Luxury cooking in Phuket, Thailand
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Luxury cooking in Phuket, Thailand
Windsor Dobbin samples an intensive Thai cooking class at Aleenta Phuket Phang Nga resort and spa.
It is only 7.30am but the rain appears to have settled in for the day. It is muddy underfoot, but that has not deterred the eager shoppers of Khok Kloi, who know their Sunday morning market has a reputation for outstanding fresh local produce.
We are visiting on a mission – to source fresh herbs and vegetables, and seafood if it is up to scratch, to use for our intensive Thai cooking class at the Aleenta Phuket Phang Nga resort and spa, just a short drive away.
While the Aleenta resort is all morning calm and understated luxury, the market is gritty hustle and bustle; full of spiteful-looking chillis, shiny baby eggplants and other, less familiar, local vegetables like galangal and coriander root.
Our appetites are awakened by pieces of chicken being grilled, pork skewers sizzling, satay sauce and the aromas of the multitude of local spices. Less so, perhaps, by the baby eels still wriggling in buckets.
Once our shopping, under the guidance of one of the resort’s chefs, is complete, we are to discover the intricacies of Thai cooking in the comfortable surroundings of our own villa.
We will be learning to cook gaeng keow wan gai, tod man pla and paneang nuea, three traditional Thai dishes better known as green chicken curry, Thai fish cakes and stir-fried beef curry. We’ve chosen what we hope will be a balanced menu from a selection of potential dishes – because we will later be eating the fruits of our labours.
There is a wide selection of seafood from which to choose at the market, including squid caught just off the beach where the resort is situated, but the recipe for tod man pla calls for mackerel, so that is what we select.
Everything in the market looks very fresh – and it is hard to resist the temptation to buy far too much. Unlike city markets, there is no pressure to buy. The stallholders regard the farang interlopers more with amusement than as potential customers, particularly because it is our chef making the buying decisions.
Back at the resort, chef Pongthip, a Thai lady with a broad smile, deft fingers and a very sharp knife, puts us at ease in the kitchen in our villa, making the point that curry pastes are better when made by hand (rather than out of a packet), preferably using a mortar and pestle.
It’s the subtle blending of herbs and spices and the crispness of the local vegetables that make Thai cooking so special, she says.
So to work, roasting cumin seeds, black pepper and coriander seeds before combining them with kaffir lime fruit, green chilli, galangal, garlic, lemongrass, coriander root, shallot, shrimp paste and sweet basil leaf to create a smooth (but oh so healthy) paste for our chicken curry.
We learn how to keep our chopped eggplant in water so it does not turn dark, and the correct order in which to add the various ingredients to the cooking pot.
The preparation of the spices and vegetables takes a considerable time – the cooking just a few minutes. So on to the tod man pla.
Again, a smooth paste is the key, says Pongthip, a chef of many years’ experience, as we pound the mixture of red curry paste, coriander root and lime zest in our pestles and learn how to chop the long beans and kaffir lime leaves into thin slices. We put on gloves and shape our mixtures into balls (it sounds a lot easier than it is). Putting the patties into the fridge for 30 minutes before frying them is another key to success, Pongthip says.
Later, we create the stir-fried beef curry, made with coconut milk or cream – a deliciously fragrant dish.
Pongthip summons up some steamed rice and then deftly carves some beautiful flower shapes from various vegetables as table decorations. Her fumble-fingered students fail miserably to emulate her artistry. Both Thai men and women are adept at this skill and learn it from an early age, she says, as she eyes our lack of coordination with some sympathy.
We’ve had a lot of fun, got our hands dirty and learned a lot – because this is not a stuffy ‘pay attention’ style of school. There’s more a ‘look what you can achieve while enjoying a glass of wine in your hand’ vibe.
We also learnt that not all Thai food is hot or extremely hot. Although some Thai dishes are quite spicy, others are mild and require no adjustment whatsoever for farang palates.
Pongthip and her assistant plated up our efforts and served them to us for lunch – along with a second, or maybe third, glass of wine. Even complete beginners had managed to create a delicious three-course feast – and we lunched long, hard and healthily.
Cooking classes, of course, are just one of the options at Aleenta Phuket Phang Nga, one of those places that reminds us how anyone can lead the millionaire lifestyle in Thailand.
Accommodation
Right on Natai Beach – remote and unspoiled but just a 20-25 minute-drive from Phuket International Airport, this is an all-suite eco-friendly property with a range of accommodation all facing directly onto the Andaman Sea.
The suites, all of which have direct access to a pool, and the villas, which have their own private pools and butlers, are in private settings.
On-site facilities include Spa IV, a holistic health and wellbeing centre where the massages leave you floating,;the award-winning Level 3 restaurant offering European cuisine; casual all-day dining with Thai specialties at 33Mu5, or The Edge lounge right on the beach, with drinks and snacks throughout the day. There is also a fully equipped gym and complimentary wi-fi internet access throughout the resort.
I shared Grand Villa Satis, a luxurious four-bedroom villa with all modern amenities (including a wide-screen TV with satellite channels) and full Western kitchen facilities.
Our open-plan villa overlooks a pool and outdoor lounge area with a huge deck furnished with sun lounges and umbrellas, and has a grassed area for playing games as well as a barbecue area where guests can enjoy cocktails served by their own barman. The beach is just a 20-metre stroll away.
As for the rooms, think Egyptian cotton sheets and a pillow menu (nine styles to choose from no less). A chef can come in to cook for you if you don’t want to schlep to the main resort, or your butler can act as a barman.
The rates for the villa start at around $1200 per night. Get together a few friends or a family group who enjoy sharing and you have yourself a real bargain. Suites, meanwhile, start at around $220 per night, including breakfasts for two depending on the time of year.
Aleenta Phuket Phang Nga also has a range of villa packages known as ‘Great Mates Escapes’ that can be tailored to any visitor’s own specifications.
You might want to go out and explore on the resort’s complimentary mountain bikes, or hire one of the resort’s flashy BMWs (with driver) to take you out exploring, or maybe do tai chi and yoga, both available on site.
The Phang Nga Bay National Park, one of southern Thailand’s most scenic areas, Similan Islands National Park and Khao Sok National Park are right on the doorstep and the resort can arrange for the rental of a variety of sail boats, with or without crew.
As is so often the case in Asia, however, it is the smiling, efficient staff who make the family-owned Aleenta stand out from the crowd. It’s as if nothing is too much trouble for them. Chef Pongthip even smiled approvingly at my cooking efforts!
Getting there
Aleenta Resort and Spa Phuket Phang Nga, 33 Moo 5, Tambon Khok-Kloi, Amphur Takua-Tung, Phang Nga 82140. A range of tailor-made cooking classes are available, for couples or groups. Each student receives a recipe booklet and a certificate signed by the chef. Bookings: www.aleenta.com/phuket or email reservation@aleenta.com
Thai Airways International, Asia’s largest full-service carrier, flies 40 times a week from Australia to Thailand with easy connections to a network within Thailand and to over 70 destinations worldwide. Visit www.thaiairways.com.au for the latest special deals and promotions or ask your travel agent.
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