According to one source: “Finishing all of the food on your plate indicates that you are still hungry. It is good etiquette to leave a few bites, to show your host that you are full.” But when you go to double-fact-check, you’ll find, “Try not to leave food on your plate, particularly meat and vegetables from the main dishes.” A bit of rice is all right. Luckily I was subsisting mainly on Pad Thai, the exception to many rules, including using a fork and spoon, not chopsticks.
Despite the intricacies of table manners, which are fairly obvious anyway, eating in Thailand is an absolute delight, and embarked upon with great gusto. Whether it’s street food at a night market, or a five-star buffet at a posh beach resort, there is a multitude of flavour experiences to ravish your taste buds. Here is my story, in pictures.Despite being high protein and ‘my job’, as my mother messaged me in vague disappointment, this was a bridge too far.
The cooking class I did at Belmond Napasai on Koh Samui included four dishes of my choice: Moo Manow , Tom Yum Koong , Massaman pork curry , and of course, my favourite Pad Thai, in this case with chicken, or gai. It’s not actually native to Thailand, probably being of Chinese origin, but you’ll find it everywhere and I’m crazy about it.
The nice lady who guided me through this course was named Kai. “Like chicken,” she said helpfully. That’s the thing with the language; to us farang, many words will sound the same but the tiniest inflection can mean something entirely different. Another example is rice and knee. Sorry, I have no idea how to spell the latter.I was fascinated by the packet food in supermarkets and convenience stores.
The class was a huge success, mainly because all the ingredients were supplied and measured out, and Kai handed each one to me and told me what to do with it. However, the final balance of flavours was left up to me and I have to say I was thrilled with the outcome, even if Kai did laugh hysterically at my fear of the chilli.