Pla Ra/Pla Dek

fun

Expired Sarnie
Who knows how to make killer som tum sauce? I prefer the Lao version, pla dek. I made it once but it didn't turn out well LOL How to achieve that dark color? I know it stench is very strong but I am desperate. The lady that I normally buy som tum from has stop doing business and I am just going crazy. Som tum in restaurant is not satisfying as it is cater to Americans... or they can't make it due to health standardization?
 

x0unerthanlater

`my dragon's blood is blue`
My mother makes awesome pba dek. She puts various things in it. Just depending on preference. She puts Shrimp paste in it to get that salty taste. It doesn't make it overly salty. Sometimes she puts in small frozen crabs (you can typically get it at any asian store), Tamarind paste, Oyster sauce, Sugar, salt, msg... 
 
If you are making it from fish (basically making it from scratch) it's really good when it's fermented for about a year. - At this point you can decide if you want to cook it or not. (broil it - because there are cooked and uncooked pba dek)
 
But if you buy the store made pba dek that comes in jars, you can fix it up with all of the above.

It's a trial and error process. Only you will know what you want it to taste like.
 
Credits: I asked my mom, lol  :wink:
 
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fun

Expired Sarnie
I bought the fermented fish in a jar and i broiled it with crabs and tamirand sauce. It didnt get that dark color I wanted. Maybe it was the type of fermented fish I used. I cant remember which brand I used. Any rec? I tried looking up for any premade but it is not found in my local Asian store.
 

x0unerthanlater

`my dragon's blood is blue`
Did you add the Oyster sauce and shrimp paste (dark colored ones in the plastic containers) I think most of the coloring will come from these two things. And you might have to give it time to ferment a bit more after you're done cooking it. My mom also said if you're making it from the premade pba dek you should add "kao koua" it's ground roasted sticky rice. This will give it a bit of texture so it's not watery. I would suggest mixing about a tablespoon in while cooking it and add little by little, depending on your preference of thickness. Making good pba dek is definitely something one has to practice. Some of my mother's friends ask her to fix theirs. I salute you in attempting to make this yourself. I have never tried to make it yet. I think I might start to learn next time my mom fix a new batch.

kao koua (roasted, ungrounded)


(grounded)


The pba dek jar my mom ususally buys: (don't mind that tall dark jar)
 

fun

Expired Sarnie
Thank you, x0unerthanlater. I will give it another go. I am lazy, so if there was a good version prepackaged I wouldn't bother to even make it. But in desperate time, calls for desperate measure. =)
 

x0unerthanlater

`my dragon's blood is blue`
fun said:
Thank you, x0unerthanlater. I will give it another go. I am lazy, so if there was a good version prepackaged I wouldn't bother to even make it. But in desperate time, calls for desperate measure. =)
 
 
Yep, no problem. ^^ How did it turn out btw?
 
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