Chef Prajuab Shoosridam delves deep into the authentic Thai flavours to lay out a feast that is nothing short of soul food, says Sakshi Sharma
If you were given just one day in the bustling city of Bangkok, what would you prefer to do? The best option is certainly to make your way through the city’s wondrous street food markets.
But you do not have to travel all the way to Thailand to delve into the authentic flavours of Oriental cuisine for Chef Prajuab Shoosridam, from Phatthalung, southern Thailand, has the innate capability to transport you to the other end of the world in minutes with the Thai Pavilion festival where he is showcasing a plethora of dishes.
And if you do partake Prajuab’s food, you would be in august company as he took Nelson Mandela on a culinary journey by serving him Tom yum soup (spicy soup flavoured with lemongrass lime and bird eye chillies), Plarad prik (crispy Thai herbs) and Gaeng kiew warn koong (Thai green curry with prawn) in Malaysia in March 1997 when he came to the country for a meeting. Later that year, he put together a meal for the then French President, Jacques Chirac in November where he served the former President Pad Thai noodles with Gaeng phed kai (Thai red curry with chicken). And he is all set to do the same at three different Taj properties — House of Ming, Thai Pavilion, Spicy Duck — where he will unveil the flavourful, hidden culinary delicacies and ‘treasures of the Orient’.
However, to reach a certain level means a definite amount of hardwork and Prajuab was up for it. He attended a culinary school during the day and worked at nights in professional kitchens knowing fully well that it would be worth all the hassles. His passion and love for Thai food only grew stronger with time. The ‘Thai Restaurant’ in Barn Thai, Phuket, was his first official outing. After that there was no looking back.
He says, “Food and cooking influenced me from a very tender age. I grew up in a family of restaurateurs and began my career at 18 when I decided to work in the kitchen of a restaurant owned by my cousin. Since I was keen on taking up cooking as a career, I also enrolled myself into a hotel management course simultaneously. The experience was truly enriching. During my tenure in school, I got the opportunity to train for three months in a five-star hotel in Phuket. That’s when I knew that hotels were where I wanted to be.”
While the chef has an array of Thai and Oriental dishes on offer, it is his two signature ones — Pla rad orik sos hollapa, crispy fried-fish topped with tangy sauce and Thai herbs and Kai Phad Bai Kraprao, stir-fried ground chicken with sweet basil and chilli that have people queuing up.
His another signature dish is Gaeng Kiew Warn kai, a Thai green curry with chicken, which is one its kind on account of its plethora of strong flavours. It’s one of his favourites as it balances the five fundamental flavours — sweet, sour, spicy, bitter and salty. Another favourite, which again is a signature, is the Kai phad bai kraprao (Holy basil chicken). For desserts, he loves to dig into Tub tim grob (Rose-scented water chestnut and coconut milk).
Having stayed in the city for the last seven years, he has also developed an affinity for the capital’s staple Butter chicken and naan because it’s creamy and delicious. Also, it is different from Thai food which helps to experience a diverse flavour.
Despite sticking to authentic flavours, the chef’s global exposure of 12 years has ensured that he knows the importance of catering to different palettes. With reference to diverse culture and varied taste preferences, he says, “In Thailand, people love and prefer basic Thai food but in Malaysia, there are a lot of European tourists who have a softer palette and do not like spicy food even though locals like it. So, I have to play around with the food and adjust according to the customers’ choices. It majorly involves a play of spices. Indians prefer medium-spiced dishes. They like more of coconut and stick to dishes that has a hint of their own cuisine. But I love serving different countries with their variety of taste preferences.” He further says that the exposure to different different cultures while stepping out of Thailand has proved to be a great learning experience.
While catering to various taste buds, one has to ensure authentic play of flavours and innovations. Customers do prefer a variety in the world of food.
The chef does not believe in fusion and blends and prefers an innovative play of flavours, as he feels, “Fusion is confusion.”
Referring to food as an art and science, he says, “We have techniques to do a lot of things that go into crafting any dish. Every dish has a unique one. But it is also true that each chef lends his or her distinct flavour to every dish and that is the art of cooking.”
Over time, a major chunk of population has become health-conscious and are more aware of what they are eating. The customer is evolving and prefers fresh, organic and seasonal food. While fusion and molecular trends do have a fan following but people are now increasingly going back to the roots. Regional food is gaining prominence. The chef apprises us, “When we had our Thai Songkran festival here, I tried to recreate the delicacies from my region, Phatthalung. There was street food as well as dishes which were cooked in home-style. Not only restaurants, people these days want a taste and flavour of the place.”
The chef has been associated with the Taj Group of Hotels since 2006. He is excited about their forthcoming festival. “It will give you the experience of Thai epicurean landscape in the heart of the capital. The culinary pop -up will provide our best Thai cuisine.”
Talking about the pillars of any cuisine, which are technique and authenticity, he says, “While it is great to follow trends and innovate, your individual strengths as a chef is what will differentiate you from your contemporaries. The most important thing for a chef to be successful is to cook everything from the heart. That is how it will be received well by the guest.”