Inspired in Ratchaburi Thailand

My goodness; if there was ever a greater variety of fresh food and local delicacies than that offered up at the street and floating markets of Ratchaburi, I surely will eat my hat!

Stall after stall and boat after boat of the most astonishing ingredients and flavours, it was a feat in itself to take it all in.

Dried shrimp! Ginger root! Tom Yum! Crispy tofu! Green mussels! Egg noodles! An abundance of tastes and aromas I had never come across before. This truly was a magnificent place for any food devotee to find themselves in.

As I wandered through the streets, taking in as many sights, smells and sounds as I could, I marvelled at the delights of these street markets. From vendors tying up snacks in banana leaves to the aromas of fresh Thai shrimp rice being cooked at the roadside, it was as though the market itself had a beating heart of its own and the place was alive with the joy and love of food.

I took a moment to pause in the middle of it all and soak everything in; these sights and sounds I could not forget!

It was at that moment that one smell in particular caught my attention – the sweet, unmistakable aroma of sweet chilli which was wafting over from a small, colourful stall tucked away slightly off the main street towards the harbour.

I followed my nose towards the stall and as I approached I could see vibrant colours of deep orange; what kind of delicacy could this be?

The vendor, an excitable young man with a welcoming smile and a clear passion for his wares beckoned me over and offered me a sample – I didn’t need to be asked more than once!

To my absolute delight as I bit down into the light round snack that was handed to me, I was greeted with the convincing crunch of a delicate rice cracker combined with the powerful yet complimentary flavours of warm spice and sweet chilli.

“My goodness!” I cried to the vendor as my face erupted into an uncontrollably huge smile. “This must be one of the finest snacks I have ever had the pleasure of indulging in!” As we laughed together and he offered me several more of these delicious bites, I knew I simply had to include these flavours and textures in my next gourmet snack…

Sweet Chilli Rice Crackers, with a Korean-style hot chilli Mr Filbert’s twist.