Thai cuisine is known for its aromatic fragrance and delicious flavours stemming from the use of various herbs and spices. It is internationally famous, with Thai restaurants dotting big and small cities around the world. Tom yum goong and pad Thai are just some of the better known dishes. But aside from these few, iconic dishes, there are more on the scrumptious spectrum to be explored.
In the Master Chef Series by top chef Srisamorn Kongpun, over 100 recipes are included in a fine collection suitable for any Thai food enthusiast. It is divided into seven booklets that can be easily propped up in the kitchen. The titles are Popular Thai Food, Step-By-Step Thai Food, Thai Stir-Fry, Thai Spicy Salad, Thai Vegetarian Recipes, Thai Curry And Soup and Thai Dessert.
What’s good about this volume is that it includes almost everything, not just well-known dishes. The featured dishes are a combination of both simple and more difficult recipes, offering options for readers who wish to try out cooking them. While replicating authentic Thai cuisine is not a simple task, it should not deter anyone from experimenting. In the end, cooking is a form of art, and there is no right and wrong. The key to Thai food, as Srisamorn suggested, is to keep the balance between the natural flavours of the ingredients.
“The proportionally mixed components combined with appropriate cooking methods can result in nutritious dishes with medicinal benefits, as well as wonderful tastes,” wrote the author.
Instructions presented in the books are quite straightforward, and not too complicated to follow. However, recipes are not thoroughly detailed, and that is to be expected when you make Thai food. A lot of things rely on the chef’s sense and timing, not solely on texts provided.
Still, there are some tips available on how to better craft out a dish, as well as steps in preparing different ingredients prior to the actual process of cooking. There is also information on how to select herbs and spices to attain the best quality meal.
Decorations, measuring units, kitchen utensils, condiments and the benefits of Thai herbs are some of the tips provided at the end of each booklet — which should come in handy for both experts and amateurs.
Tom yum goong, or spicy prawn soup.
Master Chef Series: Easy And Delicious Thai Recipes For Everyday Cooking
Srisamorn Kongpun 150 baht each Available at Asia Books
