Miang kham

Miang kham

Miang Kham before wrapping
Type Snack
Place of origin Laos and Thailand
Main ingredients Piper sarmentosum or Erythrina fusca leaves, coconut, shallots, bird's eye chili, ginger, garlic, lime, among others
Cookbook: Miang kham  Media: Miang kham

Miang kham (or "mieng kham", miang kam, miang kum, Thai: เมี่ยงคำ, pronounced [mîaŋ kʰām]) is a traditional snack from Thailand and Laos (Lao: ໝ້ຽງ Lao pronunciation: [mȉaːŋ]). It was introduced to the Siamese court of King Rama V by Queen Dara Rasamee.[1]

The name "miang kham" translates to "one bite wrap", from miang (food wrapped in leaves) and kham (a bite).

Ingredients

Cha phlu plant

Miang kham mostly consists of raw fresh Piper sarmentosum (Thai: ชะพลู; rtgs: Cha phlu) or Erythrina fusca (Thai: ทองหลาง; rtgs: Thong lang)[2] leaves that are filled with roasted coconut shavings and the following main ingredients chopped or cut into small pieces:

Background information

Miang kham is a snack food that originated in the northern part of Thailand, originally using pickled tea leaves (called miang in the northern Thai language).[3][4] The dish is mentioned in “Epic of the Verse of foods”, a book written by the King Rama II.[5] In Thailand, Miang kham is usually eaten with family and friends. It is also popular in the Central Region of Thailand. This dish is mostly eaten during the raining season for it is then that cha phlu leaves are abundantly available, as it grows new leaves and shoots.

Before wrapping the filled leaves are topped with palm syrup or sugar cane syrup which often has been cooked with lemongrass, galangal, ginger and fish sauce.[6]

Miang kham bags for sale in Bangkok.
Wrapped Miang kham
Miang pla, with Chinese broccoli leaves

Variants

In Vientiane, the capital of Laos, miang is often folded in cooked cabbage leaves (kaalampii) or lettuce. Alternately, other leaves, such as spinach, can be used.[7]

A variation called miang pla includes pieces of deep-fried fish in addition to the standard ingredients.

References

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