Thai tastes, Western dress

It would have been hard to beat the recent Christmas charity dinner organised by the Four Seasons Resort in Chiang Mai. Gourmets and Thai food lovers from the diplomatic, business and expatriate communities in the northern capital had booked their tables long in advance to taste the delightful Thai cuisine of Chef McDang who flew up from Bangkok for the occasion and to raise funds for the Friends in Need (of “Pa”) Volunteer Foundation to help those affected by the recent flooding crisis.

The charity dinner was graciously presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Somsavali, who kicked off the evening by lighting the resort’s glowing Christmas tree adorned with 18,000 homegrown mondo plants and designed by Four Seasons’ head gardener Prasit Promsen. 

Prior to the dinner, Chef McDang invited the Princess to lend a helping hand by joining his cooking demonstration of hor mok pla (timbale of curry fish mousse). 

McDang, a former Nation food columnist, is a leading food expert, chef and writer. Born into the Thai Royal family, McDang, whose real name is ML Sirichalerm Svasti, completed his early education in the UK and USA where he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. A respected ambassador of Thai cuisine and the host of TV’s “McDang Show”, he is the author of several best-selling Thai language cook books, the latest titled “The Principles of Thai Cookery”. 

So everyone was looking forward to the dinner, a five-course affair that saw noted Thai dishes presented in a Western fashion. 

The first course was a trio: hor mok pla, goong pao nampla wan (grilled marinated prawns with sweet and sour herb sauce) and moo palo khai nok krata (braised pork belly with quail eggs), which was matched with Australia’s Mount Langi Ghiran, Cliff Edge Riesling 2009. The hor mok pla was creamy and aromatic while the prawn was incredibly crunchy and pleasing to every with a sweet tooth present that night. The first course, quite heavy for a starter, delivered the multiple flavours of Thai food and served to wake both taste buds and the senses. 

But the next course, the light soup Gaeng Nok Mor (shrimp, chicken, grilled banana blossom and roasted dry fish flakes in spicy-sour herb-infused broth), was more like a palate cleanser and a perfect overture to the third dish also a trio, featuring yum som o kab pla salmon rom kwan nai bai chaplu (pomelo and smoked salmon salad in betel nut leaf cup), yum makua yao (roasted eggplant salad) and pla haeng tangmo (watermelon with crispy smoked dry fish flake dressing), matched with Xanadau, Rathbone Sauvignon Semillon, 2010.

This is one of the most basic, but sophisticated and enduring of Thai appetisers and evidence of Thai cuisine’s loyalty to freshness and wholesomeness. 

For the main course, guests could choose between salmon or beef. I went for the poached salmon with chu chee curry sauce, baby pak choy and black rice, partnered with Antinori Tormaresca Sangiovese, 2009 from Puglia, Italy.

It smelled great, thanks to slices of kaffir lime leaves on top. You’re supposed to eat the salty fish dish like a Thai, meaning with rice. The dish was great on its own, but with rice, it was just more balanced, and not too salty. 

The dessert was a threesome of Crème Brulee Sangaya Fakthong (Sangkaya pumpkin crème brulée), Som Loy Kaew (Sunkist orange in caramel syrup and shaved ice) and Kanom Kluay Chocolate Lae Vanilla Sauce (Thai banana pudding with chocolate sauce and crème anglaise). I could have asked for more of this after finishing one, but to be polite, I didn’t. The dish showed that the Thai taste, even adapted for international dining, can be just as elegant, tasty and fun. 

McDang wasted little time in the kitchen, coming out to help the emcee of the night, Patchari Raksawong, run the auction for a number of dishes presented that night. The result was as favourable as the meal: the auction raised more than Bt500,000 in just one hour. What a noble way to celebrate the festive season!