Thai Cook Book

[Crispin]

Fancy having a try at some Thai cooking, any one recommend a book they use that uses reasonably available ingredients and is not too intimidating?

[ryanb741]

I’d consider myself a Thai food aficionado and despite having a Thai wife I do all the Thai cooking at home. I also did a 2 week intensive Thai cuisine programme at Sala Rim Nam at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok (fellow students included Gary Rhodes). So, even if I blow my own trumpet a bit, I’m a fecking brilliant Thai cook who will cook for Thai people. I don’t do much well in life, but I can cook.

So in my advice the absolute best book you can get on Thai Cuisine is called ‘Thai Food’ by David Thompson. Despite the somewhat unimaginative name it’s absolutely magnificent and will have authentic recipes from basic stuff all the way to Royal cuisine.

Some tips I can give you to make the food taste authentic and avoid the mistakes most Brits make when they try to cook Thai food at home (in order of importance)

1. Do NOT under any circumstances use supermarket own curry paste (inevitably someone is going to pop in here and say Sainsbury’s do a cracking green curry paste or whatever but they are wrong it’s not authentic) so if you don’t make your own paste then buy from a Thai company on amazon (Mae Ploy, Thai Boy etc). Likewise, absolutely nothing from Blue Dragon or Sharwoods should be anywhere near your wok. I’m serious

2. Make sure you don’t serve it piping hot. Those of you who have been to Thailand will note that typically Thai dishes will be left to hang around for a couple of minutes to Cool slightly. The reason is obvious - all those complex flavour combinations are wasted if you eat it piping hot as you won’t be able to taste it

3. Avoid substituting European ingredients for Thai ones as far as possible. Certainly don’t substitute European Basil for Thai Basil as a bare minimum. If you can get the slightly funkier ingredients like Galangal, Kaffir etc in your local supermarket (should be fine if you live in London, probably trickier if you live somewhere where people have gravy more than once a week but then Amazon is your friend). Likewise you must use the correct chilli type where specified (mostly will be birds eye but also banana chillies are used very frequently). Also if the recipe says use palm sugar then use palm sugar not granulated sugar. Makes a massive difference

4. Use chicken thigh/leg meat instead of breast meat. Breast meat will end up dry and it has basically zero flavour.

5. Thai cuisine is mostly all about the preparation. The cooking part is relatively simple.

6. Have fun! It’s very rewarding


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[crazyp]

I think Ryan has you fully covered! I'd probably add 'Far Eastern Odyssey' by Rick Stein which has a good Thai section, but is more South East Asia focussed. I just looked up the David Thompson book - looks fantastic and may get it myself!

[alexaff]

Give us some Thai paste recipes please Ryan! 🙏

[willie_gunn]

I just looked up the David Thompson book - looks fantastic and may get it myself!

Thanks to Ryan's recommendation I did likewise and have just ordered a copy from Amazon. Thank you Ryan!

For my work I travel extensively, though mostly to the Middle East and Africa rather than Asia. I did live in Hong Kong though.

I enjoy food but I am not a great cook. I can follow instructions, though, and enjoy the whole process.

After recent travels in the Middle East I fancied having a go at cooking some of the dishes I have tried abroad for my wife (who is an excellent cook BTW). If you're interested the book I settled on was "Palestine on a Plate", by Joudie Kalla. The recipes have been superb and I would thoroughly recommend it. Claudia Roden's "A New Book of Middle Eastern Food" is another. Just as with Ryan's comments, using the correct ingredients is essential.

[Complex]

Ryan, any pictures of things which you regularly cook? I like looking at Thai food almost as much as eating it.

[Cynar]

So in my advice the absolute best book you can get on Thai Cuisine is called ‘Thai Food’ by David Thompson. Despite the somewhat unimaginative name it’s absolutely magnificent and will have authentic recipes from basic stuff all the way to Royal cuisine.

Thanks for the recommendation Ryan, I've just ordered a copy.

I think it's really hard to get good Thai food over here - every restaurant I've tried has served a pale imitation of the real stuff.
I went to one on recommendation recently and ordered the Gai Pad Krapow. I was expecting minced chicken with with fiery hot chilli, Thai basil and a fried egg on top. Instead I was served a watery Chinese style lumpy chicken dish with one sprig of ordinary basil as a garnish.

I find the only way to avoid disappointment is to cook your own. I always make my own curry paste too. I find even the Thai ones like Mae Ploy disappointing in comparison.

[L8_M8]

+1 on the Thai food book, I have plenty on Thai food but this is by far and away the best I have.

[Carlton-Browne]

After recent travels in the Middle East I fancied having a go at cooking some of the dishes I have tried abroad for my wife (who is an excellent cook BTW). If you're interested the book I settled on was "Palestine on a Plate", by Joudie Kalla. The recipes have been superb and I would thoroughly recommend it. Claudia Roden's "A New Book of Middle Eastern Food" is another. Just as with Ryan's comments, using the correct ingredients is essential.

How do you rate Anissa Helou? I've been tempted to attend one of her soirees http://www.anissas.com/kitchen/ .

[willie_gunn]

How do you rate Anissa Helou? I've been tempted to attend one of her soirees http://www.anissas.com/kitchen/ .

Sadly I am completely unqualified to give you an answer - educated or otherwise! Reading her website makes a visit sound very tempting though. If you do visit I would love to hear your feedback.

Lebanese food would be my Middle Eastern cuisine of choice and Mounir, high above Beirut, is a great restaurant.

On a recent trip to Cairo the visit to Abou el Sid in Zamalek was also a highlight.

Both are restaurants primarily used by locals.

[CriticalMass]

I’ve found Bill Grangers’s “Bill’s Everyday Asian “ to be very good - although, as the name suggests, doesn’t deal exclusively with Thai food.

[Crispin]

Thanks for all the replies, Ryan in particular.

That's just the advice I was looking for, will get my self a copy of the book, is his street food book good also?
Have used Mae Ploy before, funny that you mentioned chicken thighs, a Singaporean chap I worked with in Australia would always ask for leg meat if we ate at an Asian eatery.
Never bought Thai basil, wonder if you can buy seeds to grow. Fantastic response Ryan, thankyou

Edit: book ordered and Thai basil seeds ordered on amazon, need some pictures Ryan of your efforts

[TikTokTrev]

No sniggering at the back!!


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[ray_li30]

No sniggering at the back!!


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Haha, literally lost in translation.


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[yumma]

Hairy Bikers Asian Adventure - I find their recipes good and it’s the type of food I want to eat.


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[nick67]

Thanks Ryan for the book recommendation, great present for my son whilst at Uni.

[ViperStripes]

I have this David Thompson one sat on my shelf, but never used it.
http://amzn.eu/cRW28zd

If he's the best Thai cookbook you're going to get then I had better give one of the recipes a go.

[Mj2k]

Ive always used Vatch’s books and found them superb. He has a few, but judging by the price of this one, may no longer be in print.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/157...ID=51PXBBA6FNL

That said, for under £2 well worth a punt!


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