Betong: 'Pu Lo Lue Mae', a delicious food from Betong, the southernmost part of Thailand, is renowned for its unique taste, combining just the right amount of sweetness and fragrance. Traditionally served to welcome guests after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, this dish pairs excellently with beef, chicken, or goat massaman curry, as well as with condensed milk or custard.
According to Thai News Agency, after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, households in Betong District, Yala Province, prepare an array of food to welcome guests. A traditional dessert featured in nearly every home is 'Pu Lo Lue Mae', also known as 'Khao Lam Bazooka' by the younger generation. The name derives from the large, long bamboo stick used, reminiscent of a bazooka.
Ms. Monruedee Duerumo, a resident of Charakangka community in Betong, shares that only Samalian bamboo is suitable for making sticky rice in bamboo. Betong is a prime source for this bamboo, known for its long segments, thin wood, and fragrant, lightweight nature. The preparation process is intricate, requiring a trek into forests to find and cut bamboo of the correct size. The bamboo must be cleaned, and banana leaves are carefully placed inside to prevent the sticky rice from adhering to the bamboo, ensuring a beautiful, fragrant, and easily peeled result.
The ingredients for 'Pu Lo Lue Mae' include sticky rice, coconut milk, sugar, and salt. Once the banana leaf is filled with dried sticky rice, additional ingredients like boiled black beans or taro can be mixed for sweetness. Fresh, slightly salty coconut milk is added before the bamboo tubes are grilled over a carefully controlled fire for 4-5 hours. The grilling process involves precise adjustments of the tubes' angles to ensure even cooking.
Once cooked, the sticky rice is cooled and can be peeled and served in thin slices, perfectly complementing various savory and sweet accompaniments. As Hari Raya Aidilfitri approaches, the people of Betong fondly recall 'Pu Lo Lue Mae' or 'Bazooka Sticky Rice', a distinctive delicacy that embodies the culinary heritage of the region.