KUNG DAN

If you watch AFC (Asian Food Channel on NOW which I am hopelessly addicted) you would have seen 'Extreme Gourmet' with this fatalistic chef turned TV presenter who would eat anything, literally anything put in front of him. I am not remotely close to that league, I am still squeamish about putting certain things into my stomach.

I was walking home last night on Silom, almost 7pm, and the boulevard was lined with food hawkers. I was attracted by this old man whose business was thriving, serving a patient queue of customers. 'Kung Dan' is a spicy salad of fresh, or rather very much alive baby shrimps, tossed with fish sauce, vinegar, dry chili, sugar plus a generous topping of coriander & mint. 'Kung' is shrimp as in 'Tom Yum Kung' but the word 'Dan' literally means 'dance', I am told, which presumably describes the movements of the shrimps. The man had a magic touch, and his assembly line was flawless. I was mesmerized, wondering about the texture, the taste. After 5 servings he turned, and offered me a spoonful (not the spoon he mixed with but a clean plastic disposable) with a gesture that could only mean, 'Go Ahead, Whimp'. For the sake of personal and cultural pride I had no choice so I nibbled at it. Well I expected some wriggling on my tongue, as them babies were certainly wriggling in the basket before being tossed, but there was absolute silence. All I tasted was salt from the fish sauce, coriander, mint over some slimy bits of something .... WOW .... I think this one will not make my 'must-eat' list anytime soon. I can wear the 'Kung Dan' badge though!