Southeast Asia is often considered the center of exciting culinary experiences. The region’s rich legacy of cooking traditions and food preparation techniques is a treasure trove that is always worth discovering.
However, for a number of reasons, some of these dishes are now disappearing from tables and becoming rare finds.
There are various reasons for these changes in diet. Food and culinary traditions form an integral part of society. A wide and diverse territory, Southeast Asia boasts a rich compilation of flavors, techniques, and rituals that mirror each country’s history, geography, and heritage.
“Southeast Asian cuisines share some unique commonalities while boasting deep expressions of individual pride and identity,” Chef Jake Victoria told Thai PBS World.
“Certain food rituals and practices, which form part of one’s cultural identity, are handed down through the generations as a way of preserving customs and forging community bonds.
During celebrations, traditional dishes are prepared and shared with family and friends. It is more than just a culinary experience, as it also nurtures culture and heritage,” he said.
Modern challenges
According to one food historian, the challenge of preserving culinary heritage can be blamed on globalization.
“Some heritage foods are facing threats from fast food restaurants and processed foods. Ready-to-eat dinners are changing traditional eating habits. As a result, local dishes are becoming less popular,” he lamented.
Over time, along with changing tastes, certain culinary treasures disappear. In addition, those able to stand the test of time have somehow lost their authenticity.
“It is true that we still find a few restaurants serving dishes that were once popular, but some of these have been updated to suit modern tastes. Few places now focus on preparing the dishes the old-fashioned way,” Chef Jake explained.
Food and heritage
With few people left to preserve traditional recipes, many Southeast Asian dishes have become rare.
In Singapore, for instance, lor gai yik, a popular dish in the 1950s and 1960s, can today only be found in a few places.
“It is a Cantonese dish consisting of chicken wings braised with red yeast rice, fermented bean curd, and several meats like gizzards, pork offal, and cuttlefish. The dish is salty and sweet due to its bean curd base and has a depth of flavor from long hours of simmering,” said one local.
There is also a version of laksa that is becoming rare nowadays.
“Called laksa siglap or sometimes laksa chap, this almost-forgotten version has a nutty and sour broth flavored with ginger, tamarind, and lemongrass. Its thick texture is achieved by adding ikan parang flakes and toasted coconut. The noodles used are different – thick, soft, and sticky – made from tapioca starch and rice flour,” one senior citizen told TPBS World.
In the Philippines, the list of dishes missing from the table and public dining places includes cabeza de jabali — boar’s head, deboned, spiced, and marinated in wine and lemon juice, stuffed with sausages, ham, and pickles, then sliced and served cold.
Another is carne asada.
“This dish was popular in the 1950s and was said to be national hero Jose Rizal’s favorite comfort food,” recalled Zeny Racas, a Filipino historian.
“The dish is composed mostly of thinly sliced beef marinated in lime juice, cooked in soy sauce, and served rare, oozing in pink juice, and garnished with a local citrus fruit,” she said.
Thai treats
Perhaps there is no other place in Southeast Asia where traditional dishes are more revered than in Thailand. Despite this, many dishes have disappeared from menus or are on the brink of oblivion.
“I think it is inevitable that some of these dishes may disappear or be adapted to suit modern tastes and convenience. Some ingredients in original recipes are now hard to find. Over the decades, many former culinary favorites have evolved in terms of cooking and preparation. Replacements are now being used,” revealed Jami, a restaurant owner.
According to Jami, one of the authentic Thai dishes missing from modern menus is nuea khem tom krati, or salted beef stewed in coconut cream.
The dish is prepared by rubbing salt on fresh beef. The meat is then sun-dried before being used in cooking. “Salted beef is hard to find in the market nowadays,” he said.
Another dish worth mentioning is santol curry with frog, perhaps one of the oldest Thai traditional dishes.
“To make the curry, the fruit of the santol tree is peeled, sliced, and soaked in salted water to temper the sourness. It is then mixed with gaeng ped curry paste, coriander seeds, and cumin,” he explained.
“Then there is sticky rice with sweet horseshoe-crab eggs,” he continued.
“This traditional dish dates back to the reign of King Rama V and showcases food preservation and culinary techniques used to remove the crab’s venom and prepare its eggs for consumption,” he added.
Culinary treasures
The list of disappearing dishes in Southeast Asia could fill an entire book.
To preserve culinary traditions, Thailand’s Department of Cultural Promotion under the Ministry of Culture in 2024 launched the “Lost Taste” initiative aimed at documenting and conserving regional dishes, while highlighting cultural values and history.
In Vietnam, culinary events are regularly held to rediscover rare dishes, especially those from coastal areas.
Some five-star hotels across the region are also doing their part by offering rare menus that allow diners to rediscover flavors of their childhood or revive dishes that once graced royal palaces and government mansions.
“Culinary heritage connects past, present, and future generations. Protecting culinary traditions is an essential ingredient in preserving the richness of Southeast Asia’s cultural heritage,” Chef Jake concluded.
(This story is part of a series about vanishing cultural traditions in Southeast Asia.)
