Fah Thai Magazine - Inflight Magazine of Bangkok Airways Issue Jan-Feb 2024

OVERTURES
A TASTE OF THAILAND
A Delicacy
That Divides
The world’s love-hate relationship with Thailand’s infamous ‘stink beans’
Delicious or disgusting? Diners are often
divided by Thailand’s famous “stink beans”.
However, along with their pungent fragrance,
they come packed with a healthy cocktail
of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron
and vitamins B1, B2, B3 and C. Regular
consumption of these beans is believed to
nourish the eyes, blood, reduce flatulence
and help clear the tummy.
As for the “stink”, getting rid of it is
simple – just put the beans on a rolling boil
and then wash them. Or opt for the oldschool
method of roasting the pods over
a charcoal fire for a minute or two. These
beans can also leave a strong odour in the
mouth, but this can easily be fixed by eating
a couple of raw Thai eggplants.
Bitter beans, as they are officially
known, can be found in Indonesia,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand,
especially in the South, where they are
consumed either fresh or grilled with chilli
paste or just added to curries.
The most popular dish that features
these smelly delicacies is Phad Sataw
Goong or stir-fried prawns with bitter
beans. The recipe is easy: Pound together
garlic, bird’s-eye chillies and shallots and
stir-fry them until you get a nice aroma.
Then add shrimp paste and palm sugar.
Once everything is nicely mixed, add the
prawns and bitter beans. Season with fish
sauce and a splash of lime juice and serve
with hot rice.
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