Thai gourmet treasures

Thailand is known as the land of smiles, and rightly so, for its delightful cuisine will definitely cause you to grin. Thailand is in any traveler’s destination, what with its paradise of pristine beaches, hidden temples, and remote mountain refuges, from cosmopolitan and pulse-pounding Bangkok to tranquil villages moored along the Mekong River. Yet the memories I have of this Asian locale are directly linked to my taste buds. The flavors of Thai cuisine are as rich and diverse as its culture. Partake of it, and you will discover what the locals mean by im jai or "full heart," an expression that fuses culinary satisfaction with contentment in life. Isn’t that a nice state to be in?

When I get a craving for Thai food, I head for what I consider to be one of the best dining places in the metro, and that would be Benjarong. Not a spur of the moment thing for me, mind you. This outing would definitely be planned ahead for the experience that awaits me would be almost spiritual. Benjarong is the flagship Thai restaurant of the Dusit Hotel Group worldwide. It literally means "five colors," the name of the unique Thai porcelain traditionally used in Siamese palaces for auspicious festivities and royal occasions. The palaces of the nobility are the repository of royal Thai cuisine, where the selection, preparation and serving of food have been elevated to a high art. Refinement, skill, inventiveness and adherence to firmly defined rules of taste are the hallmarks of royal Thai cuisine, and the tradition has been continued at Benjarong, under the helm of homegrown Thai chef Phatcharaporn Noinak.

Chef Tun, as she is called, just keeps on amazing us with each new dish she introduces to the traditional classic favorites the Benjarong royal Thai cuisine is famous for. A must with every visit is the yummy and sweat-inducing tom yum gung (translation: fiery). For those whose taste is not as bold, a new addition is the tom yum talay for those craving for more subtle flavors. Her massaman dish is also highly recommended.

If you are a regular, you will be delighted to find new entrees to sample: appetizers like khao tang na tang (crispy crackers with minced shrimp and ground pork) and mee krob krathong (sweet and sour crispy vermicelli with shrimp and bean curd); superlative soups like tom som pla muek yad sai (stuffed squid with glass noodles and minced pork in tamarind soup) and kaeng som mon din talay (mixed seafood in light curry tamarind soup with vegetable in hot pot); healthy colorful salads like yam phak maew (bottle gourd shoot salad) and yum ta-khrai song khrueng (lemongrass salad); and deeply satisfying entrees such as nuea ob thai (Thai-style roast beef) and andaman ob prik klue (steamed fish, squid, and prawns).

Most of my favorite Thai dishes from this five-star restaurant can be found in the newly published cookbook, Thai Way of Life, The Dusit Cook Book. It is a 152-page coffee-table book with popular Thai recipes. It comes complete with colorful photographs, an introductory section of food preparation, an illustrated guide to Thai herbs, spices, and traditional kitchen utensils, and recipes from Thailand’s different regions. Serving instructions and useful chef’s tips on ingredients and cooking methods complement the recipes. The book is available for sale at Benjarong and the Deli Shop of the Dusit Hotel Nikko. Below are some of the easy-to-prepare recipes of chef Tun’s new menu creations.

Mee Krob Krathong

Sweet and sour crispy vermicelli
with shrimp and bean curd
100 grams vermicelli
50 grams shrimp
30 grams bean curd
30 grams bean sprouts
1 gram shallot
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons tamarind juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 egg
5 pastry cups
Heat the oil in a wok. When hot, deep-fry vermicelli. Remove vermicelli from the wok, then drain.
Fry the shallot in some oil and then add tamarind juice, sugar, and fish sauce. Mix ingredients well in low heat until mixture is sticky. Put the shrimp and bean curd, then mix well together.

Remove wok from the heat and add the vermicelli, then mix well. Makes five pieces.

Tom Yum Talay

Seafood combination clear soup
1 prawn, around 40 grams
50 grams lapu-lapu
50 grams squid
1 piece mussel
1 stem lemongrass
5 grams galangal
3 pieces kaffir lime leaves
5 grams coriander
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 fresh chili
Bring chicken broth to a boil and add galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. When it comes to a boil, add the prawn, fish, and mussel. When the ingredients are cooked, season with fish sauce, lemon juice, and fresh chili. Pour into a bowl and serve hot.

Pla Sam Rod

>Fried lapu-lapu topped
with sweet and sour chili sauce
200 grams lapu-lapu
2 pieces fresh chili
2 pieces dried chili
3 tablespoons tamarind juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
10 cloves garlic
For the sour chili sauce:

Combine red and yellow chili, garlic, coriander roots, and shallot in a blender until you get a smooth texture.

Heat oil in the pan and add ingredients. Fry in low heat until fragrant, then add the tamarind juice, sugar, and fish sauce. Continue cooking until the sauce becomes thick.

Heat the oil in a wok, in medium heat, for deep-frying. Fry the fish until very crispy.

To serve, place the fried fish in the center of the plate and pour the sauce over it. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

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Benjarong takes you right to the heart of Thai royal culture through its exceedingly good food. It’s not hard to find Thai cuisine in the city these days; it’s just hard to find Thai food like this – every dish so distinctively spiced, gorgeously presented, and uncompromisingly traditional. It’s a gourmet experience fit for royalty.