Subsequent trips to Thailand led me to appreciate its cuisine even more. Eating out in Bangkok is very cheap (actually even cheaper than eating in Manila), and so with its shopping, too. The food is of a consistently high quality wherever one ate, whether at a roadside food stall, a food court or in a five-star hotel restaurant.
In fact, if you are a tourist in Bangkok and you are the type who would not take street food (I call it food street, because the food to me matters more than the street), you lose a lot. Most of the most memorable dishes I had in Bangkok were taken from hawkers’ carts. And don’t worry. The food and surroundings are very clean. Even the wet markets I visited are without flies.
And after every trip, I always bring home a load of Thai ingredients, hoping to replicate at home any memorable dish I had just experienced. So far, I’ve only relied on the memory of the dish still lingering on my taste buds and perhaps with the aid of the several Thai cookbooks I’ve collected over the years. I’ve never had any hands-on experience learning from a Thai chef.
An opportunity came when my wife Mary Ann, my sister Carmen McTavish (wife to Bruce McTavish, the world boxing referee) and I went to Bangkok two weeks ago. We stayed at the prestigious The Oriental Bangkok, the crown jewel of the Mandarin Oriental Group. To some, it is the hotel in Bangkok. And, of course, this time, we enrolled in their culinary class. It was an opportunity hard to pass up.
Cooking classes at The Oriental are meant for everyone – people from different levels and calibers. They also have courses exclusively for professionals with at least three year’s cooking experience in an institution. Classes are conducted in English, consisting of a lecture offering insights into the fascinating culture and traditions of Thailand, followed by a cooking demonstration and some hands-on participation.
On Mondays, the course introduces ingredients, herbs and spices, with emphasis on snacks, salads and hors d’oeuvres. On Tuesdays, it’s soups, desserts, fruit and vegetable carvings. On Wednesdays, the chef focuses on the subtleties of curries, and its condiments and side dishes. On Thursdays, you’ll learn how to steam, stir-fry, fry and grill. Fridays and Saturdays are for hands-on cooking lessons.
We took the Thursday class. Our instructor (he refused to be called a chef) Sarnsern Gajaseni was cool in a pair of denims and a dark shirt. No apron, no toque, no dish towel hanging on his hip. And so, we too did not put on our aprons and toques. And when he spoke, he spoke with a Bostonian accent. I had some misgivings initially. Why will I learn traditional Thai cooking from someone who dresses and speaks like an American?
But I was wrong, of course. This native of Huahin region, a seaside resort where the Thai king actually resides, surely knows his craft and was even very generous with cooking tips and recipes he learned from his mother (the best teacher, he says). And his fluency in English (having lived and worked in Boston for many years) helped us build immediate rapport. All the questions I’ve always wanted to ask about Thai food and ingredients, I managed to ask this time.
His cooking style and recipes are very traditional. Like his mee grob, or fried rice noodles using a type of bihon, is very different from what I’ve tried in most Thai restaurants and food courts, which use canton noodles, just like the Chinese crispy fried noodles. His version is so tasty – a bit sweet, a bit sour, a bit salty and spicy, and yet crispy. It is normally served as an appetizer or snack. The steamed fish, chicken with holy basil and pork satay were all so good, not like anything I’ve tasted before. And yet Sarnsern made it all seem so effortless.
During the luncheon after our class, the chef also gave some tips on menu selection and preparation, as well as pointers on how to order Thai food in a restaurant.
The classes last from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., priced at US$120 per person per session, and is open to in-house and non-hotel guests as well. All classes are limited to a maximum of 15 persons, so that each participant may personally interact as much as possible. Advanced reservations are a must.
The Oriental also offers a four-day (Monday-Thursday) course package with five-night, six-day stay at the world famous hotel. For inquiries and reservations, e-mail tanikap@mohg.com.
1/2 kilo rice noodles (bihon)
1/2 cup each of minced pork, shrimp and chicken
1 cup bean curd (tokwa), diced and fried crisp
1/2 cup preserved white soya beans
1/2 cup each of fried shallots and garlic
3 chicken eggs
1/4 cup nam pla (Thai patis, Top Choice brand is available locally)
2 Tbsps. each of distilled vinegar, tamarind water, and lime juice (dayap)
1/2 tsp. salt
6 Tbsps. white sugar
1 tsp. ground dried chili (adjust to taste)
1 Tbsp. lime peel, cut into tiny strips
1 cup cooking oil
For the noodles:
Soak rice noodles in water and leave to soften, then strain. Keep them moist until frying time.
Deep-fry in hot oil over high heat until golden brown (will take about five seconds). Remove from oil and wrap in absorbent paper. Keep warm until needed.
For the mixture:
In a wok, heat some oil and fry minced pork, chicken and shrimps until cooked.
Add the fried shallots and garlic. Keep stirring.
Add and mix well the bean curd, white soya beans and salt.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Stir and turn the mixture over and over until all the eggs are added.
Sprinkle vinegar, tamarind water, nam pla and sugar. Keep stirring the mixture until all the liquid has evaporated. Add lime peel and chili powder to taste.
Add the fried noodles and continue cooking, gently turning until the noodles are coated well with the mixture.
Garnish with sliced pickled garlic, chilies, coriander and bean sprouts (Chinese toge).
3 cups deboned chicken meat, minced
2-3 Tbsps. bird’s eye chilies (siling labuyo), adjust to taste
2-3 Tbsps. garlic, chopped coarsely
1 Tbsp. ground black pepper
2-3 Tbsps. nam pla
1 cup or more holy basil
2 Tbsps. cooking oil
Heat oil in a wok until slightly hot.
Add chilies, garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, then add chicken and cook over very high heat until chicken is dry.
Season with fish sauce and ground pepper. Throw in holy basil, toss and turn well, then serve.
1/2 kilo pork loin or kasim
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. curry powder
salt and sugar to taste
1 cup thin coconut milk (gata)
For the sauce:
5 cups medium thick coconut milk
3 Tbsps. red curry paste
4 Tbsps. palm sugar
4 Tbsps. patis
3 Tbsps. tamarind water
1 cup ground roasted peanuts
For the salad:
1/2 cup distilled vinegar
2 Tbsps. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsps. red finger chilies, sliced thinly crosswise
1/2 cup shallots, sliced thinly
1 cup cucumber (gherkins will do), sliced thinly
some coriander leaves (wansuy), chopped
For the beef:
Slice the beef into 3/4-inch wide and 3-4 inches long strips. Marinate overnight in refrigerator with the spices, seasoning and thin coconut milk.
For the satay:
Put the marinated pork (can also be made with chicken breast or beef) on six-inch bamboo skewers. Tip: When piercing the meat into the skewer, do so in a zigzag manner. This should keep the meat in place.
For the sauce:
Heat two cups of the coconut milk until the oil comes out, then add the curry paste in and fry a little. Add fish sauce, sugar and tamarind water, and lastly the ground peanuts. Add the rest of the coconut milk and simmer over low heat until a thick consistency is achieved.
For the salad:
Melt the sugar and salt in the vinegar over low heat and let cool. Add cucumbers, sliced shallots and chilies. Add some of the chopped coriander leaves.