Asia's Wonderful DIY Dishes

 

This article first appeared in print and online on 14th July in the Sunday Magazine section of The New Indian Express newspaper https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/food/2024/Jul/13/diy-on-asian-griddles

Bangkok's most interesting themed restaurants

 

(This article first appeared online on 10th April 2024 on Live Mint, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/discover/bangkok-quirky-weird-restaurants-cafes-111712676400972.html)

Recipes and Dishes From Beyond The Grave

 

(This article first appeared online on 3rd April 2024 on Live Mint, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/discover/funerary-cookbooks-recipes-gravestone-111712128302760.html)

Ice Cream X Brand Collaborations

 

(This article first appeared online on 15th November 2023 on Live Mint, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/discover/ice-cream-brand-collaborations-india-111700015846983.html)

Corn In Desserts

 

(This article first appeared online on 6th September 2023 in Mint Lounge, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/discover/desserts-with-sweet-corn-111693928108458.html)

Asia's Love Affair with Sweet Bean Preparations

 

(This article first appeared online on 28th June and in print on 29th June 2023 in Mint Lounge, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/discover/sweet-beans-sweets-desserts-japan-china-thailand-111687922027909.html)

Restaurant Review: Black Ginger, Phuket

 

(This review first appeared online on 1st August 2022 in Mint Lounge, India https://lifestyle.livemint.com/food/raft-up-to-black-ginger-to-get-a-taste-of-thailand-s-andaman-coast-111659323811658.html)

Kai red ant chutney of Odisha

 (This article first appeared online on 6th July 2022 on ZeeZest https://zeezest.com/preview/stories/odisha-applies-for-gi-tag-for-the-ant-chutney-zee-zest-2021)

Asian on our mind: Taste Test of Gingko

(This review appeared in 1st April 2022 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 21 https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai-guide/mumbai-food/article/asian-on-our-mind-23220902)

Spinach Inquisition

 

 (This article appeared in 26th March 2022 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on pages 18-19 https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai-guide/mumbai-food/article/spinach-inquisition-23220013)

Starry, Starry Bites!

A food safari taking in Bangkok’s ultra-humble and low-key Michelin starred eateries is the perfect way to get a taste of the Thai capital. 

By Raul Dias

‘Sister Mole’ seems a lot grumpier since the last time I saw her which was almost a year ago. Her trademark ski goggles—that have earned her the aforementioned moniker—shield 73-year-old Supinya Junsuta’s eyes that blaze with the same intensity as the flames that emanate from the propane-fueled stove she commands. Over this, she deftly coaxes together the egg and crab meat slurry in a huge wok filled with smoking oil. Legendary for its deep-fried crab omelet, her tiny street side, dinner-only stall Raan Jay Fai that’s located at Mahachai Road in the Phra Nakhon area of Bangkok is the only Thai street food eatery awarded 1-Michelin star. A feat that it accomplished in late 2017.
It was last year in August while tucking into a plate of the fluffy, generously ‘crabby’ omelet (800 Baht) and a side of her equally scrumptious jumbo prawn-redolent drunken noodles (400 Baht), that I got my very first taste of her edible brilliance. And that’s also perhaps why Junsuta—who’s known by all simply as ‘Jai Fai’—finds herself toplining the new Netflix show Street Food which is a spin off of the popular Chef’s Table series. This time too I find myself in culinary ecstasy as I wolf down my omelet, spiced with Jai Fai’s acerbic sarcasm as she smirks at my non-existent chopstick skills.

Mission Michelin
I’m on a mission on my current trip as I try to navigate my way through a handful of Bangkok’s 217 Michelin starred eateries that have more than a few things in common—from easy, no-reservations-needed access to that all-important factor being affordability. Speaking of which, the next day I find myself standing in line with my Thai friend Patchanee waiting for a table (that we end up sharing with a Taiwanese couple) at the iconic Go Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice on the busy Phetchaburi Road in Pratunam where a plate of khao man gai will set you back by a mere Rs 90 (40 Baht).
This signature chicken rice dish is a simple preparation of quivering, almost gelatinous slices of chicken breast meat set atop a bed of moist, garlic-flavoured rice and served with rounds of cucumber and a bowl of thin chicken broth. Started in 1960 as a nameless pushcart stall manned by a Hainanese immigrant to Bangkok, the brick and mortar eatery has today earned its first Michelin star. But that seems to have made scarce difference to the infamous brusque service. Though the serpentine lines for a table seem to say otherwise.

Meat Jaccuzi!
It’s very hard to miss the 1-Michelin starred Wattana Panich, which is where I find myself seated—amidst assorted restaurant detritus like sacks of onions and crates of beer—for an early dinner. And I’m not just alluding to the sweet Chinese spice mixture aroma that permeates almost the entire Ekkamai Soi 18 neighbourhood in Sukhumvit where this modest sized, old-school Chinese shophouse can be found. It is the sight of the almost pool sized, Jacuzzi-like cauldron of its famous kuay teow neua Thai beef noodle stew (100 Baht a bowl) that will serve as a shock to your senses.
Using a master stock that has been in the family for the last 70 years using unique Chinese ingredients like goji berries, and astragalus root along with the ubiquitous star anise and cinnamon, the dish can be customised to one’s taste. You could order a bowl of kuay teow neua stew with my favourite sen yai (thicker rice noodles) or sen mee (thin, almost vermicelli-like noodles), either with less broth or more for a soup-y consistency.

Hidden Gem
Ruean Panya is perhaps one of those few places that not many local Bangkok residents had ever heard of until a few months ago. It was only when the latest 2019 Michelin guide book to Bangkok bestowed upon it a single star did people sit up and notice this seafood haven. Located in the Bangkok suburb of Samut Sakhon, about an hour’s drive from the center of the city, this family run restaurant, expertly blends food and art—both of which will stun you silent.
Spread across a cluster of four quaint little cottages, the relaxed mood gives one the impression of dining at friends, while the painting-filled interiors add a gallery-like feel. Owner Pannee does all the cooking herself, which means that you can expect a hugely staggered meal service. But it is Pannee’s attention to detail and the complexity of flavours make her dishes like the sublime lhon pu mud crab dip (300 Baht) and the toasted giant prawns with salt (price varies as per catch) worth the wait and their weight in gold!

(A shorter, differently edited version of this article appeared in the 6th July 2019 issue of the Mint Lounge newspaper, India on page 16 https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/starry-starry-bites-1562408294747.html)

All ‘Thai’d Up!

The humble Thai street food staple of phad Thai—a dish that evokes childhood memories of quotidian vacation gluttony—is actually neither humble or even entirely Thai for that matter.

 

By Raul Dias

Like most of our mothers, mine loves to embarrass me with her highly dramatised versions of stories from my growing years. But then there is also one that is told in its purest, unexaggerated form. That’s the one where she would leave a 10-year-old me at a Bangkok street food market (with a couple of hundred Thai baht tucked into the pocket of my shorts) to eat my way through the better part of an hour or so. Alone.
All this, while she shopped at the next-door kitchen supplies market for her food and confectionary business back home in Bombay. And mum recounts this particular one without an iota of shame or fear that she might very well be judged as a grossly negligent parent in retrospect by those who lend their ears to her “amusing tale of desertion”.
But for one perpetually-hungry, overweight boy, those bi-annual supply runs to Bangkok meant just one thing: a feeding frenzy like no other. Temporary abandonment be damned! One, where the humble stir-fried noodle dish of phad Thai took top billing, above all the other cuttlefish skewers, spicy fish cakes, crunchy papaya salads and other yummies that make up the smorgasbord of Bangkok’s famed street food.

Noodle Quest         
Essentially a quick fix road-side snack made with opaque rice noodles, tofu, bean sprouts, peanuts, and egg, among other things, a good phad Thai, I learnt early on, will always have a taste that bears hints of that typically smoky, slightly caramelised flavour that is dubbed the “breath of the wok” or wok hei. All this is doused in the indispensable phad Thai sauce, where the tart tamarind pulp trumps its supporting acts of fish sauce (soy sauce for vegetarians) and palm sugar.
Everywhere we’d go in Thailand, I made sure to sample their version of phad Thai. Discovering that the fresh herb-centric north of the country threw in a hand full of the fragrant kaphrao or sweet basil. Or that banana blossoms were a particularly favourite ingredient in the phad Thai of Phuket along Thailand’s Andaman Sea coast.  
Some of my best friends in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit neighbourhood where we’d stay were the phad Thai vendors who’d make sure to lovingly toss a couple of extra prawns onto my plate. I’d remember the area’s side streets—or soi as they are called in Thai—not by their numbers, but by the phad Thai carts that inhabited them. Such was my obsession with the dish.       

Austere Beginnings?
But despite its prima facie simplicity, phad Thai has a complex back story with a bifurcated culinary history to match. To begin with, there is nothing traditionally Thai about the dish. One school of thought believes that somewhere in the mid-19^th century phad Thai evolved organically out of the Chinese immigrant stir-fried noodle dish of kway teow. Only here, Thai ingredients like tamarind, palm sugar, and bird-eye chilies substituted oyster sauce and Sichuan pepper.
Another, more widely believed theory is that post World War II, the then prime minister of Thailand Plaek Phibunsongkhram laid out an elaborate, well-crafted plan to create a dish that epitomised the new Thai identity. He also wanted to wean the population away from an exclusive diet of the expensive-to-grow rice, making them consume rice noodles instead that needed just 50% rice to be produced. And thus, phad Thai came to the fore, successfully becoming the de facto dish that defines Thai cuisine today.    

   

Iterations Aplenty
Over the years that have seen me travel to Bangkok at an alarming rate for both work and pleasure, it has been this one dish that has consistently won me over with its wholesome appeal and not to mention, startling ubiquity. There’s probably ne’er a street corner in downtown Bangkok that doesn’t have at least one food cart vendor hawking an iteration of phad Thai. From ones with seafood, to others that revel in their porcine umami-ness, there’s a phad Thai to suit all tastes. 
On a recent trip to the Thai capital, I found myself chowing down on a bowl of phad Thai made with the latest international ‘noodle’ sensation, that isn’t even a noodle! Yes, the ‘paleo phad Thai’ is all the rage these days in Bangkok, where the traditional rice noodle find itself replaced by the ‘zoodle’ which is the hipster-chic name for the spirals made from zucchinis. Back home in Mumbai, a rather brutal phad Thai-related salvo was fired at me the other day when I sat down to review a health food café that had on its menu a phad Thai made with tender coconut strips.
I wonder what would my 10-year-old self make of that?   

SUNDAY RECIPE
Veg Phad Thai

INGREDIENTS:
Medium-sized rice noodles 100 gms
Vegetable oil 3 tbsp
Chopped shallots 1 tsp
Chili flakes 1 tsp
Firm tofu (soy bean curd) cubes 10 gms
Egg 1
Spring onion (cut in 1-inch batons) 50 gms
Bean sprouts ¼ cup
Crushed roasted peanuts 2 tbsp
Lime wedge 1

(for phad Thai sauce, mix together)
Dark soy sauce 1 tbsp
Palm sugar or yellow jaggery 1 tbsp
Tamarind pulp 1 tbsp

METHOD:
1. Soak the rice noodles in cold water for 3-5 minutes until soft, then drain and set aside.
2.  Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat and stir fry the shallots and a pinch of the chili flakes until fragrant and a little brown.
3. Add the tofu, mix well and set to one side of the wok (add a few prawns for a seafood version).
4. Add the rice noodles and phad Thai sauce and toss well with the tofu-shallot mixture.
5. Break in the egg, stir well until done and mix with the noodles. Then throw in the spring onion batons and bean sprouts.
6. Cook for a minute and then transfer to a serving dish, garnishing the phad Thai with the roasted, crushed peanuts, the remaining chili flakes and a wedge of lime on the side.      

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 9th June 2019 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on pages 26-27 https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/thai-streetfood-the-breath-of-the-wok/article27618910.ece?fbclid=IwAR3g04yvUI1oNBzCTY_g0XqTn7DG44h4hd6c1Yj-0IppETmuDHDt3nSGd20)

Soy Story!

The close-to-authentic flavours and generous portions of some very affordable Pan Asian food more than make up for the rather dull, uninspiring ambience at this brand new Bandra eatery.

By Raul Dias

Here’s a fair warning for those of us who suffer from even the mildest form of claustrophobia. Take a deep breath before you enter this hole-in-the-wall Pan Asian restaurant that sits tightly wedged between a hair salon and a patisserie on Bandra West’s bustling Pali Naka road. Ignore the four-table setup in the open-air courtyard and descend into its bowels to the tiny, basement level dining room where you will find yourself sitting almost elbow-to-elbow with other diners. And don’t forget to keep the conversation PG13. For at Soy Pan Asian Kitchen, everyone can hear every single stray word spoken…and even the odd one whispered! 
But for us, what spoke the loudest of all was the food on offer. Not once missing the acute lack of any decent liquid sustenance on the menu (barring the ubiquitous canned cola and ginger ale offerings) we dove straight into the savoury section. Cosily ensconced in a bamboo steamer basket, our six, hefty pork dumplings (Rs 290) were each a juicy burst of umami goodness with the perfect dough to filling ratio. The well-seasoned, panko-crusted Japanese fried chicken tori karake (Rs 250) remined us more of a chicken katsu than a karake which are usually bite sized nuggets as opposed to the sliced breast portion we found on our plate.  
Having just returned from the sweltering climes of Bangkok, we were taken straight back to its meandering sois with the very authentic and super reasonably priced som tum papaya salad (Rs190). Tart, sweet and salty—this iteration was packed with all the good things a refreshing Thai papaya salad should have. Falling off-the-bone tender and smothered in a star anise-redolent sauce, the BBQ pork ribs (Rs 390) had just the right amount of smoky flavour, ending with a slight hint of piquant bird eye chili.  
Ten (yes, we counted!) plump prawns swimming in a thick Thai red curry (Rs 450) accompanied by the slightly astringent tasting pea aubergines was almost sublime when paired with jasmine rice (Rs 180), making for a memorable main. Though we wish we could have said the same for the cloyingly sweet chicken pad Thai (Rs 260), which although was enough to feed four, was left relatively intact by the end of our meal.
It would perhaps have done the chefs at Soy Pan Asian Kitchen a whole lot of good to use the surplus sugar of the pad Thai in the bland and watery tob tin crop (Rs 150) water chestnuts in coconut milk that seemed like the more reasonable dessert to call for, when compared to the only other one on the menu. We’re talking about the ridiculous priced mango cheese cake slice (Rs 450) that we’d probably order on a day when we’re feeling particularly self-indulgent!   

TIME: 12pm to 12am
AT: Gasper Enclave CHS, Shop no 3, St. John’s Road, Pali Naka, Bandra West.
CALL: 9619616398

(An edited version of this review appeared in the 7th May 2019 issue of the Mid-Day newspaper, India on page 22 https://www.mid-day.com/articles/soy-story/20890171)

Land of Surprises

The Isan region in northeastern Thailand may not be on the ‘must-visit’ list of many travellers, but it does pack a mighty punch. Raul Dias gives you four reasons why you should consider this stunning part of the country for a vacation with a difference. 

By Raul Dias

I’ve always maintained that clichés aren’t as bad as they are made out to be. Especially when it comes to Thailand. I am a total sucker for the comforting familiarity a city like Bangkok affords me with its divine street food and pulsating nightlife. Or if I’m seeking some down time from all that, I know that artsy Chiang Mai way up north will provide me with that much-needed solace.
But every once in a while, I like to shake things up a bit and see a part of Thailand that has been eluding me thus far.
This time, that part happened to be Isan in the northeast of the country. As Thailand’s largest region, located on the Khorat Plateau, it is bordered by the Mekong River (along the border with Laos) to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Sankamphaeng Range south of the province of Nakhon Ratchasima.
So, in order of brevity and a tight word limit, I’ll get straight to the point and list out the four reasons why Isan for me has been the best discovery of 2019 till now…

1. Visit a Monastery with a Difference
The city of Ubon Ratchathani was my very first stop on my Isan sojourn and the Wat Pah Nanachat a little outside the main city my first introduction to a rather unique system. This Buddhist monastery in the Theravada Forest Tradition was established in 1975 by Ven. Ajahn Chah with the aim of providing English-speaking men and women the opportunity to train and practice the simple and peaceful lifestyle that the Buddha taught his monks in the forests over 2,500 years ago. All this for free for stays of as little as three days to a lifetime!

2. Isan’s Natural Stunners
As the first of the two natural wonders of the region, the Pha Taem National Park covers an area of 140 square kilometers and is famous for its irregular shaped sandstones that look like giant mushrooms. But what it is equally popular among the local Thais for, is its numerous prehistoric cave paintings that date back 3,000-4,000 years. Scenes here depict fishing, rice farming, human figures, animals, hands and geometric designs—all still vivid to this very day.
Another calling card of Isan which is also lovingly called the ‘Grand Canyon of Thailand’ is Sam Pan Bok. Touching the border with Laos, it is made up of sandstone cliffs that run along the Mekong River. The Sam Pan Bok canyon is best seen by cruising along in a hired long tail boat that departs from the Song Khon village. One can also climb up to the plateau, the view from where is breathtaking. The seven meters tall and 20 meters wide plateau lying in the middle of the Mekong River is filled with many holes and basins in shapes that range from hearts to even Mickey Mouse. No wonder the name of the place Sam Pan Bok means ‘3,000 holes’.

3. Taste the Difference
Forget all about the typically Bangkok-style red/green/yellow curries or the ubiquitous pad thai and get set to let your taste buds get some unusual treats when in Isan. After your tryst with the ‘canyon’ treat yourself to a lunch of fresh Khong river fish and som tum papaya salad at the famous Krua Sam Pan Bok restaurant that is perched on a cliff overlooking the river. Or perhaps stop by for some khao tom (rice soup) at Raan Santi Pochana, a veritable institution in Ubon Ratchatani. For an early dinner head down to the town of Pimai. Here you will find Tew Pai Ped Yang, 20-year-old food shop that is famous for its special grilled duck with a crispy skin holding juicy duck meat within. Two other dishes not to be missed here are the famous Pimai fried noodles and the fermented pork ribs.

4. Temples Talk
End your trip to the Isan region by taking in the jay-dropping wonder of two Hindu temples that are truly unique. This is because both the Prasat Hin Muang Tum and the Prasat Hin Phanom Rung are each over 1,000 years old and made in the Khmer style, as the Buriram province that they are in is not far from the border with Cambodia. In the case of the former, the complex lies at the base of a mountain that is an extinct volcano and looks like a mini version of the great Ankor Wat Temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Built on top of a hill, Prasat Hin Phanom Rung has a grand tower that is made from pink sandstone which is why the complex is also known as Phanom Rung Stone Castle among the locals.

(An edited version of this column first appeared in the 14th April 2019 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 https://www.freepressjournal.in/travel/thailand-of-surprises-4-reasons-to-consider-isan-for-a-vacation-with-a-difference/1503821?fbclid=IwAR1TVWptR4DuL5v_X1zrcga6GLFFTm3rf0ta2iYJrWWZAtQklk6NLWsXSSg)

Chiang Mai For The Mind, Body and Soul

On your next trip to Chiang Mai, why not go on a vegan food tour, or perhaps learn more about the ancient art of the yantra tattoo? Better still, step out of your comfort zone and join a hill tribe in their rice planting activity, while picking up a thing or two about soul healing in the forest.

By Raul Dias

A mixed bag of clichés. That’s one of the first things that pops into the minds of most when we think of Thailand. From the ubiquitous, raver-infested full moon parties on its many not-so-pristine, beach-fronted islands and Bollywood-themed dinner cruises along the Chao Phraya river to the unfathomable opportunities for conspicuous consumption that its bustling capital city of Bangkok offers, finding something new to do in Thailand seems like a pipe dream. And amidst all this crass commercialism and tourist-targeted bogus, the true-blue ‘traveller’ seems to get left out of the equation like a neglected stepchild! But all’s not lost, as I recently found out.
On a recent trip to the north of the country, I had an epiphany of sorts. The hilly Lanna region to be more specific, painted a whole other image of Thailand for me, with its artistic brushstrokes and colourful hues. Thus, bestowing upon the city of Chiang Mai at the very heart of Lanna, a decidedly artistic and cultural cache that makes it a great jumping off point for the traveller seeking the path that’s woefully (and thankfully!) untrodden.  

For The Body…
A firm believer that to truly get the pulse of any new place surging through my veins, I simply have got to start my innings with a taste of the local food. First things first. The food of the north is very different from that of the rest of Thailand. A lighter, more herbaceous take on the coconut milk-redolent dishes of the south, the cuisine of Lanna is aromatic and spicy. And the lynchpins of the cuisine have got to be the piquant, lemon-y Chiang Mai sausage and a brutally fiery mushroom salad called yum hed.
To get a more immersive foodie experience I signed up with the newly launched Airbnb Experiences for a four-hours, hands-on long cookery class with Chef Chanrat Karatna who helped me discover the secrets of authentic Northern Thai cuisine. Here, I learned to whip up from scratch the light khew wan kai chicken curry and the Northern Thailand version of the ubiquitous somtamthai papaya and prawn salad, all served with sticky black rice that is a specialty of the Lanna region.
Now, the words ‘vegan’ and ‘Thai food’ mentioned in the same sentence, seem like the greatest oxymoron. Wrong! The Plant-based Food Experience with Keidra, a local Chiang Mai resident and vegan food enthusiast is a food tour with a difference. The four-and-a-half hours tour takes people for a ride in a bright red songtaew (Thai-style pick-up truck) first to the local fruit and vegetable JJ Market where you can taste exotic Thai fruits like the longan and the snake fruit, while learning about their healing powers. It then careens towards the Lanna’s Herb stall of the famous ‘Juice Lady of Chiang Mai’ where you can sample different herbal healing juices. The tour ends with an all-vegan meal at a few of Keidra’s favourite vegan restaurants like Nong Bee’s and Anchan for some further dope on Thai, Burmese, and Western plant-based dishes.

For The Soul…  
While tattoos have always been a sore (pun unintended) topic for me—with their permanency being the major off-putting factor—knowing more about them has always been a source of fascination. And so, I found myself signing up for another super-unique Airbnb Yantra Tattoo Experience that saw me leave the city of Chiang Mai for the quite village of Samnak, a little less than an hour away. Here, my guide Nikom, a former monk introduced me to another monk-turned-tattoo master Arjan Sompong who gave me a crash course in all things Yantra Tattoo.
Apparently, the traditional hand done Thai tattoo is not regarded as a tattoo, but as an indelible talisman imbedded into the wearer’s skin. While there are several types and patterns of Yantra Tattoos with their own respective meanings and purposes, they all feature ancient geometric symbols, animals or deity designs. These motifs are believed to offer protection to the wearer against bad luck and bestow upon them good fortune.
More interestingly, I was also told about the very rare invisible Yantra Tattoo that Sompong does, where a mixture of black sesame seed oil and invisible tattoo ink is injected into the recipient’s dermis layer. The mantras imbued into the person are meant to protect them from all harm, without the tattoo being traceable at all.
Now, at the risk of fueling another cliché of “heading to the hills to find healing”, here’s another rather unusual activity for the soul that one must try when in Chiang Mai. Claiming to possess the power to heal herself and others in vastly different ways; emotionally, spiritually, and even physically, Naiyana offers her very unique four-hour meditative ‘Soul and Energy Healing in the Forest’ experience.
At Yardfahmadin, her healing home nestled deep in the woods outside Chiang Mai, besides a gurgling stream Naiyana teaches people the ancient healing art of Omtri. This therapy is said to be a fusion of several powerful healing modalities, combining crystal healing, Reiki, and traditional Asian healing practices to help to bring your mental, emotional and physical energies into alignment, all by accessing your soul’s own inner wisdom. Besides said to bring inner peace and harmony, Omtri also allegedly helps balance and stabilise physical energy, provides relief from aches and pains, and relieve specific issues, such as anxiety, depression and insomnia.

For The Mind…
Bringing into perspective Chiang Mai’s prowess as an arts and craft stronghold are a number of activities one can partake in that help unleash the mind’s creativity. Initiated by Khun Jao, and hosted by Emika, Made in Chiang Mai is an Airbnb Experiences project that relies on the support of local people to help travellers get a better understanding of the arts scene. Located 45 minutes outside of the Chiang Mai city centre, the village of On-Tai is where one can learn everything from working with clay from a local expert to meeting with the village artisans and learning how do bamboo and cotton weaving to picking up the nuances of the natural tie-dying process.
To end my sojourn in the Lanna region, I decided to do something rather different. And so off it was with Pat, my tattooed, Steven Tyler doppelganger of a guide in his off roader for a tryst with the Karen hill tribe. Our destination: an authentic Karen village a good hour’s drive away from Chiang Mai over bumpy, nausea-inducing mountain roads. A place that seems untouched by time, where the villagers still live in traditional stilt bamboo houses.
As it was lunch time, we were invited to sit down cross-legged on the thatched floor and partake in a traditional lunch of a watery, bitter herb-flavoured chicken curry with a side of stir friend pumpkin leaves—all washed down with a tasty home distilled rice-based drink. It was only after we were sated that the villagers took us around their super clean village, sharing with us everything from their rather complicated fabric weaving techniques and rattan basket making to planting the all-important rice crop and herb foraging.
Live like a local. How’s that as the new mantra of travel with a purpose?

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the October 2018 issue of Jetwings International in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

The ‘Other’ Thailand!

From communing with the indigenous hill tribes to learning the nuances of Northern Thai cuisine and a whole lot more in-between, the picturesque city of Chiang Mai nestled in the verdant hills of Lanna, Northern Thailand has a lot to offer and will change your perception of Thailand forever, says Raul Dias

By Raul Dias

        

Let me start with a very honest confession. I’m much more of a city person than one of those travellers who head to the hills to “find” themselves and come back with halcyon tales of dew-covered leaves and other similar idyllic montages. Give me the cacophony of an urbs primus like Bangkok—blaring traffic din, et al—any day, vis-à-vis nature’s serene bounty and I’ll be your best friend.

In Love With Lanna
But all that changed a few weeks ago when I signed up for a trip curated by the newly launched Airbnb Experiences, Chiang Mai to discover a part of Northern Thailand and all it had to offer. And boy, was I convinced about the unhurried way of life or what just after a few days there! From learning about tribal life to trying my hand at weaving to even cooking my own curry, this was one trip that literally ripped me from the cocoon of my city-cushioned comfort zone and plonked me slap bang in the lap of Mother Nature.
With its raw, untapped, natural beauty, Lanna, the Northern region of Thailand is the perfect foil to the brassy commercialism one usually encounters in the more ‘touristy’ South. And the sleepy, mist-shrouded city of Chiang Mai is the perfect introduction to this kind of unhurried travel. Try as hard as you may, but it is virtually impossible to believe that this cozy, artsy town is the second largest in Thailand after the capital, Bangkok.
Culturally rich and mind-numbingly beautiful, Chiang Mai and its surrounding hills are the places to head to for some much-needed down time. Learn the finer nuances of Thai cookery, meet the tribal people, or perhaps marvel at the handicrafts made here, you will find a lot to tempt you with. Enough to give this region a shot on your next Thailand trip? You bet!

Same, Same…Yet Different!
And speaking of food, with a more herbaceous take on the coconut milk-redolent Southern and Central Thai food, the Lanna cuisine is a unique and flavourful one. From typical street fare like the spicy and lemon-y Chiang Mai sausage and yum hed—a spicy mushroom salad—the markets of this town abound with unusual flavours. Other dishes to try here are the light khew wan kai chicken curry and the Northern Thailand version of the ubiquitous somtamthai papaya and prawn salad, all served with sticky black rice that is a specialty of the region.
One of my very first Airbnb Experiences was that of learning to whip up local dishes at Air’s Thai Cooking Class. Here, Chef Chanrat Karatna—or Air as he prefers to be called—helped me discover the secrets of authentic Northern Thai cuisine with a four-hour cooking class in his beautiful open-air kitchen that’s surrounded by a herb garden. Designed in such a way that you get to select the dishes you wish to cook (and yes, eat later!), I chose the aforementioned spicy khew wan kai that Air first demonstrated, post which I got to work. And the result? A very competent curry, I may as well add, bursting with the taste of sweet basil and kaffir lime leaves!

Indigenous Wonders
For a glimpse of the elusive Hmong, Shan and Karen hill tribe people of this region, the weekend handicrafts market in the Chiang Mai town centre is the perfect place. Descending down to the valley from their hilly villages to sell their wares, these colourfully kitted out tribals are as distinct as they are fascinating to look at. With the Mon women sporting large metal-beaded headdresses and the Karen women the high coiled neck pieces, they will break all your preconceived notions (as they did mine) of the typical ‘Thai look’ as it were.
But, as I wanted a more in-depth experiences with the tribes, the mononymous ‘Pat’, my guide du jour picked me up from my accommodation for a long drive into the hills for another Airbnb Experience that I had been looking forward to. The heavily-tattooed, chain-smoking, rockstar-like Pat is a member of the Shan tribe and has lived and worked with ethnic minorities in Northern Thailand all his life. His passion, he told me, is the sustainable development of hill tribes, that includes channeling tourism in a way that benefits them, not harming them.
And so, an hour or so outside Chiang Mai, we got off-road to visit a remote, authentic Karen village where villagers still live in traditional stilt bamboo houses. Once there we not only enjoyed a very traditional lunch of a light herb-redolent chicken curry with stir friend pumpkin leaves—all washed down with home distilled rice whisky—but we also got a wonderful insight into the Karen culture and their fascinating way of life. The enthusiastic villagers were only too happy to share with us everything from their rather complicated fabric weaving techniques and rattan basket making to planting the all-important rice crop and herb foraging.
With a wealth of new-found knowledge of—and not to mention respect for—the rural way of life under my belt, I headed back to the hustle and bustle of the cityscape, not once complaining about the rather bumpy ride en route.
Well, I did say I was a changed person, didn’t I?    

FACT FILE
Getting There
There are daily connecting flights from India to Chiang Mai on airlines like Thai Airways and Bangkok Airways via Bangkok. Travel within the Northern Thailand Lanna region is easy with many buses, mini vans and car hire companies offering their services.

When to Visit
The months from October to February are the best time to travel to Northern Thailand, when the region experiences a pleasant to chilly climate with plenty of cultural and artistic events taking place in Chiang Mai.

Accommodation
Though Chiang Mai has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes, why not get more up close and personal with the city and live like a local? Airbnb has an amazing portfolio of vacation homes that you can rent out. Visit www.airbnb.co.in for more information.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 5th August 2018 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 http://www.freepressjournal.in/travel/the-other-thailand-visit-to-chiang-mai-could-change-your-perception-of-the-country/1328495)

10 Ways To ‘Do’ Chiang Mai Right!

The picturesque town of Chiang Mai nestled in the verdant hills of Lanna, Northern Thailand is an idyllic haven of calm and serene bliss, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Raul Dias brings you 10 ways to make the most of your Northern Thailand jaunt

By Raul Dias

     
From learning the finer nuances of Northern Thai cookery and massage, to marveling at the handicrafts made here, there is a lot on offer for the intrepid traveller.

1.      Commune With The Divine
Make the surreal Wat Chedi Luang, nestled at the very core of Chiang Mai—both physically and metaphorically—your first pit stop. According to ancient Lanna beliefs, the temple is at the epicentre of the city which mark the centre of the universe. Dating back to 1385, this grand temple was once home to the stunning Emerald Buddha, that you can now find in Bangkok’s Grand Palace. The surrounding temples and shrines in the main complex are equally revered as many contain relics of the Buddha. (www.tourismthailand.org)

2.      Go Handicraft Hunting
One of the finest repositories of the ancient art of parasol making is the Bo Sang Handicraft Centre a little out of the main, compact Chiang Mai city centre. Here, you can not only pick up a few gorgeous parasols at rock bottom prices, but the on-site artists making them are only too happy to give you a short little demonstration. (www.visitchiangmai.com.au/bo_sang.html)

3.      Get Cooking
With a lighter, more herbaceous take on the coconut milk-redolent southern and central Thai food, the Lanna cuisine of the north is a unique and flavourful one. Sign up with the newly launched Airbnb Experiences and learn the art of Northern Thai cookery with a 4-hour hands-on class with Air one of Chiang Mai’s most celebrated chefs. (www.airbnb.co.in/experiences/205730)

4.      Meet The Giants
The Chiang-Dao Elephant Training Center a mere 30 minutes out of the city is as far removed from a ‘zoo’ as it can be. This center is home to 32 elephants that are each trained by their own mahout and here the emphasis is strongly on eco tourism. Travellers can not only come up close and personal with the center’s inhabitants but can also see them wander through the dense forests as well as help bathe them in the placid Po River nearby. (www.chiangdaoelephantcamp.com/)

5.      Mingle With The Hill People
For a glimpse of the elusive Hmong, Shan and Karen hill tribe people of this region, book yourself a place on a half day trip with Airbnb Experiences and learn about everything from their traditional stilt bamboo houses and tribal lifestyle to fabric weaving and their indigenous rice farming techniques. (www.airbnb.co.in/experiences/248011)

6.      Opium, Anyone? 
In nearby Chiang Rai, pay a visit to The Hall of Opium Museum. Here, you can learn about the trade, sale, consumption and after effects of the dreaded drug that was notoriously popular all over the Asian continent in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The eerie, cavernous tunnel-like entrance is a fascinating introduction to the museum with its sculpted frescos showing twisted, contorted human faces, all bathed in a deep blue light. (www.maefahluang.org)  

7.      Release A Lantern
If you happen to be in Chiang Mai in the month of November, then all your senses will be treated to the delights of the beautiful Yi Peng festival. This autumn festival celebrates the full moon day in the second month according to the Lanna lunar calendar with intricately fashioned lanterns called khom loi launched into the air to take one’s wishes up to the Gods above! (www.tourismthailand.org)

8.      Visit A Royal Villa
Chosen as the summer home for the Thai Royal family, Chiang Rai is famous for the rather unusual Doi Tung Royal Villa that the current King’s grandmother Princess Somdej Phra Srinagarindra had built to partly resemble a Swiss chalet, as she lived in Switzerland for a while. With its well-manicured lawns and botanical gardens, this is one place that almost demands that one pays it a visit when in the region. (www.doitung.org)   

9.      Learn About Thai Yantra Tattoos
Visit the tiny village of Samnak an hour outside Chiang Mai, where you will meet Nikom, who was previously a monk as well. As part of a curated Airbnb Experiences tour, he will share with you the different patterns and meaning behind each ancient geometric, animal and deity designs of traditional Thai Yantra Tattoos. (www.airbnb.is/experiences/223773)

10.  Make Your Own Herbal ball

As part of a rather unusual and interesting Chiang Mai Airbnb Experiences session, Kanokwan—a renound Thai massage specialist—will not just share more about the usefulness of the Thai herbal ball—that contains various medicinal herbs, oils and spices—but she will also show you how to make one yourself and administer a traditional Thai massage. (www.airbnb.co.in/experiences/220243)

(An edited version of this article appeared on 15 July 2018 in Travel + Leisure, India and South Asia http://travelandleisureindia.in/10-bragworthy-experiences-in-chiang-mai/) 

A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: Khao Phad Samunprai (Butterfly Pea Flower Rice)

By Raul Dias

There's just something about the twinning of the words 'flowers' and 'Thailand' that seems so very natural and organic. While the South East Asian nation's national flower--the orchid is flown into India by the plane-load almost every day straight from the Pak Khlong Talat wholesale flower market in Bangkok, decorating many a wedding mandap, it's edible counterparts are na'er too far away!
And while we've seen the 'blooming' of chrysanthemum flowers and syrups in several cocktail
preparations across India, it is another flower that's been recently painting the Mumbai dining scene a vivid shade of blue. Enter the butterfly pea flower.
Now, this flower of the clitoria ternatea plant when steeped in water has been a perennial rite herbal tea in Thailand for centuries where it is known as nam dok anchan. It’s also renowned for its healt benefits taking care of everything from conjunctivitis to enhancing memory and brain power.
Distilling all this into one bizarre looking, but super flavourful rice preparation is Mumbai's newest Thai restaurant Nara Thai. Khao Phad Samunprai or Butterfly Pea Flower Rice may be a tongue-twister of a name, but this novel rice preparation is a delicious blend of pre-cooked short grain rice, sliced lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves that are wok-tossed with young peppercorns, deep fried red chilli and splashed with the unusual white soy sauce and a decoction of dried butterfly pea flowers steeped in warm water.
At first luridly blue, this rice takes on a shocking purple hue when one squeezes a bit of lime juice over it, with the acidity of the lime juice reacting enough with the butterfly pea flower to change colours.
How's that for a touch of psychedelia on your plate!

(This column first appeared in the 22nd October 2017 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/butterfly-pea-flower-rice/article19895112.ece)