Northeastern regional food
The northeastern population has their way of life attached to various natural resources, both in the basins of Korat and Sakon Nakhon (depending on the important rivers: Chee, Moon, Songkhram, Kong, etc.), and in the community living in the mountain areas, especially the mountain ranges of Phu Phan, and Petchaboon. Due to difference in natural resources, the community’s food system and food management pattern are also different. In the past, during the time the natural resources were plentiful, food from nature was very diverse and abundant. The villagers would find food from natural sources as much as necessary for each day’s consumption. For ex: fishing in the river. There was no need to catch the fish and make them suffer by confining them. If a large amount of fish was caught, they would be processed as pickled fish or dried fish, for long-term consumption. This caused the villagers scarcely depend on food from the market. The villagers would “grow every thing they ate and eat everything they grew.” The backyard gardens played the important role as the household’s food sources. The villagers had important basic ideas about food production: to produce enough for consumption; and the rest was shared between siblings, relatives, and neighbors, and making merits. The flavor of northeastern food is sharply hot.