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Thai
Cooking
| Bel-Aire
Princess, Bangkok
Amazing Taste of Thai Cuisine
I
Can Cook ...
Bel-Aire
Princess is proud to present our valuable clients the unforgettable
experience in Thai cuisine. Why Thai cuisine has become one
of the most popular cuisine in the five continents
| Price
: |
For
1 student as US$ 30++ |
| For
2 student as US$ 20++ person |
Inclusive
in the price are the lesson, a Thai cooking book, a certificate,
and other gifts. Of course, you can eat the food you cook!
Special Offer 10% Discount
For more information Click
here. |
| Introduction |
Thai cooking
as now enjoyed all over the world is a blend of Asian and
European influences adopted through centuries of trade and
diplomatic exchanges. Thais have traditionally lived close
to the land and the waters, and original Thai cooking reflected
that. Main ingredients were rice, fish, vegetable and herbs.
Very little meat was used, and traditionally beef or buffalo
meat was eschewed since the animals were the mainstays of
farm life.
Thais grilled, baked and stewed their food, until the Chinese
introduced the techniques of cooking with hot oil. European
merchants, diplomats and missionaries also contributed a lot
to the cuisine, starting right after their arrivals in the
16th Century. And we all have the Portuguese to thank for
introducing chilies to Thai kitchens. Curries and spices,
on the other hand, were brought here by the Indians. Over
the years Thai cooks have added their own ingenuity, substituting
hard-to-find ingredients with what's available locally and
adapting the recipes to suit Thai palates.
A Royal Treat
Thai cooking has four regional variations plus the highly
refined "Royal" cuisine. Sometimes translated into
English as Palace Cuisine, this is a heritage from the days
of absolute monarchy, when only the best was served at the
Royal table. Every dish must be pleasing to both the eye and
the palate. Not only must the ingredients be carefully selected
and the cooking techniques perfected, the presentation must
also be creative. Today Royal cuisine can be sampled at some
restaurants whose chefs are descended from, or were trained
by, former palace chefs. Look for the key word "Royal"
or "Palace" in their names.
Some cooking schools offer classes on this refined art, but
if you don't have the time or the inclination, you can opt
for just a vegetable and fruit carving class. Most schools
and restaurants offering cooking classes can arrange such
a course, which can take anywhere from an afternoon to a whole
week. After a few basic sessions and some practice at home,
you should be able to wow your dinner guests with your new
skills.
A Thai Meal
A Thai meal is traditionally a communal affair, with two or
more people sharing several dishes, all served at the same
time and eaten with steamed rice. The dishes are:
Snacks and Hors d'oeuvres.These savory tidbits can be eaten
alone or as side dishes. Traditional favorites include stuffed
dumpling, satay, crisp-fried rice noodles topped with sweet-and-spicy
sauce, and spring rolls. Creative presentation is a big part
of Thai snack-making, and a professional cook worth his salt
will strive to make them as much as feast for the eye as for
the palate.
Salads
Thai salads, called yam, are sour, sweet and salty. A simple
dressing works equally well for meat, seafood, vegetable and
fruit salads. This is made from fish sauce, lime juice and
a dash of sugar. The heat comes from fiery little bird chilies,
but just how hot a salad should be depends on the texture
and flavor of the meat, vegetable or fruit used. Fresh herbs
such as marsh mint, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and cilantro
are usually used as garnish.
Chili Dips
Usually served with vegetables, meat or fish, chili dips are
very versatile. A dip can be a main dish or side dish, added
to a pan of fried rice to flavor it, or drizzled on chips
to jazz them up. A cook can whip up a bowl of dip from chilies,
garlic, onion and shrimp paste or whatever ingredient is available-dried
or fermented fish, sour tamarind, dried shrimp, etc.
Soups
Thai soups generally are very flavorful. Meat or vegetable
is cooked in broth or coconut cream with a "soup base,"
usually a blend of spices and herbs, which gives the soup
its flavor. A soup is served not at first course but together
with other dishes. This way you can wash down the fiery heat
of the more spicy dishes with it.
Curries
The heart of all Thai curries is the curry pastes, which,
unlike Indian curry, are made from fresh herbs and spices.
The paste is cooked in coconut cream before meat or vegetable
is added. Main ingredients in most curries are chili, garlic,
shallot, galangal, coriander root and krachai (a small brownish
orange, indigenous root. Canned curry pastes are available
at markets and grocery stores, but freshly-made pastes make
more delicious curries.
Single Dishes
Fried rice or noodle dishes make quick, satisfying meals.
You can improvise with different types of meat, vegetables
and spices. When cooking the rice, use a little less water
so it won't become soggy when you fry it. Separate the noodles
before adding it to the oil. Add the meat and sauce, then
the rice or noodles, and stir frequently over high heat.
Desserts
Ideal for washing down the spices, Thai desserts are sweet
but not intensely so. Banana or flour dumplings in sweetened
coconut cream and season fruit in sugar syrup topped with
crushed ice are some of the easy-to-make favorites. Thais
also eat a lot of candied fruit-banana and breadfruit being
two of the most popular--alone or topped with coconut cream.
Setting Up a Thai Kitchen
You need a few utensils to start. A wooden chopping block,
a set of knives, a set of mortar and pestle (an electric blender
will also do), a Chinese-style frying pan or wok, a soup pot
and a brass pan for desserts should be enough for daily cooking
and an occasional dinner party. Spoon and fork are the only
cutlery you need. Thai cooks always have at hands dried chilies,
garlic, shallot, shrimp paste, and a good bottle of fish sauce. |
| Finding
a cooking school |
 There
are a good number of cooking schools in Bangkok and the major
provinces. Any hotel with a Thai restaurant can probably arrange
a class for you. Some of the hotel-restaurant courses emphasize
hands-on practice while others are "watch and eat"
sessions.
Some teach basic skills that will enable you to make your favorite
dishes at home; others offer comprehensive training ideal for
budding professional chefs. Usually the schools will let you
choose the recipes, but a number have very specific curricula
based on menus served at their restaurants.
Cooking schools run by major hotels are on average more expensive,
but meals are generally included. Some schools even offer sessions
on how to select menu and order at restaurants. Schools in the
provinces usually offer classes on regional specialties as well
as national favorites, and there is no reason to limit yourself
to just tom yam kung and phad Thai! We hope you will find one
that suits your needs. Enjoy cooking! |
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