Thailand – Tao Hoo Song Kreung

by Fauzan Anandika

When we talk about Thai food, we will imagine various dishes using seafood or meat. For a vegetarian, it can be a bit hard to find vegetarian food in a Thai restaurant. Only several Thai restaurants serve vegetarian dishes. But there is a moment where millions of Thai people become a vegetarian. They stop eating meat for ten full days. On that day’s, all the restaurant and food stall only serve the vegetarian dish. That event is known as Tesakan Kin Jay.

Tesakan Kin Jay is a festival held in the 9th month of the China calendar or around September and October. Not only become vegetarian for ten days, but they also wear white and yellow cloth. During the festival, Thai people are forbidden to having sex and drink alcohol.

According to local history, the prohibition of eating meat started in the south of Phuket Island by some Chinese communities. Around two centuries ago, that island was hit by a mysterious plaque. The elders believe that the plague happens because they forget to obey the religious rituals. So, all the citizens start to prohibit their self to eats meat. Miraculously, after they become vegetarian for ten days, everyone in the village starting to gain their health again. 

For those who want to try Thai vegetarian food, you can join the festival this year. At the festival, you can taste various kinds of dishes. Start with Thai salad, vegetarian noodles, and soup. One of the popular food in the festival is Tao Hoo Song Kreung.

Tao Hoo Song Kreung is tofu base dish dressed with various sauces and traditional spices. Song Kreung’s word itself means to change the ordinary to become extraordinary. Yes, for Asian people, tofu is a food that can be served daily in a meal or as a snack. Tao Hoo Song Kreung change that ordinary tofu becomes a wonderful dish with various spices and topped with many vegetables.

The tofu has a crisp skin topped with sauté assorted vegetables. It has a unique flavor that serves your sense of taste even your not a big fan of tofu. Well, without any further talks, let’s make some Tao Hoo Sung Kreung.

Ingredient

• 1 pack of soft tofu
• 30 grams of broccoli, cut into a bite-size
• 1 piece of carrot, sliced
• 30 grams of mushroom, cut into bite-size
• 20 grams of asparagus, sliced
• Chinese cabbage, small sliced
• 2 clove of garlic, crushed

Seasoning

• 2 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of pepper powder

Patong-go ingredient

• 200 gram of flour
• 1 teaspoon dried yeast
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
• 200 ml of water
• Cooking oil for frying

How to cook Patong-go

1. Mix flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and baking soda in a big bowl.
2. Add water and mix slowly.
3. After mixed, cover with a cloth for 2 hours.
4. Prepare a frying pan and add cooking oil for deep frying purposes.
5. Mold the dough into a 5 cm stick shape.
6. Use two dough sticks and make X shape by pressing the middle part.
7. Deep fry the dough until it turns yellowish.
8. Patong-go ready to be served.

How to cook

1. Cut tofu into a small bite-size.
2. Prepare a frying pan.
3. Fry tofu until the skin becomes crispy.
4. Remove the tofu and place it on a serving plate.
5. Prepare another frying pan with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
6. Add the crushed garlic and cook until scented.
7. Sautéed all the vegetables until wilted.
8. Add all the seasoning ingredients.
9. Sauté for 3 minutes.
10. Pour the vegetable into the tofu.
11. Tao Hoo Song Kreung ready to be served with a side of Patong-go.