Glenda Thompson dons an apron for delectable Thai cookery lessons
There’s definitely something “more-ish” about Thai food. It must have something to do with the combination of wonderfully exotic spices and the fusion of flavours which sets those complacent digestive juices buzzing around in a frenzy.
Understanding the complexities of Thai food, and what makes it so popular, is ex Thai resident Lindy Pohl, who recently established the Dolphin Coast’s first Thai Cookery School at her home in Salt Rock.
“My husband was a tobacco merchant in Thailand and we did a lot of entertaining during the thirteen years we lived there,” she says. She tells me she grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe. “My mother was a great entertainer, and I’ve always enjoyed cooking. I love the whole concept of Thai cuisine, which includes loads of fresh fruit and vegetables, and the fact that they eat six small meals a day makes it all extremely healthy. Thais are wonderfully gracious, calm people and it was a pleasure learning from them.”
Lindy attended cookery classes with one of the top chefs in Bangkok, Sompon Navnias from the Chiangmai Cookery School, and was determined to pass her knowledge on to others when she moved to Salt Rock.
“I moved, lock stock and barrel from Thailand to our holiday home in Salt Rock, so all of my kitchen equipment is authentically Thai and everyone who attends my classes gets a good idea of exactly what it’s like to cook the Thai way,” she says.
We attended one of her very convivial evening classes (they’re held from 6pm to 10pm, and morning classes are from 10 to 2pm), and after meeting fellow participants, who included a nuttybunch of local ladies and a lone husband who appeared to be in his element, we got stuck into producing four courses of deliciously fragrant food, under Lindy’s watchful eye.
We kicked off with Tom Yam Goong (hot and sour prawn soup) followed by crunchy vegetarian spring rolls, and then after a “taste break” around the dining room table, we headed back to the woks and threw together some Gai Phad Med Mamuang (chicken with cashew nuts) and the very popular Gaeng Garee Gai (yellow curry with chicken). Lindy buys all her ingredients locally and grows her own herbs, so everything was lovely and fresh, including a sublime strawberry and chocolate dessert, courtesy of Lindy, which we all, thoroughly enjoyed.
We left, armed with the recipe book containing all the wonderful dishes we’d cooked and a steely determination to cook a lot more Thai for family and friends.
Useful contacts: Telephone Lindy Phol at 082 366 0244