Update (13FEB23): Issaya Cooking Studio is no longer in operation.
Learning to Cook at Issaya Cooking Studio: Day 1
I had such an amazing time today learning to cook Thai food at the Issaya Cooking Studio at Central Embassy! I first made a spicy green papaya salad (Somtam) with salted egg–why am I not making this everyday? I often eat somtam but this is the first time I had it with salted egg. It gives it a creaminess I dig.
The instructor, Nat, shows off a freshly deseeded young papaya.
Then I made a spicy minced chicken dish called laab gai–and I learned how to make it pretty with cucumber slices and edible butterfly pea flower petals.
Not as pretty as the instructor’s creation but pretty tasty!
After snacking on these two dishes I learned how to make a stock for Tom Khlong Thalay soup. It has similar ingredients to Tom Yum soup but the galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, and dried fish are intensely roasted before they are simmered to make the stock. I think I like this soup better than Tom Yum as I like that smokiness and depth to the broth.
A long time to make, but absolutely worth the effort!
Finally I learned to cook stir-fried chicken and rice with holy basil (ka-phrao kai cham ron). This is definitely going to be in my kitchen recipe index. I shall never waste rice again–it will be turned into this dish instead! I was completely stuffed by the time I made this so I got the last dish as take-away and it will be on our dinner table tonight!
Never waste leftover rice again!
This cooking lesson was a gift from Anna for my birthday (she just gets me!). I have another lesson tomorrow. It’s my understanding that pomelo salad and green curry will be on the menu. I am super excited!
To see my second day of instruction at the Issaya Cooking studio, click here!
