Bangkok (Lonely Planet) - Andrew Burke [107]
Another kind of noodle, kà·nǒm jeen, is produced by pushing a fermented rice-flour paste through a sieve into boiling water, in much the same way as pasta is made. Kà·nǒm jeen is eaten topped with various curries. The most standard curry topping, nám yah (herbal sauce), contains a strong dose of grà·chai (Chinese key), a root of the ginger family used as a traditional remedy for a number of gastrointestinal ailments, along with ground fish.
The third kind of noodle, bà·mèe, is made from wheat flour and sometimes egg (depending on the noodle-maker or the brand). It’s yellowish in colour and is sold only in fresh bundles. After being briefly parboiled, the noodles are mixed with broth and meat, typically barbecued pork or crab, to create bà·mèe nám. Served in a bowl with a small amount of garlic oil and no broth, it’s bà·mèe hâang.
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NOW YOU’RE COOKING
Having consumed everything Bangkok has to offer is one thing, but imagine the points you’ll rack up if you can make the same dishes for your friends back at home. A visit to a Thai cooking school has become a must-do for many Bangkok itineraries, and for some visitors it is a highlight of their trip.
Courses range in price and value: a typical half-day course should include at least a basic introduction to Thai ingredients and flavours and a hands-on chance to both prepare and cook several dishes. Nearly all lessons include a set of printed recipes and end with a communal lunch consisting of your handiwork.
Baipai Thai Cooking School (Map-3; 0 2294 9029; www.baipai.com; 150/12 Soi Naksuwan, Th Nonsee; per lesson 1800B; 9.30am-1.30pm & 1.30-5.30pm Tue-Sun) Housed in an attractive suburban villa and taught by a small army of staff, Baipai offers two daily lessons of four dishes each. Transport is available.
Blue Elephant Cooking School (Map; 0 2673 9353; www.blueelephant.com; 233 Th Sathon Tai, Silom; per lesson 2800B; 8.45am-12.30pm & 1.15-5pm Mon-Sat) Bangkok’s most chichi Thai cooking school offers two lessons a day. The morning class squeezes in a visit to a local market, while the afternoon session includes a detailed introduction to Thai ingredients.
Khao Cooking School (Map; 0 891 110 947; khaocookingschool@gmail.com; D&D Plaza, 68-70 Th Khao San; per lesson 1500B; 8.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-6.30pm Mon-Sat) Although located smack dab in the middle of Khao San, this new cooking school was started up by an authority on Thai food and features instruction on a wide variety of authentic dishes. Located directly behind D&D Inn.
Oriental Hotel Thai Cooking School (Map; 0 2659 9000; www.mandarinoriental.com; 48 Soi 38, Th Charoen Krung; per lesson 4500B; 9am-12.30pm Mon-Sat) Located across the river in an antique wooden home, the Oriental’s cooking class features a daily revolving menu of four dishes. The lessons are less ‘hands on’ than elsewhere, and cooking is done in teams, rather than individually.
Silom Thai Cooking School (Map; 0 847 265 669; www.bangkokthaicooking.com; 68 Soi 13, Th Silom; per lesson 1000B; 9am-1pm & 1.40-6pm Mon-Sat) Although the facilities are basic, Silom crams a visit to a local market and instruction of six dishes into nearly four hours, making it the best bang for your baht. Transport available.
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Finally there’s wún sên, an almost clear noodle made from mung-bean starch and water. Sold only in dried bunches, wún sên (literally ‘jelly thread’) is easily prepared by soaking in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. It’s used for only a handful of dishes in Bangkok. The most native, yam wún sên, is a hot and tangy salad made with lime juice, fresh sliced prík kêe nǒo (‘mouse-dropping chilli’), shrimp, ground pork and various seasonings. Bean-thread noodles baked in a lidded clay pot with crab and seasonings is Ъoo òp wún sên. Lastly, wún sên is a common ingredient in gaang jèut, a bland, Chinese-influenced soup containing ground pork, soft tofu and a few vegetables.
Curries
In Thai, gaang (pronounced