Milk Street Digital Class: A Taste of Southern Thai with Pailin Chongchitnant

About this Pre-Recorded Class:

If you think Pad Thai is all there is to Thai cuisine, have we got news for you. Guest chef Pailin Chongchitnant, who was born and raised in Thailand, has at least 100 Thai recipes you should know, all of them featured in her new book, “Sabai.” We spend this pre-recorded Zoom livestream class learning about two of them, starting with the basics. You’ll learn about the two types of red curry paste commonly used in Thai cooking: gaeng kua is the most adaptable and doesn’t use dry spices, while gaeng ped is spiked with coriander and cumin. With Pai’s guidance, you’ll make a batch of the former, since it can so easily be transformed into numerous other curries, and learn how to portion and freeze it for later use. With our curry paste in hand, we turn to a dish that exemplifies simple luxury in southern Thailand: Turmeric Crab Curry. You’ve never met a dish that comes together so quickly but sings with so much flavor. Earthy turmeric, umami-rich fish sauce, rich coconut milk and fragrant black peppercorns make it a dish you’ll turn to again and again, especially since you can easily swap in other proteins. Finally, you’ll make one of the most refreshing side dishes you can imagine. Creamy tofu topped with a Thai herb salad is refreshing, light and flavorful—and just happens to be vegan. Join us to be transported to Thailand.