Rat Na is one of the famous dishes in Thailand that normally contains rice noodles, meats, and vegetables (commonly used Chinese broccoli) with a savory thick sauce. Despite the fact that the exact year of its rise is ambiguous, its origin has been confirmed, and it is derived from China. Then, it became popular in Southeast Asia (Thailand and Laos). Moreover, the meaning “Rat” means “to pour” and “Na” means “surface”. On top of that, ingredients like rice noodles, pork, and collard greens are the fundamentals of the dish, there are other ingredients that can be put in such as carrots and more. The cooking recipe will be informed in the cooking paragraph below. As mentioned above, Rat Na is very famous in Thailand, thus, some restaurants are masters of the dish. For instance, Grandsanyod is a restaurant located at The Grand Sathorn, Bangkok, Thailand, it is the talk of the town for its Hong Kong-style Rat Na. Furthermore, as already mentioned, there are more types of Rat Na, which are  Hong Kong’s style, Cantonese’s style, and Chaochew’s style. They are different in how it has been prepared and the ingredients.

History & Etymology

Despite the fact that there is no information on the exact time when Rat Na was created, it is certain that Rat Na originates from China, where in early times, the dish was only served in luxurious restaurants. However, with its popularity and its delicious taste, Chinese people (especially in Chaozhou City) started to sell it generally. Furthermore, the Chinese word for the thick sauce in Rat Na can be called “ 羹 Geng”. On top of that, in the beginning, the dish was usually served with bok choy and a little of the gravy sauce. This is due to the fact that it was served on a banana leaf, which can be messy if served with a lot of sauce. Whereas, noodles, which were generally used as “Wide Rice Noodles” in big circular forms, the clients were the ones who needed to cut them by themselves.^[1]

It should be noted that despite the fact that back in the old days they usually served with bok choy as the preferred vegetable, it changed to using Chinese broccoli because bok choy can be quickly wilted, and the stem of Chinese broccoli is crunchier than bok choy. Plus, as time goes by, various noodles can be used such as rice vermicelli, fried rice noodles, crispy egg noodles, and much more.^[1]

Moreover, with the influence of China on Southeast Asia, the “Rat Na” dish also got passed on to the mentioned region. It became well-known in certain countries (such as Thailand, Laos, and Malaysia).

In addition, the word “Rat Na” is a Chinese word, which the meaning of it is “Rat” means to pour, whereas, “Na” can be translated as surface or topping.^[1]

Ingredients

As mentioned in the above section, this dish has been used in many countries. Thus, the ingredients can be varied depending on each country. However, while there are some ingredients that can be different, there still are some parts of the dish that need to be the same in order to prepare the dish. Therefore, this section will discuss the main ingredients, condiments, and other options that can be in the dish.^[2]

Main Ingredients

Name	Description	Image
Wide Rice Noodles	Wide rice noodles are a type of noodles made out of rice flour. It originated in China during the Qin Dynasty in 259–210 B.C, it can be stated that it has been consumed for at least 2000 years. It has a lot of benefits, such that it is gluten-free since rice is naturally gluten-free. Furthermore, it is rich in minerals, namely phosphorus and magnesium, which can help with the formation of bones and promote heart health.[3]
Pork	Pork is one of the most common meats eaten around the globe. Pork is the flesh that comes from pigs. It has been consumed for a long time, approximately 4900 B.C. and it has a lot of nutrients.[4] For instance, it is highly rich in protein since it is a meat. Not only that, it also contains zinc, selenium, and vitamins B12 and B6, which are essential vitamins and minerals. It can help the immune system to function properly and can reduce fatigue.[5]
Chinese Broccoli	Chinese broccoli or gai lan is a vegetable that has large, thick leaves, and slender stems similar to that of broccolini. It can be considered that it is a stable vegetable and it is quite well-known in the Asia continent. One can say that it is similar to kale and broccoli.[6] Furthermore, it is very nutritious and has low calories and fat. It is packed with vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin C.[7]
Garlic	The small, round, white bulb of a plant related to onion plants is called a garlic bulb. Garlic is used in cooking and has a strong flavor and aroma. It is very popular in the world because of its unique flavor and easy to cultivate. Its rise in popularity started 5000 years ago, which is from the old world countries like Egypt and India.[8] Although garlic is low in calories, fat, sugar, and sodium, it makes up very little of your total dietary intake because it is ingested in small amounts. A single dose of garlic has trace levels of various vitamins and minerals, including calcium, zinc, and vitamin C.
Vegetable Oil	Vegetable oil is a type of oil that can be extracted from some seeds, nuts, cereal grains, and fruits.[9] In addition, the country that consumes the most vegetable oil is China, which consumes 11,167 kilotons in 2013.[10] It has a variety of beneficial nutritional components, although certain are common, including saturated fats, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, and vitamin E (tocopherol). It has been found that it helps lower the risk of heart disease and breast cancer. Moreover, it can boost the immune system.[11]
Cassava Starch or Cornstarch	Cassava starch is a substance that can be obtained from the cassava root. It is made via grating and drying the fibrous cassava root. One of the uses is food processing, it can be used to thicken sauce and much more.[12] Cassava is one of the good energy sources and it has a lot of nutrients such as protein, calcium, and fiber. However, it should be noted that it may be dangerous to consume it when it is raw.[13]
	Corn starch, also known as cornflour, is a type of starch that can be gathered by grounding corn grains. It can be used as a thickening agent in foods (liquid types) in the culinary aspect. Not only that, it can also be used in other fields, namely medical and bioplastics.[14] Nutrient-wise, despite the fact that it has high carbohydrates and calcium, it lacks important nutrients such as proteins and vitamins.	File:Corn starches.jpg

Condiments

Name	Description	Image
Tauco or Tao Jiew	Tauco or also can be called as Tao Jiew is a condiment created by Chinese immigrants in Southeast Asia. It is added to many dishes in Southeast Asia cruises, namely Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and Thailand. Its taste can be described as nutty, spicy, salty, and savory.[15] It is rich in carbohydrates and salt, plus, it also has other nutrients like protein and fat. Moreover, according to the researchers, it can be concluded that due to the fact that there are many minerals such as iron, copper, and zinc. These minerals can be beneficial to the human bloodstream system.[16]
Ground White Pepper	White pepper, like black pepper, is a spice made from the dried fruit of the pepper plant, Piper nigrum. It has a softer flavor than black pepper and a less complex flavor. People can describe the flavor of this spice as musty, grassy, or slightly fermented.[17][18] On top of that, India, which is the country that discovered it, has cultivated this spice for around one thousand years.[19] It contains antioxidants that are beneficial for the human body. In addition, researchers have found that white peppers can prevent cancer.[20]
Oyster Sauce	Oyster sauce is a unique thick black condiment that originated in China. It is popular in the Asian continent such as China, Thailand, and Vietnam. Oysters are traditionally cooked slowly in water until the liquid turns into this tasty, thick, dark brown sauce. However, the oyster extract mixed with salt, sugar, and corn starch has been the choice in order to make oyster sauce quicker and cheaper.[21] The birth of this condiment started in the year 1888 and Mr. Lee Kum Sheung is the creator of this sauce.[22] With few calories and fat, oyster sauce is a rather healthy condiment that also provides a good amount of calcium to support strong bones. Iron, protein, and other important vitamins and minerals can also be found in the sauce.[23]
Sweet Soy Sauce	Sweet soy sauce or kecap manis is a type of condiment that originated in Indonesia, it is fundamentally soy sauce that is mixed with sugar or palm sugar. As mentioned, this condiment was created in Indonesia, where Chinese people were immigrants to Java, which is the most well-known island in the country. The goods of this sauce are pretty similar to soy sauce, however, it has sugar, thus it can cause harm when consumed in large quantities.[24]
Soy Sauce	Soy sauce is a dark, salty liquid created by fermenting soybeans and roasted grains (such as wheat) in brine for a lengthy period of time.[25] It is commonly used in Asian cooking as a condiment. This umami-taste sauce has been used for more than 2000 years, and China is the country that invented this savory condiment.[26] The benefits of this sauce are that it can help with the digestive system and it contains antioxidants, which is good for the human people. However, it should be mentioned that it is rich in sodium, which by only 1 tablespoon, contains 900 milligrams. Which is one-third of the daily salt consumption.[27]
Sugar	Sugar is a crystalized substance that has a sweet flavor. It can be made by extracting the sweetness from plants that have a sweet taste such as sugar cane and sugar beet. Crystalized sugar has been around since around 350 A.D., it was discovered in India, and this delicious sweet was brought to China by traveling monks.[28] Furthermore, sugar can be a good source of energy and it can boost mood.[29] Nevertheless, it can cause harm when consumed in large amounts. For instance, it has been researched that sugar can lead to weight gain, which can link to heart disease. Plus, a high level of sugar in the blood causes insulin resistance, which leads to diabetes.[30]

Alternative Options

Name	Description	Image
Baby Corn	Baby corn is one of the specific types of corn that people usually collect before it grows. It has a lot in common with the other corn species. When it is immature, it has a crunchy texture and mild flavor. It can grow in a warm season with full sun. The main production areas are in central and western parts, such as Nakhon Pathom, Suphanburi, and Kanchanaburi, as well as the northeastern areas, such as Nakhon Ratchasima and Chaiyaphum. The harvest time takes about 50 to 60 days after planting a seed.[31]  For its nutrition, baby corn has high fiber, but low vitamins and minerals. It is popularly included in stir-fry dishes or gravy with other vegetables to add more nutrients.[32]
Broccoli	Broccoli is one of the most common winter vegetables of which its species belongs to cabbage. It grows best on well-drained soils that have good water-holding characteristics. It is a good source of fiber and vitamins, especially A, B, and C. It is also rich in minerals such as iron, zinc, and magnesium. It can help people to prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure. Broccoli can be cooked with a lot of menus such as broccoli salad, broccoli cheddar soup and Rat na.[33]
Carrot	Carrot is a root vegetable that has long and edible taproots. These taproots are often orange in hue, but depending on the cultivar, they can also be white, pink, yellow, or purple. When they are fresh, their texture is crisp. Carrot’s roots and leaves are a source of food for wild animals. Not only for wild animals, it is a versatile ingredient for humans. People can eat it raw or they can prepare it in many ways such as cooking it in a soup or stew, making carrot cake, and so forth. For its nutrition, carrots are rich in carotene and vitamins A, B, and C.
Cauliflower	Cauliflower is a type of annual plant that spreads through seeds. The leaves on a flowering cauliflower plant form a "head" around the stem. The head, a white flower meristem, is referred to as a "curd" at times. It is full of B vitamins and fibers. It is also good for people who want to lose weight.
Chilli Flakes	Chillies were first discovered by the Spanish when they found the Americas. It was the first time that people discovered chili. The common taste of chillies are spicy. Before chillies are processed into chili flakes, they have been dried first. After that, they have been fried. Finally, they have been finely blended. Same with chili flakes, they have a spicy taste but a different flavor to fresh ones. However, they lose their nutritions when being processed. The nutritions which remains is carbohydrate, and a little amount of protein and fat. However, people still like to add chili flakes to increase a spicy taste in their dishes.[34]
Chicken slices	Chicken is an animal which people popularly feed and collect its meat for consumption purpose. 74 billion chickens are slaughtered every year to get chicken meat. They are consumed by people all over the world. However, chicken which people eat has many species depending on the purposes. Some species are fed to collect eggs or some are fed to collect their meat. For the nutrition of chicken, it is a good source of energy. Its breast is full of protein and its thigh has a fat layer alternating with protein. Additionally, its guts have high iron, A-vitamin and D-vitamin. When it comes to cooking, people usually make fried chicken or boil chicken. It can also be marinated, then sliced before cooking.
Beef slices	Beef is a type of red meat cut from the carcass of a cow. It can be separated into many types depending on where it was cut. Different positions of cuts give different texture and taste. For example, ribs, which is the name of a tender and flavorful cut of meat that comes from the cow's ribs and backbone, are known for rich flavor and tender texture. For another example, brisket, which is the name of a cut of meat that comes from the breast or lower chest of a cow. Its texture is very tender and flavourful because of its high fat.[35]

Cooking Instruction

1. Combine the marinade ingredients with the pork. Put aside for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to a day. The marinade ingredients consist of fermented soybean, ground white pepper, sugar, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. However, the amount of marinade ingredients can vary depending on each recipe.
2. Separate wide rice noodles, and mix them with black sweet soy sauce.
3. Add a little vegetable oil, then heat a wok until it is very hot. Spread the separated wide rice noodles on the wok. Stir them quickly for a short period of time before setting them aside.
4. Add some oil, and fry some garlic in the wok. Keep continuing until the garlic’s skins turn yellow and smell good. After that, put the garlic off the wok and set the garlic aside.
5. Add some water and heat the wok again. Start by adding the pork to the wok, and boil till it is a little bit cooked. Turn up the heat, then add Chinese broccoli and carrots. Add some condiments. Wait until the water boils.
6. Add Cassava Starch with some water, and stir the gravy until it is homogeneous.
7. Place the noodles on the serving plate, then ladle the gravy.
8. Top it with favorite condiments such as ground white pepper or chili flakes.^[36]

Well-known Restaurant

With its popularity in Southeast Asia, it cannot be doubted that there will be restaurants that are well-known for their Rat Na. In this Wikipedia, famous restaurants that mastered the dish will be mentioned, the restaurants are from countries around the globe.

Types

Since the dish is in many countries, there are many types of it. Thus, each type of Rat Na will be mentioned below and also discuss its uniqueness.

References