Online Siamese Culinary Masterclasses for Professional Chefs and Thai food enthusiasts

In my masterclasses, for the first time in the English language, I reveal the culinary secrets hidden in old and hard-to-find Siamese cookbooks and recipes dating from the late 19th century to modern days.

Get unlimited access to Thaifoodmaster’s constantly growing library of prime professional masterclasses, articles, recipes and videos on Siamese culinary topics, available nowhere else in English.

Online membership:
Masterclasses, Articles, Recipes, Daily Heritage Translations.
Professional Guides: Siamese Chili Relishes (น้ำพริก และ เครื่องจิ้ม), Thai Curries (แกงไทย), Thai Salads (เรื่องยำๆ) and The art of Siamese old-school menu design (สํารับอาหารไทย).

In-person workshops:
Chiang Mai, 2026. Limited spaces.

Masterclasses

Practical and kitchen-tested recipes with a mix of theory, history, psychology, and Siamese culture tidbits.

Aromatic Primer for Thai Cuisine - Part 1

Curry Paste Permeability

Minced-Bird Style Curries - A Peek Into Traditional Ingredients and Cooking Methods (แกงสับนก; Gaaeng Sap Nohk)

Reflections on the Lifecycle of Heat: Mastering Vibrancy and Maturity in Green Curry (แกงเขียวหวาน)

Patterns – Decoding the Complexity of Siamese Curry Paste: A Multidimensional Exploration

Aromatic Alchemy - The Art and Science of Pounded Curry Pastes

The Story of Gaaeng Buaan (แกงบวน) – The Oldest Siamese Dish?

The Secret Healing Powers of Siamese Curries – A Closer Look at Gaaeng Yaa (แกงยา)

The Art of Siamese Duck Curries - Theory and Practice (แกงเป็ด - ศิลปะ ทฤษฎี และ การปฏิบัติ)

Articles and Recipes

Heritage 32: Issue Thursday, October 22, 2026

This week's folios: - แกงกระเทียมดอง — Pickled Garlic Soup with Pork or Shrimp and Fried Egg (M.R. Tuang Sanitwong, 1935) - พระรามลงสรง — Phra Ram Long Song (Phra Ram Bathing) (Puang Bunnag, 1931) - ยำแตงกวาทรงเครื่อง — Deluxe Cucumber Salad (Princess Jongjittanom Dissakul, 1978) - พล่าปูทะเล — Sea Crab Phlaa with Crisp-Fried Potato (Puang Bunnag, 1931) - ไก่สำออย — Chicken Sam-oi (M.R. Tuang Sanitwong, 1935) - แกงต้มกะทิฟักเหลือง — Pumpkin Simmered in Coconut Milk with Pounded Dried Shrimp and Shrimp Scored to Lie Straight (Jeeb Bunnag (Mrs. Samaknantapol / นาง สมรรคนันทพล), 1933) - ฉู่ฉี่เมืองปราณ — Pran-Style Choo Chee Squid (M.R. Tuang Sanitwong, 1935)

Heritage 23: Issue Tuesday, August 4, 2026

This week's folios: - แกงจืดลูกชิ้นกุ้งกับผักกาดปลี — Mild soup with prawn balls and Chinese cabbage (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933) - ข้าวแขก — Indian-Style Rice - Layered Jasmine Rice and Coconut Milk pudding with Crispy Shallots (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933) - งบปลาอุย — Grilled Catfish Parcels (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933) - ผัดพริกขิงเนื้ออ่อน — Stir-fried Sheatfish with Phrik Khing Paste (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933) - ข้าวตังปิ้งปรุง — Grilled Seasoned Rice Crust (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933) - ลอยแก้วสาวสวรรค์ — Heavenly Maidens Floating in Crystal Syrup (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933)

Scented Cassava-Starch Diamonds in Coconut Milk (มันสำปะหลังยอหยา; man sam bpa lang yaaw yaa)

Man sam bpa lang yaaw yaa: cassava starch diamonds kneaded with pandan, served in floral-scented coconut milk. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Stir-Fried Ginger with Duck Feet (ผัดขิงบาทเบ็ด; phat khing baat bet)

Phat khing baat bet, duck feet deboned and stir-fried with fresh ginger, black ear fungus, and tao chiao. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Northern Thai-style roasted pork laap (ลาบหมูคั่ว ; laap muu khuaa)

This laap dish offers a slightly different way to use the phrik laap seasoning mix. It is added to an aromatic paste made from roasted chilies, galangal, roasted shallots, and roasted garlic. The paste is enriched with coriander seeds, makwen and laap spices mix, which introduces the desired smoke and umami intensifying elements to the dish.

Khanohm Jeen with Hindu Style Nam Ya Sauce (น้ำยาฮินดู; naam yaa hin duu)

Naam yaa hin duu, a coconut curry sauce with red and white beans, flavored with fermented soybean paste. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 cookbook.

Sand Noodles (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวทราย; guay dtiaao saai)

Sand Noodles (guay dtiaao saai), featuring rice noodles cut fine as sand with aromatic coconut chili relish. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 cookbook.

Two Friends Massaman Curry (แกงมัสหมั่นสองสหาย; gaaeng mat man saawng sa haai)

Two Friends Massaman Curry of chicken and beef, seasoned sweet first and sharpened with bitter orange juice. From Puang Bunnag, 1931.

Heritage 19: Issue Thursday, May 21, 2026

This week's folios: - แกงเผ็ด แบบสากล — “International Style” Spicy Curry (Gingganok Gaanjanaaphaa, 1935) - ล่าเตียง — Lattice-Wrapped Shrimp Bites (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933) - แกงต้มยำเห็ดโคน — Termite Mushroom Tom Yam Curry (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933) - ผัดกรกฏชะคราม — Stir-fried Crab with Seablite (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933) - ขนมเบื้องอิสลาม — Islamic Khanom Bueang (Jeeb Bunnag, 1945) - ทอดมันเซี่ยงไฮ้ — Shanghai-Style Fried Rolls (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933) - ตับสุกกรอบ — Crispy Cooked Liver (Jeeb Bunnag, 1933)

Chuu Chee Curry of Stuffed Banana Chilies with Pork, Shrimp and Crab Meat (ฉู่ฉี่พริกสอดไส้ ; chuu chee phrik yuaak saawt sai)

This chuu chee features avocado-green banana chilies and the pinkish mixture of pork, shrimp and crab meats. The chilies are sliced open and stuffed with a mixture of the meats, which is seasoned with the basic saam gluuhr (สามเกลอ) paste – the Siamese trio of coriander roots, Thai garlic and white peppercorns. The stuffed chilies are then steamed before being cooked in a thick, reddish, coconut cream-based curry. The liquids collected in the tray during the steaming process are packed with the light sweet fruitiness of the banana chilies; these liquids are reserved and added to the broth, producing a bright and light-bodied dish.

กะปิมอญ

It is thought that gabpi maawn was introduced to Thai cuisine by the Mon people, an ethnic group of Burma. gabpi maawn is made from the flesh of small fresh water fishes, such as Thai river sprat (ปลาชิว) and Siamese mud carp (ปลาสร้อย). The fishes are sun dried and then finely pounded. They are left to ferment with salt for a minimum of one month.

Offal in Broth (เครื่องในกะทะ; khreuuang nai ga tha)

Offal in Broth combines carefully cleaned organ meats in a seasoned pork bone broth. From Jeeb Bunnag's 1945 Thai culinary manuscript for appetizers and snacks.

Crispy Rice - Khaao Graawp (ข้าวกรอบ อย่างหม่อมเจ้าสาย ลดาวัลย์)

Suan Sunandha Palace was the permanent residence of Mom Chao Sai Ladawan (HRH Princess Saisawali Phirom, พระวิมาดาเธอ หม่อมเจ้าสาย ลดาวัลย์), the Royal Consort to Rama V. In the kitchen of Suan Sunandha Palace, the Princess presided over a peak era of culinary innovation until her passing on June 24, 1929. Reflecting her practicality, the Princess’ recipes frequently incorporated the era’s common pantry ingredients in new and surprising combinations. For example, in her boat-embarking chili relish (น้ำพริกลงเรือ; naam phrik lohng reuua), a relish still enjoyed today, the Princess pairs fermented shrimp paste chili relish with sweet pork, crispy fried fish, salted duck eggs and hairy-fruited eggplant (maeuk) (มะอึก). Another example is her gaaeng ran juaan (แกงรัญจวน) – the Princess prepares a vibrant spicy and sour soup, fragrant with the aroma of Thai basil, from the leftovers of a stir-fried beef dish and fermented shrimp paste chili relish, which she cooked together with lemongrass, shallots and garlic. Mom Chao Sai Ladawan’s recipes, many already recreated here at Thaifoodmaster, were recorded by Princess Sadap Ladawan (เจ้าจอมหม่อมราชวงศ์สดับลดาวัลย์), a key figure in the Palace’s culinary affairs, and subsequently compiled and published by Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University in a volume dedicated to seasoned rice dishes and chili relishes. In this dish called khaao graawp (ข้าวกรอบ), or “crispy rice” the Princess seasons cooked jasmine rice with chili jam, and adds four fried components, each highlighting a different element of the crispiness indicated by the dish’s name.

Mixed Clear Shrimp Soup with Salted Fish, Shrimp, Cucumber, Mango and Pickled Garlic (แกงนอกหม้อ ; gaaeng naawk maaw)

Gaaeng naawk maaw is a light and refreshing soup served at room temperature. The ingredients are meticulously sliced as if for a salad, placed in a serving bowl, and covered with a salty and naturally sweet shrimp broth. At the table, diners can adjust the soup to their preferred flavor profile using granulated sugar, lime juice, or pickled garlic brine; hence the name – gaaeng naawk maaw – which literally means "a curry dish outside the pot" or "to cook curry outside the pot". (Note: The word gaaeng (แกง) in Thai is both a verb and a noun).

All-Purpose Sour, Sweet and Salty Chili Jam (Modern Version) (naam phrik phao; น้ำพริกเผาสมัยใหม่)

Thai Chili Jam - This is a chili jam similar to what is commonly sold under the name of roasted chili paste (naam phrik phao; น้ำพริกเผา). It is widely used as a condiment in salad dressings, soups, and seasoning for stir-fried dishes. I like to have control over my pantry ingredients, so I always use homemade naam phrik phao. Furthermore, since it is a basic ingredient used in so many dishes, anything less than the best will drastically impair the quality of your dishes.

Siamese Culinary Legends of the Rattanakosin period

Siamese cuisine is the accumulated wisdom of cooks at every level of the society – from housewives cooking at home and caring for their families, to cooks in the temple, to the culinary masters who created elaborate dishes behind the palace walls.

In this series of short articles highlighting their lives and work, we salute and pay homage to the most prominent individuals who influenced and shaped the Siamese culinary arts bpaa ga sin (ปากะศิลป์) of the Rattanakosin Era.

These background descriptions will put into perspective the dishes we present and cook here on Thaifoodmaster and will also help you to cook Thai dishes that taste like they have a solid bond to the culture, the land and its people.

The Spice Vault

Here you will find recipes for popular spice mixes that you can make yourself! Homemade spice blends not only taste better and cost less, but you’ll also be able to create unique spice blends based on your personal preferences. As a bonus, you’ll use spices with no preservatives or artificial colors!

For example, members can explore recipes for Chinese five-spice mix, masalas for khao soi and hang lay curries, homemade Thai curry powder, and a variety of the spice blends used in Northern and Muslim Thai cuisines.

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