A dish, like a smell or a color can be so evocative in their place or time. This dish always flys me back to the food stalls of Chiang Mai with its vivid color and tartly savor.
In this fast moving world, it is good sometime to pause for a moment, and to have a dish that emphasis relaxation, and allows you to enjoy a feast of textures and colors, because it is never eaten alone. It is served with a rich plate of accompanying vegetables pleasantly arranged, and with a group of good friends; all sharing the centrally placed bowl of the shiny red relish.
This dish traces its origins to the “Tai Yai” minority (ไทยใหญ่ Shan people) and is traditionally made with a local variety of grape tomatoes ( บะเขือส้ม; ba kheuua sohm) and fermented soybeans cakes (Tua Nao ; ถั่วเน่า). The local tomatoes variety is especially sour and juicy but you can safely substitute them with cherry tomatoes and skip the Tua Nao if not available.