Culinary destinations
GMS travels to Thailand for an ultimate cooking lesson with Pitaya Phanphensophon, a leading culinary entrepreneur in the city and the founder of the globally renowned Mango Tree group.
P
ushing my way through the narrow lanes of The Bangkok Flower Market – Pak Klong Talad – in searing 38⁰C heat, I clutched my shopping bag with a clammy hand. Sweat beading on my brow, I was overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of this wholesale operation. Stall after stall was crammed with the freshest produce – not just exotic flowers, but herbs, spices and fruits – all plucked and transported from fields surrounding the city. The market, which spans two square kilometres, offered patches of peace and quiet next to small temples covered in fresh flower garlands donated from the market vendors as a sign of hope and happiness. This being my first trip to Thailand, you’d expect this visit to the market to be just a souvenir snap and grab on a well-beaten tourist trail. Let’s face it, buying bags of spices to give as gifts once home seems like a great idea en route to a roof-top pool, but I wasn’t here to pick up forgettable presents. Instead, I took my time to browse the mounds of ripe bananas, sprigs of nostril-tingling herbs and vibrant spices heaped into woven baskets like technicolour ant hills. But I had a purpose. Accompanied by top chef Pitaya Phanphensophon, one of Thailand’s foremost culinary entrepreneurs and cultural ambassadors, I had ingredients to buy, because that night I’d be preparing an authentic red curry for a party of 10 people under Pitaya’s watchful eye. He’d kindly agreed to help me collect everything I needed for the feast; super-fresh chillies and coriander, vibrant zesty limes, which we were encouraged to taste. “They’re slightly sweeter than I expected,” I said, still wincing. The smiley vendors were more than happy to let us sample their produce. One even demonstrated the best way to smell a fresh bunch of herbs; not to break them in two, but to smack them between your hands to release the fresh flavours. I watched as Pitaya dashed over to a nearby stall and picked up a root that looked a bit like ginger, “This is actually galangal,” he said. With a much stronger taste than ginger and smelling like freshly cut coriander, it is used in many Thai curries, he explained. “Sounds delicious,” I said, handing over some coins and popping a couple in my bag. Pitaya, originally from China, is the main man behind famed restaurant group Mango Tree, which was started on a humble houseboat many years ago by his father. The restaurant chain was named after Pitaya’s neighbour’s mango tree, which still stands outside the restaurant in Bangkok. “It was Thailand’s first steamboat and
WORDS MARK SETCHFIELD
55
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online