THAI

Background

Meera recounts that when she first tasted Thai cuisine - she experienced a jolt of deja vu. The exquisite blend of flavours made her want to learn more.

In 1989 she embarked on her research mission - first attending a course at the famed Oriental Cooking School in Bangkok with Chalie Amatyakul and Sarnsern Gajaseni with whom she is still in close contact.
The next stage was to find a teacher of Thai Language so that she would be able to go out and speak to people in markets - read Thai texts and find out about all the exotic plants and herbs that are the essence of this exciting cuisine.

Almost twenty years later and having made innumerable trips to Thailand, Meera is well equipped to demystify Thai cooking

Herbs, Spices and other Ingredients

Meera gives a full introduction to Thai herbs and other ingredients essential to the freshness and fragrance of this wonderful cuisine. You will learn how to make your own curry pastes, which brands of fish sauce and coconut milk to buy, how to choose and store products such as galangal and how to differentiate between the various Thai herbs and become familiar with their uses. Meera has recently worked on an Asian vegetable and herb brochure for Market Fresh and participants in her courses receive a copy for easy reference when shopping.

Course Content

The four-week course covers soups and salads, curries and fried dishes, starters and snacks. There are even a couple of desserts including Meera's irresistible coconut sorbet. Shopping tips are given during classes and you will learn how to serve and eat a Thai meal, how to combine dishes to create a balanced menu, and what beverages to serve. The four-week course will educate your palate so that you will soon be enjoying tastes and combinations you never dreamed of.

Additional Courses

Once you have mastered all the dishes in the basic Thai course and are craving more, Meera offers additional four-week courses focusing on regional dishes, northern style curries with no coconut milk and dishes featuring more obscure ingredients.

A single session Northern Thai class is also offered on a regular basis.