Pla-ra, a semisolid/liquid fermented fish product, has been a stable ingredient for Thai cuisine since ancient times. It is made from three main ingredients (freshwater fish, salt, and carbohydrate sources). Lately, Pla-ra’s popularity has been growing and it has become one of Thailand’s industrial products. This chapter begins with an introduction to many Thai dishes where Pla-ra plays different roles in the dishes (i.e., protein source, flavoring agent and flavor enhancer) and the Pla-ra production process where intricate interactions between the raw materials and the 2-step fermentation process happen.
