Chicken in the Mango Tree: Food and Life in a Thai-Khmer Village

An intimate exploration of Thai-Khmer village cooking, seasonal recipes and everyday life in rural Thailand.

In the small village of Kravan in rural Thailand, the food is like no other in the world. The diet is finely attuned to the land, taking advantage of what is local and plentiful. Made primarily of fresh, foraged vegetables infused with the dominant Khmer flavours of bird chiles, garlic, shallots and fish sauce, the cuisine is completely distinct from the dishes typically associated with Thailand.

Bestselling food writer and photographer Jeffrey Alford has been immersed in this unique culinary tradition while living in the region with his partner Pea, a talented forager, gardener and cook. With stories of village and family life surrounding each dish, Alford provides insight into the ecological and cultural traditions from which the cuisine has developed.

Chicken in the Mango Tree follows the cycle of a year in Kravan, with recipes tied to each season—from steamed tilapia during the rainy season and tom yam het mushroom soup during the cold season to rice noodles with seafood during the hot months and spicy green papaya salad enjoyed year round. With helpful substitutes for more exotic ingredients and accessible cooking methods, Alford’s recipes and stories blend together to bring the flavours of this little-known region to North American homes.

Inside this richly photographed culinary journey, readers will discover recipes for:

• Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)
• Khao Pad (Fried Rice)
• Pla Pao (Grilled Salted Tilapia)
• Pak Boong Moo (Stir-Fried Morning Glory with Pork)
• Laab Moo (Spicy Ground Pork)
• Tom Yam Het (Tom Yam with Mushrooms)
• Gaeng Keow Wan (Green Curry Paste)
• Khai Mot Daeng (Red Ant Egg Salad)

Part cookbook, part food memoir and part travel narrative, Chicken in the Mango Tree is an intimate exploration of Thai village cooking, Khmer cuisine and the deep connections between food, culture and place.