Destination
Pattaya
The story
Hoy naang rom sot is Thailand's coastal answer to a raw oyster platter: freshly-shucked small oysters (naang rom — Thai for oyster, sot — Thai for raw) served on a platter of crushed ice with a small dish of the classical Thai raw-oyster dip — a fierce blend of garlic, bird's-eye chili, fresh lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar and coriander. Topped with fried shallots for crunch and a scatter of Thai herbs. Sold at every Thai seafood restaurant on the coast (Hua Hin, Phuket, Krabi) and at Bangkok's better seafood restaurants; a classic Thai starter.
Method
Using an oyster knife, shuck each oyster over a bowl to catch any liquor. Loosen the meat from the bottom shell. Reserve on the bottom half of each shell.
Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, garlic, chilies, coriander and sesame oil. Taste and adjust.
Refrigerate oysters and dip 15 minutes so both are cold.
Have fried shallots, herbs, chilies, spring onions and sesame seeds ready in small bowls.
Arrange crushed ice on a large serving platter. Nest oysters (in their bottom shells) into the ice.
On each oyster: place a small Thai basil or mint leaf, a slice of chili, a small pinch of fried shallots and a couple of spring onion slices.
Place the small dish of dip in the middle of the platter.
Serve immediately with lime wedges and cold beer. Eaters spoon a small amount of dip onto each oyster before slurping.
Tips
- Very fresh oysters. Non-negotiable. Buy from a fishmonger the day of serving.
- Small oysters. Large oysters overwhelm the delicate dip.
- Chili-lime-fish-sauce dip is the flavour marker. Do not substitute mignonette.
- Serve on ice, ice-cold.
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