Priyanka Joshi was in for a Thai high at the Red Zen restaurant
When I heard about the Songkran food festival, I couldn’t stop myself from taking up the offer extended from Courtyard by Marriott in Gurgaon.
As I entered, a staff member had me to pause to pour water on the feet of a Buddha statue. Dressed in a Thai costume, he shared, “This is the traditional way of celebrating Songkran.”
What came next was a glass of Thai tea, which is very different from the Indian version.In the summer heat, the chilled iced tea cooled me for a Thai odyssey.Its deep amber colour and milk-tinted upper layer, combined with strongly-brewed tea, dairy and sugar, complemented the weather and spicy food. Every detail of the venue said Thai — from the music to ambience.
Soon expat Chef Piyawat accompanied me, and shared, “Songkran is Thai New year, and similar to Holi, which is celebrated around the same time. A common between the two festivals is releasing small fish back into rivers and streams. In Thailand, small birds are also released from cages as part of festivities. The food provides a host of flavours and tastes, with a subtle mixture of herbs and spices, and market-fresh ingredients make dining a special culinary experience. The festival menu sources fresh ingredient.”
My journey into the gastronomical world of Thailand, began with dishes like Tung Thong and Koi Sod Sai as starters. The former is a deep fried money bag with Thai herb and vegetables.
The latter is non vegetarian grilled chicken wrapped in rice paper, and served with tangy dip.The Tung Thong was properly cooked, but the Kai sod sai was only partially done.
The main course comprised Pad Krapao Kung (stir fried prawns with chilly, garlic and basil), Hor Mok Pla (Fish curry steam in banana leaf), Gaeng knaw phak (southern village style vegetable curry), Hor Mok Hed (vegetable curry stem in banana leaf) and Phad Thai (traditional Thai rice noodles with tamarind sauce). Chef informed me that Hor Mok Pla and Hor Mok Hed were made differently from the others. These traditional dishes take 30-35 minutes. He narrated the procedure, “Mix sliced fish with red curry paste, coconut cream and fish sauce. Add beaten egg, stir all the time with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens. line a heat resistant pudding basin with chopped cabbage leaves or sweet-basil leaves. Spoon the curried fish mixture on top. You can also sprinkle chopped spring onions and red chili slices. Cover with banana leaf and steam. Same process for Hor Mok Hed, but we don’t use egg.”
Thai cuisine influences include Southeast Asian traditions. Thai food is known for its balance of three to four fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet, salty and bitter.