| Sukki Issan is a cook-it-your-self,
at your own table, dining experience. There are two variations of the same
theme: Sukki Hang is cooked on a grill, while
Sukki Nomb uses a special pot containing hot broth in which ingredients
are quickly dipped. Both are a lot of fun when dining with close friends. Known as Mongolian BBQ in many quarters, this dish originated in China and was brought to Southeast Asia by the invading Mongol armies in the 12 century. In the southern provinces of Thailand the people have renamed the dish to Sukki Issan Hang (Sukki after the Japanese word Sukkiyaki, Issan meaning Land of Laotians in the northeast, and Hang meaning dry). In the northeast provinces of Thailand and throughout Laos, the dish is called Genghis Khan. As many cultures do when emulating other great cultures, the Thai people have modified the dish slightly to incorporate readily available ingredients. Also, the Thai do not serve steamed buns with the dish. Instead, they roll the cooked morsels in lettuce leaves. Come to Mongolia for the original. |
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Sukki Hang: You are
trekking in the steppes of Mongolia. It's cold and snowing. In the distance
you see yaks roaming around and a handful of igloo shaped tents, known as
a yurt. You make your way to the center of this nomadic village. (careful
don't step in the yak dung!) As you get closer you notice wafts of smoke
coming from small openings in the tops of the yurts. You begin to smell
the unmistakable aroma of food. You're cold, tired, and most of all hungry.
Happy to come upon this oasis, you enter the largest of the yurts. In front of you is a huge straw mat with fifteen or so people sitting cross legged and huddled around what appears to be a dome shaped object. It resembles an inverted wok but is much larger. At first it appears as though the people are simply keeping warm but as you get closer you see a person put a thinly sliced piece of meat on the oiled surface of the domed object. A few seconds later he removes it, dips it into one of the three small bowls directly in front of him then slips it into a steamed bun before devouring the entire morsel. You notice that everyone is doing the same. One person looks up and sees you standing. He moves to make room and beckons you to join in.
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Sukki Nomb: Continuing
your trek through Mongolia you come upon another nomadic village. Expecting
another great gastronomical treat, you enter a yurt. To your surprise, instead
of one large group sitting around a big domed object you find small groups
of three, four, or five people sitting around, yet another strange object.
The object is known as a Hua Kwa pot. Charcoals, contained in a round pot
on the dirt floor of the yurt, glow. Mounted above the charcoals is what
amounts to a small chimney. Ringing the chimney, one fourth the way up,
is what appears to be a moat filled with liquid. The heat from the charcoals
flows up the chimney and boils the broth sitting in the moat. The diners add vegetables to the boiling broth. They take thinly sliced pieces of meat between their chopsticks and swish them in the boiling broth. By the count of five, they pull them out and dip them into one of the flavored sauces in front of them and just as quickly slide them into a steamed bun. They reach into the moat and pull out pieces of vegetable and add them to the steamed bun and begin eating the sandwich. One person looks up and sees you standing. He moves to make room and beckons you to join in.
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You eat until full... believing the meal is
over. It's not. At the last moment someone puts a handful of noodles into
the moat. They allow the broth to come to the boil and begin ladling out
bowls of noodles in the rich broth that cooked those vegetables and meats.
You think to yourself, "What a wonderful way to end a meal!"| Sukki Issan at the Southeast Asian Restaurant | |
| Sukki Hang | Sukki Nomb |
| Cook your own meal on a flat griddle. Bean thread soup appetizer. |
Cook your own meal in a Hua Kwa pot. Bean thread noodles at the end. |
| Marinated Beef, Lamb, Chicken, Shrimp, and Squid Very wide assortment of in season, fresh garden greens: Lettuce, cabbage, snow peas, mint leaves, basil, onions, mushrooms Dessert Twenty four hour notice is required. Plan on at least an hour–and-a-half to consume this fantastic banquet. Minimum 4 people per party, maximum 10 people per party... $14.95 + tax per person. Beverages not included. | |