Not nuts about coconuts

Chef Prakob shares a few recipes.

Those of you who remember Baan Thai at the Oberoi in New Delhi would remember it as one of the best Thai food restaurants in the country, about a decade ago. It was presided over by an affable chef, Prakob, who, despite the handicap of language, did a great job of acquainting us with the cuisine. The chef, who had learnt home-style cooking from his sister in Bangkok, had joined the Hyatt in Saudi Arabia. It was there that he first made his acquaintance with India and Indians.

Some of his fellow chefs were Indian and friendly enough: “I would make my Thai food and they would their Indian food and we would all share,” he says in his broken English that hasn’t quite mended despite almost 15 years in Indian kitchens — and no, the chef does not speak Hindi or Tamil, either. (His current base is The Park in Chennai, where he has now been for more than four years, at the helm of Lotus, a Thai restaurant.) But, to continue with the story, since he liked India, he had no problem accepting an assignment from the Oberois. That was to be Baan Thai. The restaurant ran for almost nine years before the hotel decided to shut it.

Thai cuisine, of course, never became as popular as Chinese food — and its many versions — in India, particularly north India: a surprising thing, considering that it is hot and flavourful, and thus suited to the Indian palate. But Prakob points out that why the north — Delhi, India’s food capital too — hasn’t quite taken to it is because of the presence of coconut. To that I would add thin curries and “fishy” flavours — though five-star chefs are careful to use “oyster mushroom sauce”, not oyster sauce. People in Chennai, says Prakob, like Thai food more because “they too have a lot of coconut”.

Even robust Punjabis, on the other hand, will like Prakob’s recipes because, as I was once told, his food “does not smell”. And now that the satay is accepted as a staple of shaadi menus, you may like to try out a version at home.

 

FAVOURITE RECIPES

CHICKEN SATAY
250 gm chicken breast, cut into 5-6 pieces
For the marinade:
Turmeric powder
Curry powder
Coconut milk
White pepper
Salt
Garlic
Grated galangal (Thai ginger)
Lemon grass, finely chopped
Satay sticks
For the peanut sauce:
1 cup peanuts
2 tsp of oil
Red curry paste
Sugar
Salt
Vegetable broth powder
Chilli oil
Tamarind juice
Coconut milk
Water

Mix ingredients for marinade and marinate chicken for four hours after putting on satay sticks. Heat very little oil on non-stick pan and pan-fry satay (two together) on medium-high heat. Turn so that both sides become golden-brown and chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve hot with peanut sauce.

To make peanut sauce, grind peanuts to a fine paste. Heat oil in pan, add some red curry paste. When that starts leaving oil, add ground peanuts and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Then, season with a little sugar, salt, vegetable broth powder, chilli oil, tamarind juice and coconut milk. Make this into a fine paste. Add a little water if needed. Serve with the satay.

CHICKEN WITH CASHEW NUTS
200 gm chicken breast
A handful of cashews
Garlic, chopped
Diced vegetables: onion, broccoli, peppers
Soy sauce
Oyster mushroom sauce
Vegetable stock powder
Pinch of sugar
Red chilli paste
2 tsp water
Jasmine rice
Oil

Cut chicken breast into smaller pieces and pan fry for a couple of minutes in about 1 tsp oil. Keep aside. Pan fry some cashews till golden. In a non-stick pan, heat a little oil and add some chopped garlic. Stir fry. Add diced veggies like onion and peppers or broccoli (blanched) and stir fry on high heat. Add chicken and cashews and toss in light soy sauce, oyster mushroom sauce. Add some vegetable stock powder, a pinch of sugar and some red chilli paste. Add about two tablespoons of water or stock. Stir fry some more. Serve hot with jasmine rice.