Hi Pete
Sounds like you had a good time at Pums, Pui really does make it a lot of fun and being able to choose your own 4 dishes makes it much better, I,m guessing you'll be doing your favourites at home a bit more often now, I certainly do more than I used to and I really enjoy it(no complaints from the wife either)Glad you enjoyed youself so much .
Regards RED

Hello Tiff, Pete & Red

Like yourselves I consider myself a good cook, love Thai food and I have made it a point to sample most of the cooking classes availiable in Phuket for the last 12 years.

They may be cheap but I agree with you that you can teach the hotel cheffs a few things and found that just a few dishes done up in a commercial kitchen was a majour dissapointment for myself and not worth the time.

I used to rave about Pat's home cooking that she conducts in her home kitchen which is designed like a TV cooking show set up and the way that she teaches Westerners ( maximum of 4 guests ) is a reflection of the many years that she lived in California.

I also enjoyed Pum's but after the third visit I got bored even though they were very friendly I was not interested in the Patong style bland Thai food.

My personal preference at this time is the Thai Cookery School on Suri Island outside of Phuket town (transfers included) and loved the location on the beach. There are 6 dishes offered each day on their brocher and you pick out the day that you want to go depending on what you want to learn to cook. The market shopping first with the very compitant English cook/guides was an eye opener even for myself as a local and durring each dish they show you how to increase or decrease the spices according to your own personal taste. Everyone has their own personal cooking station and after the demo you make 1 or two dishes, you hen sit down together to eat it inside the grass and bamboo sala on the beach.

Yikes! after 3 sittings there is no way you will talk about what you will have for dinner after you go back to the hotel with 6 dishes inside your cammel hump. I personaly plan to keep going back untill I learn to make every dish they offer which could present a problem as they just changed the daily menus again.

PS.. If you are looking for Tamarind paste for making Phad Thai back home you can find the little plasic pouches for only 9 baht each in Carrefore. If you bye the bottled sauce it only lasts for month in the fridge after it's been opened.

Happy dining and regards from Phuket

Richard & Megumi

Hi Richard
Sounds like I've got another excuse to come back to the LOS,is that the Phuket Thai cookery school in Rasada or a different one?
With all that Thai cooking experience you should have a fair range of recipes, any favourites you can share (hint hint)
And should we expect to see Richard and Megumi's Thai restuarant
when we return.
And a Big Thanks to Yourself and Megumi for the Friday BBQ its a great night
Regards RED

Hi Red

This Thai cooking school is the one located on the beach at Suray Island, Rasada in Phuket Town as you suspected. You can check out the current daily dishes they offer on-line at http://www.phuket-thaicookeryschool.com and look at the Friday/Saturday menu of dishes. This is my personal favourite day beginning with the market shopping tour, then cooking and eating Tom Yam with Prawns, Spring Rolls, Green Curry with Chicken, Pad Thai, Chicken with Cashew Nuts finished off with Mango with Sticky Rice.

Do not even consider eating before you go as I am known as a big eater but with all of this even I ask for a take-away of my left overs ( Megumi expects and waits at home for my my Pad Thai )

Check out the fantastic location on the beach and immagin yourself with beer in hand sitting down to 3 separate meals of all your favourit Thai dishes that you have been tought to add or subtract the main spices to get things just perfect for your own personal tastes.

I never do the Friday choice because of the all-you-can-eat Western style BBQ that is part of the Friday Night Socials but during the evening we have groups of friends and families organize to go out the next morning for this special food event. It's a great thing to do during a rainy day instead of constant shopping and the guys seem to have as much fun as the ladies turning things in to sort of a cooking competion.

In regards to sharring recipes they have a post card style of wrack that you can take as many dish ingrediant /cooking direction cards as you want for dishes other then what you have been doing and you can sort things out on your own later if you are compitant in a kitchen. As mentioned before I have tried many of the other availiable options but up untill now this place is my personal favourite.

Happy Dining and Regards From Phuket

Richard & Megumi

Hi Richard
Actually I was kind of hoping you could post your favourite recipe.
Regards RED

Hey there Richard,
Thanks for the info it also gives us an other reason to go back again. That cooking school sounds great so i will have to give it a try.
Jane and i will be back with a group next October Richard so we will have to catch up again for the Friday night BBQ, we did it in 2006 and loved the experience.
Thanks again the all the info on the cooking schools.
Cheers, Pete.

Hello Red & Pete
As you know I do not make that many posts on this forum due to the working hours we have limiting our free time. However if this post will help to earn my forum member cooking merit badge then how about this quick and simple recipe.

This is considered fast food for a local on the go and can be found almost anywhere. The real Thai name is "Pad Kra Paw Kai" but to be easily understood just say "Pak Apaw Gai" (for chicken) or "Pak Apaw Moo" (for pork) and after you say this add on "Kai Dow" if you want a fried egg on top that is standard.

2 tbsp vegetable oil, 3 tbsp chopped garlic, 6 birdseye chillies according too taste ( the small red and green ones and I prefer to add more ) 1 cup raw minced chicken or pork, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp light soy sauce, 1 tbs black been sauce, 1/3 cup chicken stock, a pinch of ground white peper, 1 cup hot basil leaves and 1 big red chilli thin sliced on an angle.

Heat the wok with oil and fry the garlic and chillies over medium heat untill explosively fragrant, Add the minced meat and stir fry until meat cooked tender. Add the other ingreadiants with the stock and simmer for about 30 seconds and then add the basil leaves too cook another 20 seconds before removing from heat. Sprinkle the sliced big red chillies on top and serve with rice. Like the Tai's I prefer the fried egg on top and then season again with a bit of Prik Nampra.

Hope you like it and this recipe should earn me my cooking club decoder ring and you can wait untill you visit us again to teach me the cooking club member secret hand shake.

Happy Dining and Regards From Phuket

Richard & Megumi

Hi Richard
Now that is my sort of cooking real quick real Simple. You deserve decoder ring and hand shake for this one

Michelle

Hi Michelle and the rest of you "Thai Food Lovers"!

Try downloading this free Thai e-Cook Book at http://www.ezythaicooking.com/cooking_ebook.htm

Happy Dining and Regards From Phuket

Richard & Megumi

Hi Richard thanks for the link, you know we all just love Thai food, Thai people and Thailand.
Its all good for those of you that live there, the rest of us just have to live year to year for our trips!!!

Michelle