The Food Culture of the Chong Ethnic: A Study through the New Media

Abstract

This article aims at studying the food culture of the Chong ethnic group appearing in the new media. In this qualitative research, the data related to the Chong’s foods were collected from websites and social media platforms. The findings show that the staple food of the Chong people is steamed rice. The Chong’s desserts, which are mainly made from steamed rice and sticky rice, taste sweet and salty. They are simple in styles and colors. The dessert making methods are boiling, steaming, and deep frying. The Chong’s dishes are spicy, hot, and aromatic due to the spices used in cooking. The main cooking methods are boiling and stewing. As the Chong are forest and mountain-dwelling people, their dishes are cooked with raw materials and ingredients that are significantly different from the foods in other parts of Thailand. The Chong’s food culture reflects their simple lifestyle, the connection between humans and forests, as well as the history of the Chong people.