THE Royal Thai Embassy in Manila reacquainted local foodies with its “borderless cuisine” through a cooking demonstration on June 29 at the Dusit Thani-Manila.
Riding the success of last year’s staging, “Thai Culinary Delights 2018” was presented in line with the Thai government’s policy, as well as its embassy in Manila’s mission to promote “Thai kitchen to the world.”
Chargé d’affaires Urawadee Sriphiromya said, “Thai food is famous for its blend and balance; an exciting combination of five fundamental tastes: hot, sweet, sour, salty and bitter, that are brought together by a mix of herbs and spices.”
Sriphiromya shared that the embassy has been organizing a series of Thai cooking demonstrations and food attended by Philippine dignitaries, members of diplomatic and consular corps, as well as representatives from political and local business sectors.
The embassy, in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Philippine-Thai Cultural Organization and Thai Airways International, organized the event.
Kitchen aces
FOR this year’s Culinary Delights, the Thai embassy invited as lecturers Panjama Praphapantasak and Yanat Maartloe from Suan Duat University’s International Culinary School, the most prestigious of its kind in Thailand.
They showcased their culinary brilliance with Thai resident Chef Watcharaporn Yongbanthom, or Chef Ja, of Dusit Thani-Manila’s Benjarong Restaurant.
The kitchen masters shared secrets in preparing Thai ingredients and combining them in thoroughly delicious ways.
They went the extra mile and explained what makes each dish unique and memorable, the detailed the way ingredients work together to create a synergy of flavors.
Thai dishes in demonstration included tom yum kung or hot and sour soup; kratong thong or “golden bag,” a steamed rice-skin dumpling; foi thong or golden egg yolk thread; and look choup, fruit-shaped mung beans in jelly.
Cultural heritage
ASIDE from Thai gastronomy, guests who included representatives from local media and travel agents experienced the distinct feel and characteristics of the Thai people reflected in the nation’s cultural assets, arts and way of life.
A player from the “Land of Smiles” greeted guests with the calm and soothing sounds of the khim, a stringed musical instrument played with two flexible bamboo sticks. Another Thai also demonstrated a skill in making lapel pins of flower-shaped ornaments in different colors.
Another traditional Thai craft is the baai sri, which uses banana leafs and elaborately decorated with flowers in intricate towering designs displayed during birthdays and marriages.
Gastronomy tourism
THAILAND is highlighting its world-renowned gastronomy in their current tourism campaign, “Amazing Thailand.”
The cooking demonstration allowed guests to discover in-depth its culinary and cultural treasures as they gained a better appreciation of Thailand’s rich cultural heritage.
The thriving Thai cuisine continues to gain popularity around the globe as Bangkok was again named as the city with the best street food in the world by CNN last year.
Traditional puppet performance
THE following day, the Royal Thai Embassy, the TAT and SM Supermalls organized the staging of a traditional Thai puppet show or Hun Lakorn Lek at the SM Aura Premier.
The puppet performance is a traditional and ancient Thai art form, which has been performed for centuries as entertainment of the Thai citizens. It requires two to three master puppeteers to control a single puppet, and its movements are usually accompanied by Thai traditional music and narration.
The embassy said that the traditional Thai puppet show was opened to the public “free of charge for our Filipino friends, [as well as] expats from and friends of Thailand in the Philippines [for them to] enjoy Thai arts and culture.”