Thai Green Curry - My souvenir from Phuket

For me, experiencing another culture through its food is a big part of travelling. Being able to taste the local foods provides great insights to each regions way of life. 

I love sight seeing and buying trinkets when I go overseas, but there is something incredibly special about buying local culinary specialties. In my pantry we have truffle oil from Rome, squid ink from Venice, chocolate from Osnabrück and noodles from Fuzhou. They remind me of the great adventures Jason and I had along our travels.

The best souvenir I've ever brought back, however, is some recipes from a cooking class Jason and I attended in Phuket. We were taken to a local market to taste the local food before being whisked away to the kitchens to try our hand at Chicken Green Curry, Basil Chicken and Tom Yum Goong.

Our favourite was the green curry, which I have since adapted to suit my tastes and what is available at the supermarket. I am lucky enough that my local Asian grocery stocks most of the essential Thai ingredients - there is sometimes even fresh lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and Thai eggplant! 

The hardest thing about this recipe is collecting the ingredients which most good Asian groceries should be able to help you out with. The next step after that is to grind all the ingredients into a paste (which I find quite therapeutic actually). 

So, lovely readers, what do you like to take back from an overseas trip? Do you make your own curry paste or do you prefer the store bought variety?

Thai Green Curry with Chicken (Serves 4 to 6)
Inspired by recipe at Phuket Thai Cooking School

Ingredients:

Curry Paste*:
2 stalks lemongrass, chopped
8 kaffir lime leaves, roughly torn
3-6 birds eye chilies
2 shallots, chopped
5cm x 2cm x 2cm ginger, chopped
1 small bunch of fresh coriander (stalk and roots too!) 
1 lime -zested and juiced
1 Tbs coriander seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp Thai fish sauce
2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar

Curry:
2 to 4 Tbs green curry paste (depending on how strong you like it. I like my VERY intense)
400ml can of coconut milk
300g boneless chicken thigh, cut into bite sized pieces

200g broccoli, cut into small florets
200g can of sliced bamboo shoots, drained
optional: 4 Thai eggplants, cut into bite sized pieces

Method:
1. Blitz all the curry paste ingredients in a food processor** until it forms a paste. Taste to see if it needs more heat (chili), sour (lime juice), sweet (sugar) or salt (fish sauce). Adjust as required and set aside.
2. Heat up a wok (or deep frying pan) and 1 cup of the coconut milk. Wait until it boils and the milk starts to separate.
3. Once the coconut milk begins to separate, stir through all of the curry paste. Fry until fragrant and when all the milk has been soaked up.
4. Stir in the remaining coconut milk.
5. Add the chicken, broccoli and bamboo shoots. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
6. Serve hot with fluffy rice.

* This paste can be stored in a jar for up to 3 weeks in the fridge.
** If, you don't own a food processor, the curry paste can be made in a pestle and mortar. It takes a little longer, and you will probably need to process it in batches, but it makes the end result a lot more satisfying. Start by grinding down the lemongrass and lime leaves before adding the rest of the ingredients. 

Here's a sneaky photo of us standing in the sweltering heat, proudly displaying our dishes

Pok Pok

I was a bit skeptical when one of my friends suggested going to Pok Pok for their birthday lunch. I had previously visited the Thai restaurant when it first opened and left sorely disappointed. However, I was pleased to learn that, after a year, Pok Pok had really picked up its game.

The menu had been updated and the selection really seemed to be different from your average restaurant. 

Stir-fry Crispy Pork Belly with Thai Basil - $16.00

The first dish to arrive was the stir fried pork belly which was served in a delicious light soy and chili sauce. The fat had rendered nicely and melted in the mouth.

Massamun Curry with Goat - $20.00

The Massamun Curry had a nice earthy flavour to it and had obviously been cooking for so long that all the spices had penetrated into the goat and made it super tender. The shallots were sweet and the potato was floury and thickened the soup. It was a great introduction to Massamun Curry for me!

Caramelized Pork Belly - $10.00

The Caramelized Pork Belly is a sweet and sticky variation of the pork belly dish from before, served with crispy shallots and cucumber. Because of its hard sugary shell, the pork belly was a bit hard to cut into but it was totally worth the effort.

Silk Tofu - $14.00

My favourite of the dishes had to be the Silk Tofu. The smooth tofu sat in a clean, light broth of ginger, coriander, chili, soy and sesame. Everything was in perfect balance. I could have had another bowl of this. Pure bliss.

We have been here for a couple of work lunches now and Pok Pok really caters quite well to large groups, even allowing us to order ahead. I am really glad that my friend made me come back again because, otherwise, I would have missed out on a real gem.

Pok Pok is located at 261 Karangahape Rd, Auckland

Bangkok, Thailand

It occurred to me, while we were planning our honeymoon, that Jason and I were the last people out of our group of friends to visit Thailand. It was somewhere I had always wanted to visit, but my better half ruled it out due to a fear of being mugged -although, he adds, he's worried about being mugged anywhere! He soon changed his mind after his little sister visited and returned unscathed. The colourful pictures and  exciting stories were too much to resist and we just had to experience it for ourselves!

Inside the grounds of the Grand Palace

We headed over to Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) on our first full day. A respectable standard of dress is required to enter the grounds which seems to catch many visitors off guard. Shoulders, knees and feet must be covered and clothing can be hired. Don't panic if you're worried about sharing clothes though, there are plenty of shop keepers nearby all too willing to sell you a pair of fishermen pants -then you end up with a very comfortable pair of pants to keep (or in my case, two or three!).

Decorations on the main building

The entrance fee was 500 baht each ($20 NZD) to see the Emerald Buddha as well as the Grand Palace and a few little museums scattered throughout the 234 acre grounds. We were only two among what must have been hundreds of other tourists that day but, because the grounds were so big, we could walk around a decent amount of time without bumping into anyone. With over 100 buildings withing the grounds, it was hard not to be overwhelmed.

Inside the grounds of the Grand Palace

The first thing we noticed upon walking through the gates were the bright colours. The second was how well preserved each and every building was - I didn't think buildings from the 18th century could look so new! Beneath the midday sun, all the buildings looked so vibrant and stood out against the blue sky. Every roof had tidy rows of orange and green tiles which reflected the sunlight and all the pillars were decorated with tiny mosaics. It was very difficult to decide where to look!

In the centre of the complex is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha where visitors are required to enter barefoot. It is noticeably quieter inside the temple and we take our time admiring the high ceilings and murals on the wall while those around us pray. 

Lunch at the Tha Chang Amulet Market

We have lunch near Tha Chang Amulet Market where Jason bought his pants. It takes us a while to settle on a stall and and even longer to decide on what to eat because everything looked and smelled so good! We finally settled on a light meal of fried pork strips on rice to share as the midday heat left us more thirsty than hungry. We also ordered a Chang beer, watermelon juice and a milk tea. I was quite surprised that it was orange and more so when I saw the quantity of condensed milk that went into it! All of this cost us less than 120 baht ($4.80 NZD).

The Reclining Buddha

A short walk from the Grand Palace is the famous Reclining Buddha, one of the must-see attractions we were told. Entrance is 100 baht ($4 NZD). Located in Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), the 46 metre long Buddha is a breathtaking sight. Even though he is  laying on his side, you still have to tilt your head right up to see Buddha's face. I realise my mouth is wide open and I quickly close it. 

The buildings at Wat Pho are just as colourful and well kept as those at the Grand Palace and we have a wander around before being overcome by the intense heat. We stumble into a very nice air conditioned room which turns out to be the leading school of massage in Thailand -the lines are long though, so we don't stay too long.

Ratchaparop Road, Makkasan

The street outside our hotel is super busy. The road is full of every sort of vehicle and, if it weren't for the bridges that span over it, I don't think I would ever make it across the street. The footpath is equally busy with shops on one side and covered stalls set up on the road side. It was very nice to keep out of the sun, and there was always something interesting to look at when we were on our way to the next destination. I enjoyed comparing the prices at each stall and haggling with the good natured owners.

Pak Klong Talat - Fresh Flower Market

The Fresh Flower Market (Pak Khlong Talat) is a beautiful sight with colourful bouquets as far as the eye can see. Stalls line both sides of the footpath and are mostly caters for wholesalers rather than individuals. The market is open 24/7 and it's hard for me to imagine anyone needing such a great quantity of flowers! Many end up being offerings for Buddha so we were discouraged to touch or even smell them but no one minded if you took pictures. 

Lunch in some random alleyway in Chinatown

We made our way to Chinatown (aka Yaowarat) for lunch and settled for a nice, dingy alleyway lined with equally dingy eateries. We were a bit apprehensive at first but figured that, since all the tables were occupied, the food must be safe! For 100 baht ($4 NZD) we were given a plate of rice and were able to fill up the rest with a whole buffet of different dishes such as fried whole egg, spicy chicken, green curry and deep fried pork nuggets which were extremely popular.

Chinatown: getting lost in Sampeng Lane and Talat Mai

We spent the rest of the day browsing the many covered streets of Chinatown, walking into every shop that takes our fancy and eventually getting lost. I swear we ended up at the same intersection at least three times! 

Our first stop was Sampeng Lane which is a very long street between tall buildings that just happens to be a great place for a wholesale market to exist. Everything was certainly a lot cheaper here but only if you bought in bulk -not many shop owners were willing to entertain my haggling skills when I only wanted to by single units! It was very easy to get lost among the crowd and we had to stop frequently for beggars/tourists/randoms perched in the narrow walkways.

Interesting foods at Talat Mai

Just a few streets down, Talat Mai is a 200 metre long streets known to be the center of Chinatown's shopping. It really reminded me of going back home to China! Dried mushrooms, seafood, preserved veggies and tea were at every second stall and Chinese music was even playing in the distance. The market seemed to be organised into different sections and after wandering through the food section, we found ourselves lost in the bags and shoes section for ages. Like the wholesale market, the owners here didn't take to bargaining all that well and didn't seem to care whether or not you wanted to buy anything. We got a few goodies though, like a great wok turner.

Dinner came from a little woman and her mobile stall that was right beneath our hotel. For just 40 baht ($1.60 NZD), we received a piping hot bowl of rice noodle soup with fish balls which was just the right amount of filling. The soup had very clean flavours and it wasn't hard to see why her part of the alleyway was so popular! It was a little strange having motorbikes whizz by while eating, but it was so exciting eating on the street with the locals rather than fancy restaurants.

So that was our couple of days in Bangkok (in case you were wondering why we had two lunches). 

Would you prefer eating at a street stall or having a proper fancy meal at a restaurant?

Royal Thai Restaurant

One thing you should know about my dad is that, in terms of cuisine, he rarely likes to branch out.  Despite bringing me up to "always try everything" and forcing me to eat onions as a child (I'm still not the biggest fan of onions by the way), dad would consider food from other parts of the world only if a Chinese restaurant wasn't within a 12km radius. So eating anything other Chinese is very rare when we dine out as a family.

I'm not complaining, of course. I love my Chinese food but I can't help but think eating at the same 5 or 6 restaurants every time is a little hypocritical of my father. My mother is a little better as she comes into contact with a variety of different cultures at work although she would almost definitely choose familiar foods if given the chance.

I, however, have been completely brainwashed by the "give everything a go" mantra and absolutely love branching out and  living in the midst of a cultural melting pot such as Auckland gives Jason and I the perfect opportunity to try a variety of different cuisines. Usually it is the price that puts them off -"Why would I pay $50 for a single meal when I could feed 4 people for the same price at a Chinese restaurant?" I would often hear my dad exclaim so when we acquired some dining vouchers, I took it upon myself to introduce them to the Royal Thai Restaurant as the food there is quite similar to what they're used to. Baby steps.

Money bags -$10.20 for a plate of 6

We started off with two servings of money bags -"they're like wontons" I explain to my mother though the similarities ended with their appearance. These little morsels were filled with a mix of pork, chopped peanuts, garlic and spices with a side of sweet chili sauce. The money bags were quite different to ones I had experienced at other Thai restaurants which usually just involve meat and some mixed vegetables and the addition of peanuts provided another depth of flavour. The side salad was also nice and refreshing (not sure if it was meant to be eaten though..). Needless to say, mother was very impressed.

Keow Wan Gai (Thai Green Curry Chicken) -$19.50

Thai green curry is one of those dishes that is present on every Thai menu, but is never the same anywhere. Thank God, that this was one of the better ones I've had or else there would be less "branching out" in the future. The flavours were perfectly balanced while the green beans and bamboo shoots did well to cut the richness of the coconut milk.

Pad Thai Goong (King Prawn Pad Thai) -$25.50

Pad Thai is another of those famous dishes although past experience has warned me away. I reluctantly tried some at the insistence of Jenny, and discovered it wasn't as bad as I had remembered. The addition of bean sprouts, prawns and peanuts provided a nice crunch to the otherwise soft rice noodles but, overall, I found the Pad Thai to be a bit too sweet after a few mouthfuls.

Nua Gra Tiem (Beef with Garlic and Pepper) -$19.50

In order to ease the parentals into this new cuisine, we ordered some sizzling plates -something that is quite common on Chinese cuisine. The beef was a little overcooked in parts but was made up by the fact that it was covered in a delicious sauce! The orange slice garnish also tasted really good (again, I'm not sure if I was supposed to eat it) and I have now got an appetite for warm orange. Call me weird.

Moo Kra Ta (Pork with Peanut Sauce) -$19.50

The satay pork was cooked more evenly and every piece was very tender. However, the broccoli pieces were quite dry and perhaps needed a touch more sauce. The warm orange slice was also good.

Gai Yang (B.B.Q. Chicken) -$19.50

Last to come was a very generous amount of BBQ chicken and it was easily my favourite dish of the night. Even though the pieces were quite large, they were all cooked to perfection with the BBQ, chili and Thai herb flavour penetrating right to the center.

The Royal Thai Restaurant can be found at 243 Hinemoa St, Birkenhead, Auckland, New Zealand.


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