The lake was surrounded by small bamboo, grass roof bungalows. Each strip of bungalows had a small restaurant or snack bar. During the weekends families come to rest, relax, fish and have a meal together. During the week, especially after school, young people come by the lake to share with their friends and have home made snacks prepared for them.
The kitchen was simple, in a tin shed, though well stocked and evident of someone who knew how to cook. It made me recall when I lived in Paris: The tiny non pretentious kitchens where the most amazing meals were produced. Recalling this I licked my lips knowing I was in for a treat
The Thai mortar and pestle caught my eye, I had seen them in the marketplace, how I wanted to buy one to take back home. They are made of long lasting clay, weighing more than I could barter with. Especially since a ten pound box shipped home cost nearly sixty dollars. Nevertheless my eyes marvelled at the beauty before me it was an older model, traditionally painted, with a beech wood pestle. The Thai mortar is deeper than the classic French ones.
An array of baskets were stacked around her kitchen with herbs, chilies, garlic, lemon grass…
I asked the cook, Sami, and friend of our friend if I could take Thai cooking lessons from her. Happily she agreed, "Come when you, stay as long as you want…" I was tempted.
A stone mortar was used to crush the chili peppers.
Of course the debate of how I could manage to put more in our already stuffed suitcases echoed in my ears.
In the kitchen, with a view of the lake Sami had to large frying pans in which three sizable fish were deep frying. I rarely eat deep fried food, mainly because a vegetarian diet has doesn't have that much to offer in the deep fried cooking department…onions rings, french fries? The three fish were dazzling gold. I wondered how they would taste… Would the meat be tender? They seemed to fry for an endless amount of time, and my curiosity summed up greasy.
I would later find out how very wrong I summed up Sami's deep fried fish!
Sami was a fast friend, her english impeccable, she was well traveled and kept up a lively conversation.
I could tell she was a woman who didn't flaunt what she knew or had, I value that in a person. She cooked our Thai meal effortlessly though with much piazza.
French Husband, our friends and I were invited to sit in the bungalow where Sami would join us with the Thai meal she prepared.
The bungalows comfortably hold six, though Sami insisted we sit in the larger one with which could hold an army. It had tables, chairs and mats.
The table was set. Thai people eat with a fork and spoon. The flat spoons (Chinese spoons) are used for soups. The larger "soup" spoon is intended to be used as a fork. Thai people would consider putting a fork in their mouth as ill-mannered as we would consider putting a knife in our mouths. The fork is used as a knife.
On every Thai table top be it a fine restaurant or a vendor on the side of the road, you will find "khreuang puang" which means a "circle of spices". The Thai standard condiments are: Naam plaa (fish sauce), phrik pom (chile powder), phrik dong (chile slices in vinegar), and white sugar. Sugar and Chile are as common as salt and pepper.
After the stacks of delicious hearty array of "appetizers", Sami brought out the three deep fried fish. Each had a different topping. Tender, flaky, wondrous flavor! Truly a master chef was in our midst.
I asked Sami would she consider coming to France and teaching me Thai cooking. Of course she would need to bring her cooking utensils too!
I seriously hope she comes to visit… otherwise I am coming back to Thailand for Thai cooking lessons.
Papaya Salad.
Fried tiny shrimp in tapioca flour. God I swear I gained twenty pounds just eating those. The tiny shrimps (I saw them at the marketplace, I thought they were worms and nearly gagged.) were like eating potato chips, you could NOT just eat one, or ten or a hundred… amazingly one of the best things I have every ate.
Soup with coconut, curry and eggplant.
Terribly, but true I forgot to ask Sami for the names, or I should say I forgot to have her write the names down on paper.
Do you see how many lovely things Sami made for us? At least eight platters of mouthwatering perfectly spiced and flavored Thai specialities.
Papaya salad. Recipe to follow another day.
The third deep fried fish was served on a heated platter. It was cast iron shaped as a fish heating platter. So very cool. Of course I envied its design.
Sami did not tell me her address but this much I know:
It is called "Hojia" located next to a lake outside of Chiang Mai…. or you could come to my house when Sami comes to teach me how to cook her recipes.
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