Kamphaeng Phet Vendor Crafts Signature Herb-Grilled Catfish Dish
Kamphaeng Phet vendor Sommai 'Pee Mai' Sri Lajantuek has created a signature herb-grilled catfish dish cooked in a clay pot over charcoal. After experimenting with a YouTube recipe, she developed her own marinade using a blend of Thai herbs and spices, resulting in a fragrant, well-balanced flavor. The dish, served with spicy dipping sauce and rice starting at 50 baht, has become a local favorite at her shop in Nakhon Chum District.
This week's featured dish takes us to Kamphaeng Phet, where reporter Thanarat Nakhonkhan samples a unique local specialty: herb-grilled catfish in a clay pot. Sommai Sri Lajantuek, known as Pee Mai, age 36, reveals she became interested after watching a YouTube video on the cooking method and experimented to suit customers' tastes. She then created her own signature recipe, incorporating a variety of Thai herbs and spices into the marinade for a rich, aromatic flavor. The production process emphasizes care at every step: each catfish undergoes thorough cleaning to eliminate any fishy smell, then is massaged with the shop's secret herb-spice blend and marinated for one hour so the flavors penetrate deeply. The fish are skewered and arranged around the rim of a red clay pot, with a charcoal stove at the base circulating heat inside. This ensures even cooking throughout, yielding a beautifully taut exterior and moist, succulent interior. Paired with a spicy dipping sauce and hot sticky rice or steamed rice, the dish is deeply satisfying. Prices start at 50 baht. The shop is located at Moo 13, Ban Pa Mamuang, Tambon Nakhon Chum, Amphoe Mueang, Kamphaeng Phet. For inquiries, call 09-5313-3967; delicious service daily.
