Sangsan Healdsburg pop-up celebrates the flavors of Thailand and Taiwan

At the Farmer’s Market, Sarkornsin likes to cook some of her favorite Bangkok street food, including the beloved Wok Fried Thai Omelet (Khai Jiao) which she frys in a wok with fresh herbs.

The omelet, often served plain or stuffed with oysters or pork in Thailand, does not absorb oil. Cooking at high temperature gives it a nice crispy side. The fried omelette is one of Thailand’s comfort foods, similar to mac and cheese for Americans, and is often served with sticky rice and hot sauce for a complete meal.

Bangkok’s favorite Sakornsin dish, however, is the beloved shrimp pancake, a deep-fried seafood cake dipped in sauce.

“It’s like crab cake, except it’s bouncy shrimp cake,” she said. “We coat it in panko, then serve it with plum sauce.”

During Tuesdays concerts at the Plaza, the pair plan to serve Crispy Fish Sauce Wings, a classic chicken dish given an Asian twist with the complex, umami-laden flavor of fermented fish sauce.

Kuo is also delighted to serve one of his favorite Taiwanese desserts, Snowflake Shaved Ice, which is often topped with pieces of fresh mango in Taiwan. This crowd-pleasing treat is a perfect way to beat the heat during high summer temperatures.

“Snowflake” indicates that it is made from frozen milk, which has a thin, chewy texture closer to ice cream than shaved ice. The couple bought a special machine to shave the block of frozen milk, and they plan to launch the dessert topped with a fresh strawberry sauce and a little condensed milk.

“Taiwan was called the fruit kingdom because the agriculture was very strong,” Kuo said. “I want to introduce this dish to Sonoma County. … I like the texture and the mouthfeel.

Taiwanese cuisine has been influenced by Chinese flavors, but it’s also a melting pot of Japanese and Southeast Asian cultures, Kuo said.

“The most famous dishes are beef noodle soup, pineapple cake and boba tea,” he noted. Known as bubble tea in Taiwan, this iconic tea drink is famous for its fluffy tapioca pearls. It was invented in the 1980s and the rest, as they say, is history.

The couple, who live in Healdsburg, hope that by keeping their pop-up food accessible, Sangsan Healdsburg will attract North Bay residents looking for affordable global fare and a fun place to hang out with friends.

Sakornsin said she misses all the delicious street food in Bangkok, maybe even more than her family.

“The food scene there is really vibrant, with stalls open in the streets selling seafood, soup or desserts,” she said. “Thai people prioritize food. It is a land of plenty.

The following recipes are from Ploypailin Sakornsin and Jeremy Kuo of Sangsan Healdsburg. Sakornsin suggests using a crisp apple in this salad for extra crunch. Use stone fruits that you like. You can find fried shallots in most Asian markets.

Thai stone fruit salad

Makes 2-3 servings

To train:

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons of fish sauce

1 tablespoon palm sugar or simple syrup

1 Thai bird pepper or ½ serrano pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

For the salad:

3 ripe peaches, plums or nectarines

1 crunchy apple, gala, Fuji or Honeycrisp type

½ shallot, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons fried cashews, chopped, for garnish

2 tablespoons fried shallots (optional), for garnish

2-3 sprigs of cilantro, chopped (save some for garnish)

For the vinaigrette: mix the lime juice, fish sauce, palm sugar (or simple syrup), chilli and minced garlic.

Cut the stone fruit of your choice and the apple into bite-sized wedges.

In a salad bowl, combine the fruit, the minced shallots, a little chopped coriander (leave the rest for garnish) and the vinaigrette. Put the mixed salad in a serving dish. Garnish with chopped fried cashews, crispy shallots and chopped cilantro and serve.

Sakornsin fry this Thai omelet in a wok, but you can also use a non-stick pan with curved sides. You want the oil to be about 1 inch deep. Serve with jasmine rice and sriracha or hot sauce of your choice.

Fried Thai omelette