Phitsanulok: Let's go taste fermented fish, a local food that is a staple in Phitsanulok's kitchens. It sells like hotcakes. They sell 100 kilograms a week.
According to Thai News Agency, at the Southern Market of Phitsanulok, Municipal Market 1, Mueang District, Phitsanulok Province, Auntie Jom's shop, run by Je Pan or Mr. Boonta Wongsuwan, has been selling pickled fish for a long time. Regular and new customers alike visit the shop continually. Je Pan explained that pickled fish is a preservation method similar to fermented fish sauce and is a local delicacy of Phitsanulok. Initially, Je Pan received fish to sell, but later she learned to make it herself, practicing until she perfected the flavor. This led her to ferment and sell it independently, a business she has maintained for nearly 40 years.
Pla Jom Jap is crafted from glassfish, small shrimp, salt, garlic, and cooked rice, mixed and fermented in a barrel for about 10 days. Once mixed with roasted rice, it is ready to eat, boasting a slightly sour and salty taste without a fishy odor. For consumption, it is often mixed with sliced chili, shallots, lemongrass, and sawtooth coriander, and enjoyed with vegetables. It is sold as a ready-to-cook set starting at 20 baht, or in larger quantities at 150 baht per kilogram. Je Pan's sales reach approximately 10 kilograms daily, with increased demand during holidays, necessitating the fermentation of 100 kilograms weekly. Interested individuals can visit the Southern Market in Phitsanulok Province, which operates daily from 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. or until market closure.