soi 22. Open 11:30am-3pm,6pm-11pm; closed Tuesdays.02-663-4970.
Anotai (organic dishes also
Rama 9 Road, behind available)976/17 Rama 9 Hospital. Open 10am-9:30pm; closed Wednesdays.02-641-5366.
Dosa King (Indian)
153/7 Sukhumvit Soi 11/1. Open daily 11am-11pm.02-651-1700.
Khun Churn
G/F Bangkok Mediplex,Sukhumvit Soi 42. Open daily 10am-9pm.02-713-6599.
Chijuya (Japanese)
2/F Fifty-Fifth Plaza,Thong Lor Soi 2 (Sukhumvit Soi 55).Open daily 11:30am-2pm,5:30pm-9pm.02-392-1877.
May Kaidee (restaurant and cooking school)
Two locations at Ratchadamnoen Road,Bang Lamphu, near Khao San road; Walk around to the alley parallel to Tanao Road (behind Burger King);third location at 33 Samsen Soi 1. All locations open daily 9am-11pm.02-281-7699,www.maykaidee.com.
Mango plan to boost exports
The Agriculture Ministry is developing a five-year strategic plan to promote sustainable growth in mango exports.
The plan, due to be implemented from 2010-14, would include plantation zoning, initially for the six eastern provinces,where premium-grade mangoes are grown. The provinces are Chachoengsao,Nakhon Nayok, Samut Prakan, Sa Kaeo,Prachin Buri and Chon Buri.
Mango cultivation in the region has plunged despite strong market demand,especially in export markets, said the Office of Agricultural Economics.
Land dedicated to growing mangoes has shrunk by 5% to about 160,500 rai this year - down from 169,300 rai last year - as farmers have switched to cash crops such as rubber and cassava, said Boonlap Sowanna, chief of the OAE's Zone 6 development and planning division.
Mango output from the six provinces dropped by almost 30% to 84,200 tonnes this year, down from 117,000 last year.
Meanwhile, foreign markets have shown strong demand -especially Japan, which imported about 1,500 tonnes of mangoes from Thailand last year, also sources the fruit from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Germany.
The agency has organised several meetings with growers, processors and exporters and will hold more talks before completing the strategy for implementation next year, said Mr Boonlap.
Promoting mangoes as a commercial crop will include registering growers,zoning each variety of mango, improving logistics and upgrading plantations to meet Good Agricultural Practice.
The plan aims at increasing the six provinces' annual output of mangoes to 126,000 tonnes by 2014. An average yield of 848 kilogrammes of mango per rai is targeted for 2014, up from 565 kg this year, to improve growers' income.
The production of export-oriented varieties of mango - Nam Doc Mai, Kiew Savoey, Maha Chanok and Choke Anan,Rad and Pimsen Daeng - would be increased to meet rising demand from both international and local markets.
The plan, due to be implemented from 2010-14, would include plantation zoning, initially for the six eastern provinces,where premium-grade mangoes are grown. The provinces are Chachoengsao,Nakhon Nayok, Samut Prakan, Sa Kaeo,Prachin Buri and Chon Buri.
Mango cultivation in the region has plunged despite strong market demand,especially in export markets, said the Office of Agricultural Economics.
Land dedicated to growing mangoes has shrunk by 5% to about 160,500 rai this year - down from 169,300 rai last year - as farmers have switched to cash crops such as rubber and cassava, said Boonlap Sowanna, chief of the OAE's Zone 6 development and planning division.
Mango output from the six provinces dropped by almost 30% to 84,200 tonnes this year, down from 117,000 last year.
Meanwhile, foreign markets have shown strong demand -especially Japan, which imported about 1,500 tonnes of mangoes from Thailand last year, also sources the fruit from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Germany.
The agency has organised several meetings with growers, processors and exporters and will hold more talks before completing the strategy for implementation next year, said Mr Boonlap.
Promoting mangoes as a commercial crop will include registering growers,zoning each variety of mango, improving logistics and upgrading plantations to meet Good Agricultural Practice.
The plan aims at increasing the six provinces' annual output of mangoes to 126,000 tonnes by 2014. An average yield of 848 kilogrammes of mango per rai is targeted for 2014, up from 565 kg this year, to improve growers' income.
The production of export-oriented varieties of mango - Nam Doc Mai, Kiew Savoey, Maha Chanok and Choke Anan,Rad and Pimsen Daeng - would be increased to meet rising demand from both international and local markets.
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