TOAD takes a masterclass in Asian cooking from Silk & Spice’s new chef, Jathuphol Puyprom – fresh from a stint working at Palm Atlantis in Dubai. Don’t blink during this lesson, otherwise you’ll miss something.
‘Many chefs won’t cook rice in a wok without egg. They’re scared it will burn or go sticky,’ reckons the new Thai chef at Silk & Spice, Jathuphol Puyprom. And with that he gives us a high-speed demo. First he shows the wrong way to do it, the result; a globule of rice moulded together he picks apart with his fingers. Then he starts again, this time using an extremely hot wok, much hotter than that used in the failed attempt.
Throwing the rice into a small amount of sizzling oil, he’s like a martial artist tossing the grains around the wok with deft flicks of his wrist while using his other arm to harass them with a ladle. A minute later he plates up the perfect portion of fried rice, hardly even fazed by the task as the superbly scented serving simmers in a dish.
‘I like to use a wok, in fact I started cooking because of a wok. Every day of my life I think I have come to touch one,’ he says. The practice has clearly paid off too, with Jathuphol claiming he could serve up to 600 people in a day using his favourite tool of the trade. He doesn’t mind sharing another tip on how to use it either, pointing out that even stir fries should be cooked in an extremely hot wok otherwise you’ll loose flavour.
This is what 15 years of Thai cooking experience can teach you. Starting from a small family kitchen where he would prepare ingredients for his mother to cook, Jathuphol has worked in the kitchens of the Hilton in Phuket, Thailand, before moving to Dubai and plying his trade there, including his last job at the Palm Atlantis. Now he’s a week or so into his Abu Dhabi culinary adventure.
‘I have about 30 other recipes in my head. I want to make Thai food international, because every food can change. Italian food has spaghetti, Japanese has teppenyaki, in the west they have steak and soup and in India they have curry. Thai food has it all, so why not use some ideas from them,’ he says. ‘But it’s important not to forget the beginning. If you don’t follow what went before it’s not Thai food.’
Prior to his rice frying demo, he and his team of four had been a whirlwind of activity in the sparkling kitchen, fixing up some of the new treats in store on the restaurant’s menu (due in September). Two of those dishes, choo chee and pahd char, were handed down to Jathuphol by his mother.
The choo chee is especially unique, a red Thai curry that Jathuphol has given his own twist to. The secret to a good Thai curry, he tells us, is to slow cook the chilli paste first and then add the coconut milk and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Rather than adding the coated soft-shell crab into the mix though, his menu takes the curry and splits it up. Mixing egg with some of the curry he creates a small omelette-like base upon which he places the delicious crab pieces.
A moat of red Thai curry is then poured giving not only a tempting looking dish, but also one that is quite practical as you can take as much or as little sauce with your crab as you like. Clever stuff.
Meanwhile, the Pahd Char, a mix of prawn, scallop and squid, is served in a pastry basket, that the chef tells us is made of with the same stuff used in spring rolls. To create it he simply adds a little water and immediately moulds the dough into a bowl to form the shape before oven cooking it for around 20 seconds or deep frying it for a minute or so. As presentation goes it’s a pretty nifty trick to know.
‘Thai food cannot be without three ingredients; lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaf. Without these it is not Thai.’ As for how much chilli to use, Jathuphol insists the secret is to start small and simply add more if people want it. There, now you know.
Silk & Spice, Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche, Corniche Road East (02 813 7777).
More Thai food in Abu Dhabi to try
Sontaya
Elegant dishes and surroundings at this awesome eatery, crowned best romantic restaurant at last year’s TOAD restaurant awards.
The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Saadiyat Island (02 498 8008).
Pachaylen
Don’t miss the miang kham – a traditional Thai/Laotian street snack served in a bamboo box.
Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara, Al Markaziyah (02 656 1000).
Benjarong
Excellent curries and friendly service at the city’s newest Thai.
Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, Al Ittihad, Al Muroor Rd (02 698 8888).
