Gaeng Om Sai Trong Muu

Gaeng Om is one of the oldest herb-forward broths of northeastern Thailand, documented in palace records from the Ayutthaya period. This rustic version uses pork intestines braised with dill, lemongrass and roasted rice powder — a combination of offal cooking and ancient Isan wisdom that turns humble ingredients into a deeply fragrant one-pot meal.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb) pork small intestines, cleaned and cut into 5cm (2 in) pieces
• 1 litre (4 cups) water or light pork stock
• 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised and tied in a knot
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 3 shallots, halved
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 tbsp (30ml) fish sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) fermented fish sauce (pla ra), optional
• 1 tbsp (10g) toasted rice powder (khao khua)
• 1 large bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 4 fresh bird's eye chillies, bruised
• Steamed sticky rice, to serve

Instructions

1. Blanch intestines in boiling water with a splash of vinegar for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly. This step is essential for removing odour.
2. Char shallots, garlic and dried chillies directly over a gas flame or in a dry pan until slightly blackened, about 4 minutes. Pound roughly in a mortar.
3. Bring stock to a boil. Add charred aromatics, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and intestines. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 45-60 minutes until intestines are tender — they should give easily when pressed.
4. Season with fish sauce and pla ra (if using). Stir in toasted rice powder to lightly thicken the broth and add a nutty, smoky depth.
5. Remove lemongrass. Add dill, spring onions and fresh chillies, cook 1 minute more. Serve hot with sticky rice.

Cook's Notes: Toasted rice powder is made by dry-toasting raw jasmine rice in a pan until golden, then grinding — make a batch and store in a jar. Pla ra adds funky complexity but fish sauce alone is authentic. For milder heat, seed the fresh chillies before adding.