When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Thailand, cook as the Thai cook. No trip to Thailand's Chiang Mai would be complete without a Thai cooking class, so we did that very thing! Staying true to our palates, we chose nothing but the best cooking school in Chiang Mai, the very first established in this city, Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School, taught by world famous Thai chef Sompon Nabnian, who's dry whit and quick humor, even in English, lends a jovial feel to the already spicy environment.
Located on his estate 30 minutes outside Chiang Mai, the cooking school is fully equipped to handle up to twelve students at one time. Before arriving at the school, though, the bus takes you to the local market to explain some local ingredients and familiarize the students with them. During the course of the six hour day, you cook six meals. Before each meal is prepared, Sompon prepares the recipe and then allows the students to sample his work before setting out prepare their own culinary works of art. Fortunately for Sompon’s estate, we were not left to fend for ourselves with nothing but a wok and an open flame; for every three or four students, there is an assistant who speak fluent English and is well versed in Sompon’s recipes.
For our six meals, we cooked the following:
Chicken In Coconut Milk Soup
(Tom Kha Gai)
Red Curry With Fish
(Gaeng Phed Plaa)
Fried Mixed Mushrooms With Baby Corn
(Phad Hed Ruam Khao Pod Orn)
Fried, Big Noodles With Thick Sauce
(Raad Nah Muu)
Papaya Salad And Sticky
Rice (Som Tam)
Steamed Banana Cake
(Khanom Kluay)
To say that these meals were delicious would be like describing Niagara Falls as a slow trickle. The fact that we prepared these meals ourselves with only the smallest amount of hand holding made them that much more satisfying.
With so many different cookery schools offered in Chiang Mai, you’re always safe going with the best of the best of the best. I can’t wait to go home and try out every recipe in the free cook book!
