While up in the country, I decided to show you some of the berries that can be picked and eaten in Issan (North Eastern Thailand).

Ma Yom

These small green berries (above) are called Ma Yom. They are much smaller than they look in the picture, each one is less than 1cm. These sour berries are eaten with flaked chilli and salt or sugar in East Isaan, and added to som tam (the 'bok bok' salad that Thais eat) to add sourness. Inside there is one little seed which you don't eat. You may find them flavouring Thai icecream, and sorbets.

Updated - I've found some preserved ma yom at the market. These are preserved in brine and sold with a sugar chilli dipping powder. You can get a better idea of the size from this photo, and the dipping mix is shown at the back.

Makam Pom

The tree for this grows wild, it's not cultivated and the berries are not sold, but they are eaten by children. The older the berries are, the more they turn red, and the redder they are, the sweeter they are. Peel off the outer husk and eat the pulp minus the seed.