SOMETHING DIFFERENT

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September 7, 2010

THAI COOKING CLASS

There are so many things to see and do in Bangkok, Wats, massages, street food, night life, and so on. �ut if you have the time I strongly recommend taking a Thai cooking class. There are several to choose from, guide books will steer you to the Blue Elephant Cooking school, more expensive and less hands on. I recommend the Silom Thai Cooking School. It was 1,000 bahts a person, basically $35, which includes all the food and reimbursement for travel to and from.

We took a cab to Silom and Soi 11 and waited on the corner for our instructor to arrive. Also waiting was three people from the Philippines and a young German couple. The husband of the German couple did not look overly excited to be there. I was very excited. This was one of the major things I wanted to do on this trip. Our instructor Nonsi (as gay as gay can be) arrived with four more students. He spent a few minutes explaining the day and then we were off.

The first stop was the market. We went through the open air market, (no farmers market in Portland comes close to this) Nonsi briefly explained what he was purchasing. The market contained everything, chilies (more types then you will ever see at home) rice, noodles, fish, live cat fish, prawns, vegetables, fruit, more rice, freshly shredded coconut, kaffir limes and kaffir lime leaves (these are almost impossible to find in Portland and they are used in almost all Thai dishes.) The sights and smells overwhelmed your senses, but it was incredible. Nonsi filled each of our shopping baskets up with ingredients then we were off to cook.

The school was located about three blocks from the market, down a long alley on the top floor of an apartment building. The school took up the entire third floor. There were three prep rooms and all the stoves were outside on the landing. We assembled in the last room and were seated for the lecture. Nonsi explained the 4 types of ginger, 3 types of chilies, 2 types of limes, 3 types of basil, 2 types of garlic, 2 types of coriander on and on. I always thought sticky rice was a way of making it; it is in fact an actual type of rice. After the brief lecture we drew lots to divide the work. Jerry and I both got orange so we were on the vegetable cleaning detail, the others went to chop and clean the fish and meat.

After our initial prep work was done we went to another room to being cooking. Before we began our first dish Nonsi explained the basic concepts of Thai cooking. 1) meat and vegetables are not important they can be interchanged at will and you can use what ever you want 2) There things in most all dishes

• Meat, Seafood or vegetarian meat (tofu)
• Vegetable
• Seasoning
• Key Ingredients

The first three can be changed at will depending on the level of spiciness you want, etc. The Key ingredients cannot be changed ever, as Nonsi but it is law, they must be included or the dish will not be correct.

While he was explaining this I was busy making Tamarind paste. A Ripe sour tamarind meat and water that put my hand in a squeezed and squeezed until it became paste.

We then began the process of making coconut milk. Yes we actually made the milk, which contrary to popular belief is not what is inside the coconut that is coconut juice. The milk is made from shredded coconut. We were given bowls of the shredded coconut, water was added and we mixed with our hands for 15 seconds. Then we squeezed it over a strainer in to a bowl. This became coconut cream. More water was added to the shredded coconut left to soak for 15 seconds, then squeezed through a strainer and combined with the cream. It is now coconut milk.

This class was very hands on. After making the milk we diced and chopped other ingredient for our first dish of the day, Tom Kha Gai. We then took our ingredients and headed for the woks. In about 5 minutes cooking time we had completed our first dish and then ate it. I have to say, it was the best Tom Kha Gai, I have ever had, actually as good or better than any we had had in the restaurants.

The next dish was Gai Phad Med Ma Muang (Chicken with cashew nut) (sorry Gina this one is not for you). This took about 10 minutes total time, chopping and cooking. We also made Yam Woon Sen (Spicy Mungbean Noodle Salad) and Thod Mun Pla (Fried fish cakes), including the sweet chili sauce. The highlight of the day was next, making actual curry paste. We made red curry paste for our dish this day.

There are so many things in curry and many of them you will be hard pressed to find in Portland, kaffir lime leaves being central. We made our paste in a mortar, at home use a food processor, way too much work in a mortar. It took about 20 minutes with all of us chopping and pounding to make the paste. We then headed to the woks to make Kaeng Phet Gai (Red Curry Chicken). It was a great dish and tasted f****ing amazing.

The last dish of the day was Mun ted Gang Buad (Banana or Sweet Potato in Coconut Milk). We used banana.

This class was truly a great experience (including Nonsi’s attitude) and I would do it again in a heart beat. The school offer’s 3 different classes on different days of the week. After the class you also get the recipes for all the dishes made in all of the classes not just what you made that day. It is the most hands on class in Bangkok and worth every baht. DeLightful, DeLovely, DeLicious is now ready to add Thai to its menu offerings.

A GOLDEN MOUNTAIN

After the class we walked back to the hotel. That afternoon we were headed for the Golden Mount. At one time it was the highest point in Bangkok, long before sky scrapers. The Mount is located in a section of the Old City that is not readily available by mass transit; well there is a canal ferry that takes you right to it. When we asked the concierges about the ferry, he assured us it was not for tourists, dirty you don’t want to see that. So instead we again headed for the central pier. We got on the orange express boat and headed up river. This time we got off at stop 13, a little more up river than north. From there we walked to the Golden Mount, about a mile (my poor feet were finally giving in at this point). It was an interesting walk, few tourists, mostly locals out and about. We passed a school full of children playing and eager to say hi to the white boys. We bought a Thai flag (to add to our collection and I use them in my catering business) for 30 baht a dollar. A flag in the United States or even a Thai Flag in the United States and Elmer’s Flag and Banner would cost $35 not $1. As an aside they are very patriotic here, everyone has a flag outside their shop or home and they also love the king, more than I think England loves the Queen.

Along the way Jerry needed to make a pit stop. Fortunately, there was a rare public bathroom on our route. At that moment I also could have used a pit stop, for a more unpleasant reason. However, I am not very good at placing my feet on top of porcelain on either side of a bowl, leaning back and squatting, also referred to as the Maryann hover (you have to know Maryann to understand) it basically would have been a recipe for disaster. The moment passed and the bathroom gymnastics were not required.

About 30 minutes after we left the boat, we arrived at the Golden Mount, but my feet would find no rest, nor my thighs. The temple at this particular Wat is at the top of 456 stairs. So up we went. Oh did I say that the stairs are made for people with size 4 feet, so you are taking tiny steps all the way up, your feet don’t fit, and if your me (not the king of grace) well your going to trip one, two or three times. The trip up is always worth it. Whether it is the 500+ steps at Notre Dame, or the 300+ steps at the castle in Segovia, Spain or here at the Golden Mount, you just will not get to experience the view if you don’t suffer the burn in your thighs. And it was a spectacular view of the entire city, a 360 degree view. The other thing that this Wat had that no other one did, was thousands of dragon flies. The Wat is located right next to a canal, so the water must attract them. But the sky was literally crowded with them. (We later learned that Wats will typically have lots of animals around or near them, as your not allow to kill them at or near a Wat.)

After our dissent we decided that we would through caution and the advice of our concierge to the wind and take the canal ferry back. (It would save my feet). �nother tip, the canal ferry is not horrible, (yes the water is dirty and our poor sensitive American eyes have to see poverty, god forbid) but you see things you are not going to see or experience elsewhere. Besides, it is like an E ticket at Disneyland. The passengers are 99.9%!l(MISSING)ocals, we were in fact the only tourists on the boat, there are very few stops and you really have to be aware of where you want to get off. For us that was not very hard as we knew we wanted to be by the Sky Train, so we just looked for the tracks. The canal ferry is also 9 Bahts as opposed to 14. The biggest trick is getting on and off, no ramps, just jump in or perhaps semi fall in and go. There will be no English spoken here, but they understood where we wanted to get off and were honest about the fair. I gave them too much money and they waived it off and took only what was needed. In the US, I am not sure there would be as much honesty. I don’t mean to put down the US, but we all know that many people in the large cities will take advantage of us not to mention non-English speaking people.

From the ferry to the Sky Train was a one block walk. The overall trip from the Golden Mount back to our hotel took less than 20 minutes. It took us over an hour to get there and my feet had to pay the price.

Once we returned to the hotel, yes it was again time for pool-thirty.

The day ended with dinner at Baan Chaing (it could have been Baan Chang) but we failed to take a picture so I don’t know the correct spelling. It was 5 blocks from our hotel and behind the Gem Tower. Our trip happen to coincide with the International Jewel and Gem fair, I am sure Mr. Shane from the Shane Company was here buying rubies and emeralds at bargain prices. There is an entire hi-rise devoted to Gem industry and there are just as many gem shops as there are tailors and silks stores. Since we are not into jewelry, (ok Mr. Bulger I am not sure why you don’t like Bangkok, it is all about jewelry. Well I know one reason you may not like it and I don’t like that either). For those of you that don’t know what I am talking about here I will take a moment and explain. As you know and can see from pictures posted here, I am not shall we say thin. Well Buddha is not thin either, so the Thai people, particular men, have a habit of doing one of two things, referencing your size as “oh happy Buddha” as they rub their stomachs, or worse yet they pat your stomach as you walk buy. Jerry thinks I should be just fine with that, but being very sensitive about my life long struggle with weight, I tend to be a little put off, but I don’t let them know and just try to ignore it. (A major diet is looming when I return).

Anyway back to dinner. The restaurant was located in an old Thai house both with inside and outside eating. Now, when we are back home, we are always wanting to find places with outside eating, but here, oh give us air conditioning please. We again had the set menu total 1,120 bahts, a little over $35 for both of us combined. Began the meal with Singapore Slings. The meal was very good, Tom Kah Gai (ours from the cooking school was better), deep fried whole soft shell blue crab, red curry with duck, rice, spicy shrimp, sauté asparagus, coconut ice cream for dessert. This restaurant had no local’s, 100% tourist. So while the food was good and I would recommend it, it certainly isn’t the place to go if you want to experience local life.

During dinner I heard the rain begin. When we walked outside, it was pouring, at last a glimpse of the monsoon. Tuk Tuk drivers rushed to offer us a ride, but it was rain, and 85 degrees out and still humid as hell. We are from Oregon, I am a native, its rain, we will walk thank you. It was like walking in a big shower, it was wonderful. We were drenched by the time we got back, and for the first time walking in the air conditioning made me very cold. I still didn’t care.

Safely back in our room once again, beds turned down, the slippers that don’t fit by our bed, we were asleep before 11 pm.

A BRIEF ASIDE

Something I have not mentioned yet is the security in our hotel. The hotel lobby is lavish and the hotel shares the building with office space and residential apartments. To get in with a car, is like driving into Fort Knox. They stop you at the gate, look under the car with mirrors, check the engine and trunk. They are more security conscious than any hotel in New York. However, you can just walk right in and they don’t check anything. I guess a car bomb does more damage than a purse bomb.

In the lobby is a massage spa, one of the offerings is an one hour foot massage that includes the fish treatment. Yes where you put your feet in water filled with fish that eat your dead skin off. I wanted to do it, but ran out of time. Sorry Maria, I know you would have done it if you were here. Maybe when we return to Bangkok I will have it done.

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