sadao nam pla wan

Sadao and nam pla wan, a sweet fish-sauce dressing, is a name for a Thai way of eating in which prepared young sadao shoots and inflorescences are combined with the dressing and similar accompaniments. It exists as a pattern of food pairing rather than a single fixed recipe. A horticultural article published by a Thai Ministry of Agriculture provincial office says that these young shoots and inflorescences are eaten with sweet fish-sauce dressing, grilled catfish, nam phrik, and other foods. The same source also lists pairing the young shoots and inflorescences with sweet fish-sauce dressing.

The same source lists several preparation methods for softening the bitterness: blanching the young shoots and inflorescences, boiling them in boiling rice-rinsing water, or roasting them over a fire until softened. However, these are methods listed in a government cultural and horticultural article, not a sensory test comparing how much bitterness each method reduces. They do not guarantee safety or establish a single standard process.