Many residents in rural Isaan simply cannot afford appliances like a stove or oven.
They cook on a clay, charcoal fired pot.
Homemade charcoal is used with twigs to start a fire inside the charcoal pot.
Then a cooking pot with the food is placed on top of the charcoal pot directly on the fire.
This method of cooking has been used for years and years in rural Isaan.
It is the only method many families have of cooking their food.
Seems like it is very archaic, and it is.
But when you have no money for appliances, you make do with what you have.
Rural Isaan folks are experts at cooking all kinds of dishes on these clay pots.