YummY!
Jotaro's Food Review
THAILAND FOUR REGIONS FOOD @ BARN THAI
Plaza 33, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia - December 2014
Barn Thai is having a promotion of cuisine from the the four regions of Thailand; namely the Southern, Northern, North-Eastern & Central Regions. I was privileged to be invited by Don, the operator of the restaurant to attend the occasion.
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| With Her Excellency Saowalak Chaichuson, the Thai Charge d'affaires (centre) and Thai Tourism Authority of Thailand Director for Malaysia & Brunei, Mr. Suwat Kumwong. |
The occasion was graced by Thai Charge d'affaires to Malaysia, Her Excellency Saowalak Chaichuson.
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| The Kha Nom Jeen Nam Ngiaw (Cotton Flower Curry Noodle) which I like very much. |
Today's food were from the four regions for us to savour and distinguish between the different styles of cooking and ingredients used.
The food was presented buffet style and there was a fair bit of food laid out. I took a bit of each onto my plate, nipped on them and went for seconds of those that I like better. (A confession here... I went for thirds for some of them!)
Nam Prik Ong Nam Prik Noom (Northern).
A traditional Thai Salad of slices of fish cake, chicken crackers, bottle beans, etc. The veggies were crunchily fresh, the fish cake had good fishy flavour but the clincher were the sauces serve in those two cute little receptacles at the centre. Add them to the salad..... AND Whooomph! Sweetness and spiciness comes together to grab your tongue and titillate it.
Khao Yum Puk Tai (Southern).
Another salad, this Hom Mali Rice Salad has its secret in the Hom Mali Rice (popularly known as Jasmine Fragrant Rice but one that has to pass through stringent standards).
Now how do I go about eating this. Bearing in mind that the rice is part of a salad and not a staple, I took a pinch of rice to go with the other ingredients, topped them up with a squeeze of lime.
Kha Nom Jeen Nam Ngiaw (Northern).
One may mistake this Cotton Flower Curry Noodle in it's presentation as a simple dish sold at a Northern Thai stall. The simple look belies it's speciality.
Take a generous portion of the noodle (vermicelli actually) together with healthy portions of the vegetables...
... and then add scoops of the superb special ingredient - the cotton flower curry!
The key to this minced chicken curry is the cotton flower that has a good fragrance and add a subtle flavour to the curry.
This is the dish very much and went three rounds *grins*.
Hor Nueng Gai (Northern).
This chicken dish must have taken a lot of work to prepare. Baby chicken is marinated in banana leaves with Northern Thai herbs, pea eggplant, pepper, tiger mint and then steamed. The chicken is then cooked with glass noodles with baby corn, etc. added.
Phad Yod Ma Prow Sai Goong (Southern).
This dish of prawns stir-fried with hearts of coconut is a delicacy. It's not because of the prawns but because of the hearts of coconut which are extracted from the inner core of coconut stems. They have a firm crunchy flesh similar to bamboo shoots but minus that "ammonia" whiff.
The hearts had soaked in the flavour of the prawns that had been stir fried with lobster butter sauce and a dash of garlic, it's a good double dose of prawny flavour.
Hoy Lai Phad Cha (Southern).
Clams were stir-fried with spices together with basil leaves and other herbs. The frying was just adequately done, enough to open up the shells and yet retaining the succulent tenderness of the clam meat. The coating of the spicy gravy enhanced its fresh sea flavour.
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| (L-R) With Her Excellency Saowalak Chaichuson, Thai Tourism Authority of Thailand Director Mr. Suwat Kumwong, Thai Airways General Manager for Malaysia & Brunei Mr. Suttichoke Rodleechit. |
I took my first round of food and prepared to eat but was in for another surprise. Don did me another honour, seating me with Her Excellency and other important Thai Guests. There I was feeling nervous, trying to compose myself among these ViPs. Their friendly nature relaxed me and I slowly warmed up an was soon chatting away. Her Excellency was cordial and modest, and presented the best of Thai hospitality - she even served me desserts! .... Gosh... I am indeed humbly honoured.
Sawadee-Kap.
Continuing on with the food adventure:
Plod Tod Ka Min (Southern).
Deep fried with a seasoning of fresh tumeric, garlic, lemongrass, galangal & black pepper; this Ikan Kurau (grouper) would have made a good dish by itself.
Sai Oua Gai (Northern).
Minced chicken sausage flavoured with Thai Herbs.
Kaeng Som Cha Pla Kra Pong (Southern).
Deep fried whole sea bass served in hot sour curry together with acacia leaf omelet and edible flowers. The deep frying was well done with vertical cuts to create thick slices for the curry to soak into the meat.
Gaeng Hunglay (Northern).
Chiangmai's authentic stewed beef with a sprinkling of cashew nuts. The beef was tender and that little layer of fat imparted the beefy essence into the stew nicely.
Pla Sauce Tom Yum Hang (Central)
Deep fried grouper with Tom Yum herbs and Shimeji Mushrooms. Another nice fish in good sauce.
Pad Mee Korat (North-eastern).
Traditional wok-fried flat rice noodles from the town of Korat/Nakhon Ratchasima.
A colourful end to the feast; Thai desserts.
Nothing beats these colourful and tasty creations.
Don, many thanks to you for giving me the honour of meeting and dining with wonderful people; and also for the opportunity to learn more about Thai food.
BARN THAI RESTAURANT & BAR
Hours: Lunch - 11:45 am to 2:30 pm Dinner - 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm Bar - 4:00 pm to 1:00 am
Closed on Sundays
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