Sama Asam Gluko, the best local food of Yala

Sama-Asam-Gluko or Dried Garcinia Cambogia is the name of a local food menu of Yala Province. The Yala Provincial Cultural Office has selected it as 1 Province, 1 Menu, honoring local food “Lost Taste… The Lost Taste” in the project to promote and develop local food to become a cultural heritage and Thai identity (Thailand Best Local Food). The Sama Asam Gluko menu was created by Yala Vocational College, which used Garcinia cambogia to make chili paste, increasing the value of the product, creating jobs, and generating income for local people. Ms. Deela Tao, a lecturer at Yala Vocational College, said that the Sama Asam Gluko menu was inspired by the fact that Yala Province, especially Yaha District, has a lot of Garcinia cambogia planted there. In the past, locals dried the garcinia cambogia they had in abundance as a way to preserve the food. However, some locals have preserved the food by processing it into dried Garcinia cambogia chili paste, or Sama Asam Gluko, which can be stored for 3-6 months. The price of fresh Garcinia cambogia is 30-40 baht per kilogram. If dried, it costs 300 baht per kilogram. However, if it is used as a chili paste using only 30% Garcinia cambogia, it can be sold for 95 baht, increasing the value of Garcinia cambogia several times over. Taste: Sama Asam Gluko or dried Garcinia Cambogia chili paste must have the sour taste of Garcinia Cambogia, followed by saltiness and sweetness. Stir-fry until all ingredients are dry. Turn off the stove. Bake with hot air to remove moisture at 60 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. Let it cool and pack in a package. Seal and the process is complete. Source: Thai News Agency