Inspired by the ancient Lanna kingdom, renowned for its refinement and artistry, Thai Chef Suwattana Boonyarattanusorn, instructor at the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai Cooking School took us on a Thai culinary adventure, preparing four traditional Northern Thai dishes in the resort's spectacular open air cooking school kitchen. The morning began bright and early at 7am with a trip to the Thanin open-air Market in Chiang Mai with Bom, to purchase fresh ingredients, herbs and spices needed to create the day’s menu. In addition to a tour of the market, Bom took us to his favourite places to sample local delicacies such as sweet coconut sticky rice, fried pork crackling with spicy green eggplant relish and Chiang Mai spicy sausage called Sai Oua, made with a combination of pork mixed with lemongrass, kaffir lime zest, galangal and usually red chili paste. The lady who makes the best sausage at the market has earned a Shell Chuan Chim award similar to Michelin star for her zesty sausages.
Returning back to the Four Seasons, our private Cooking Class which were the only two participants, featured a fish and seafood menu which included Tum Tang Poo Nim, a Spicy Cucumber Salad with Soft Shell Crab; Thord Mun Pla Grai, a Deep Fried Marinated Thai Fish Cake; Tom Kha Goong, Prawn Soup with Fresh Coconut Milk and Galangal; and Pla Kapong Sarm Rod, Fried Sea Bass with Three Flavour Sauce. Served in a small sala beside the cooking pavilion, were were served the dishes we had prepared earlier, with a surprise visit by the Michael Branham, General Manager of the Four Seasons, who stopped by the sample my Thord Mun Pla Grai, and gave it a resounding two thumbs up. With a short vegetable carving lesson following lunch, Chef Boonyarattanusorn showed us the art of Thai vegetable carving. Using a small sharp knife, we were shown how carts can be shaped as leaves, peppers shaped as blossoming flowers, and scallions as leafy tendrils. Used to garnish each of our dishes, the lessons we learned during the cooking class with certainly be used to spoil friends and family once we return home in a few weeks.
Bom showed us local ingredients used in Thai cuisine, such as sugar cane which is used in Thai Green and Red Curries
Large green chills have little heat but would be used as garnish and as part of our vegetable carving lesson later in the day
Bom showing us tiny Thai garlic which is stronger than larger garlic
'Thousand Year Old Eggs' are eggs that have been marinated until they become like jelly,
identified by their pink shells
Deep fried bugs which are found in Bamboo...apparently full of protein
Food stalls are open early at Thanin Market to serve spicy breakfast noodles to hungry locals
Fresh oyster mushrooms
Mounds of Morning Glory, a dish which we've been enjoying stir-fried with garlic and oyster sauce
Pea eggplants are one of the key ingredients in Thai Green Curry,
and as the name suggests are the size of a pea
Small Thai eggplants are also used in Thai curries, and are about the size of a walnut
Deep fried pork crackling is a Chiang Mai specialty
Served with cool marinated eggplant, the pork crackling is dipped in the sauce and popped in your mouth — although not very healthy, it's very tasty
The best Thai sausages in the market are sold by this lady who has been awarded the coveted 'White Bowl' award, similar to a michelin star
Absolutely delicious, Thai 'Sai Oua' sausages are made with a combination of pork mixed with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal and usually some red chili paste
The Shell Chuan Chim award
We tasted some sweet sticky rice and coconut, one of Bom's favourites at the market
Local soft shell crab
Our culinary guide Bom, shopping for our ingredients for the cooking class
Back at the Four Seasons Cooking School to begin our half day class
A basket of herbs and vegetables purchased this morning to be used for our first dish
Chef Suwattana Boonyarattanusorn laying out the ingredients for our first dish
Chef pounding the herbs and cucumber for the Soft Shell Crab Salad
Cashews, tiny dried shrimp, cilantro root, Thai garlic, fish sauce, tomatoes and sliced cucumber
The soft shell carb is chopped into smaller pieces then tossed with cornstarch then stir fried in a wok over high heat until cooked through
Sweet and tender, the soft shell crab becomes bright pink once cooked
Chef Boonyarattanusorn shows how to prepare the dish first, then we makes it ourselves
Soft Shell Crab Salad
Chef adding garlic, chilis and shallots to a mortar to pound into a smooth paste
The paste is ponded until somewhat smooth
Chef preparing a sweet and sour sauce for fried fish
Chopped pineapple and cane sugar is added to the sauce which is cooked until reduced and quite sticky
Sweet and sour sauce for fish
Wok fried local white fish
Fried Fish with Pineapple in Sweet and Sour Sauce
Large Thai red chills dried and chopped
Kaffir lime
Galangal
Shrimp paste
Chef pounding the red curry ingredients
Thai red curry paste made from scratch
Spoonful of the curry paste added to ground fish and ponded until mixed
Pounding the fish mixture until smooth and thoroughly mixed
Shaped into small patties with a round thumb hole in the centre to ensure even cooking
Wok fringe the fish cakes until brown
Chopped red chill, shallots and cucumber with crushed cashews for sauce
Water and white sugar is reduced in a brass wok, which allows the liquid to cook gently
The sweet sugar water is added to the chopped vegetables for the sauce to be enjoyed with the Fish Cakes
Ingredients for Coconut Shrimp Soup
Lemongrass, thai green chills, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, tomatoes, scallions and king mushroom
Combined with coconut milk, water and tiger prawns, the coup is cooked in a wok
The soup is brought to a boil to thicken the sauce and cook the prawns
Coconut Shrimp Soup with fried chill garnish
Learning to decoratively carve carrots, spring onion and red chilis
How to carve a decorative carrot leaf
Using a sharp carving knife, the carrots are carved and the spring onions are curled then plunged into ice cold water, the curls are enhanced
Red and green pepper flowers, carrots leave and green onion tendrils
Walking back from our cooking class and enjoyed our 4-course lunch of dishes we prepared, we walked back through the gardens for a swim overlooking the rice paddies
