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

Fermented shrimp paste relish with grilled pea eggplants (น้ำพริกมะเขือพวง ; naam phrik ma kheuua phuaang)

Fried Rice with Salted Chinese Black Olive, or Nam Phuay (ข้าวผัดลูกหนำเนี๊ยบหรือหนำพ๊วย; khaao phat luuk nam niiap reuu nam phuay)

Khao phat luk nam nieb: salted Chinese black olive, shelled and mashed fine, tossed through rice. Lady Gleep Mahithaawn, 1949.

Spicy Curry with Beef-Stuffed Earthstar or Lactarius Mushrooms (แกงเผ็ดเห็ดเผาะหรือเห็ดยาง; gaaeng phet het phaw reuu het yaang)

Gaaeng phet het phaw, foraged earthstar or Lactarius mushrooms stuffed with minced beef in spiced coconut cream. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

Khao Mee Seasoned Rice (ข้าวหมี่อย่างคลุก; khaao mee yaang khlook)

This article explores two methods of preparing Mee Fried Rice - the traditional Khao Mee Fried Rice and the lighter, seasoned rice alternative known as khaao mee yaang khlook. Discover the flavor chemistry at play and choose your preferred method for a delicious meal.

Beef Tongue with Sauce Hussarde (ลิ้นอุสุราช; lin oo soo raat)

Lin oo soo raat, saltpeter-cured braised beef tongue with mace and cinnamon, from Jeeb Bunnag's 1933 Cookbook of Rice Companion Recipes.

Modified Roasted Shrimp Paste Relish (แปลงกะปิคั่ว; bplaaeng ga bpi khuaa)

Bplaaeng ga bpi khuaa: shrimp paste relish with salted black olive and smoke-dried fish, fried in broken coconut oil. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

ขนมจีนน้ำพริกกุ้งสูตรมหาเด็ด

The sweet leading sour coconut cream based sauce, enriched and thickened with fragrant freshly roasted peanuts and golden beans are a wonderful coat to dress the sweet shrimp meat. The aromatics are being extracted in every possible way, by roasting, and frying, boiling and reducing, pounding and grounding. All the culinary methods are being fully employed to guarantee an absolute real first class dish. If you want to start some real Thai cooking going at your home, have the time and access to all the ingredients, than I really want you to try this dish. The building blocks of flavors work so well here and it will open you a great window to see the beginning of what is possible in Thai cuisine.

Roasted Stuffed Duck Breast with Chestnuts and Mackerel (เป็ดยัดไส้เกาลัดรมควัน; bpet yat sai gaolat rohm khwan), circa 1935

Smoked duck stuffed with a mackerel and chestnut filling is a dish that defies cultural boundaries. An exemplar of blended culinary influences, featuring inviting colors and an elegant presentation that serve as a prelude to the complex flavors and textures that await, the dish is an eloquent testament to the cooking style of Mrs. Samaknantapol (Jeep Bunnag, who went by the pen name “the granddaughter of Maae Khruaa Huaa Bpaa”). In the 1930s. Mrs. Jeep Bunnag published her first cookbook. Following in the footsteps of her revered grandmother-in-law, Lady Plean Passakornrawong, she continued to document the art of Siamese cuisine through the treasured books she published and was known for her ability to merge culinary traditions into beautiful and innovative dishes that represent an era. The rich, dark color of the smoked duck’s skin is visually striking and appetizing, evoking a sense of indulgence and luxury. The smoky flavors that permeate the meat reflect our deep connection to primal cooking techniques, a fascinating juxtaposition to the refined presentation of the dish. When the smoked duck is sliced, its succulent pink meat is revealed, surrounding the golden filling of chestnuts and mackerel.

The Contrasting Histories of Gaaeng Rawaaeng (แกงระแวง) - Turmeric-Infused Coconut-Based Thick Curry of Braised Duck and Lemongrass

Gaeng rawang (แกงระแวง) is a curry bearing an unusual name and contradictory accounts regarding its appearance, lineage and origins. When I cook this dish, it is a rich and thick coconut-based curry made with a paste of fresh chilies, aromatics, spices and generous amounts of fresh turmeric, which adds warmth and gives the green chili color a slightly earthier, muted tone that resonates beautifully with the duck meat. The duck meat is prepared separately and slow-braised in coconut cream before being cooked in the curry. This slow-braising process allows the coconut cream and duck’s fattiness to melt together, resulting in moist and flavorful meat with a hint of sweetness. The curry itself is seasoned to a salty and slightly sweet flavor profile.

Mussel Salad (ยำหอยแมลงภู่; yam haawy maae lohng phuu)

Yam haawy maae lohng phuu, mussels tossed with lemongrass, kaffir lime, and toasted coconut. From Maawm Ying Soophaa's Salad Recipes, 1949.

Spicy Nipa Palm Flower Salad (ยำดอกจาก; yam daawk jak)

Spicy Nipa Palm Flower Salad featuring tender palm stems with a complex coconut-chili relish. From Ibrahim Haji Roshidin Tuan's 'The Muslim Cook' (1938).

Method for Roasting Wild Boar's Head - Fire-Roasted Wild Boar Fermented with Bamboo Shoots and Salt (วิธีเผาหัวสุกรป่า; wi thee phao huaa soo gaawn bpaa)

Wi thee phao huaa soo gaawn bpaa: wild boar's head fire-roasted, then salt-fermented with bamboo shoots for 20 days. Tamra Khraawp Lo:hk, 1929.

ต้มยำกุ้ง

Tom Yam is a type of soup with distinct sharp hot and sour flavors, scented with pleasant citrusy aroma. Tom Yam is known to seduce many westerners to fall in love with Thailand, its people and food. Many trips memories to Thailand were written in diaries, others are etched on film but all are stained by the Tom Yam charm. I still remember with vivid colors my first bowl of Tom Yam, in the night market of the old neighborhood on a hot night in a ragged, unfashionable part of Bangkok. Where the smell of cooking and the glare of florescent lights decorated the alley where JeMoi used to own a restaurant, a very simple and very good one, decorated with cheap bamboo chairs and peeling orange walls. I would enjoy watching the streets of the early night turning into mornings, eating, drinking and sweating. It was hard to say if I was sweating from the hot and humid weather, the cheap whiskey or JeMoi’s spicy food. I still smile when I think of her, standing by my table with a winning smile, as if she knew how much I enjoy the food.

Laap with Cow or Pig Blood, Another Method (ลาบเลือดโคหรือสุกร อีกวิธี ๑; laap leuuat kho:h reuu soo gaawn eek wi thee neung)

Laap leuuat, cow or pig blood Laap with dry-roasted chili paste and reduced pla ra, served raw or cooked. Tamra Khraawp Lo:hk, 1929.

Mung Bean khanohm Go (ขนมโก๋ถั่ว; khanohm go thuaa)

Khanohm go thuaa, a molded palace confection of dry-roasted mung bean flour and coarse-grain sugar, scented with jasmine and ylang-ylang. Jeeb Bunnag, 1933.

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

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Access to Thaifoodmaster’s constantly growing library of prime professional classes, articles, recipes and videos on Siamese culinary topics, available nowhere else in English.
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You will get everything you need to:

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When you design or build a new menu for an event or restaurant or even prepare for dinner with friends.
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Master your Thai cooking skills and expand your repertoire.

It is truly brilliant with a revolutionary approach introducing aspects and concepts never broached by cookbooks.

Ian Westcott

Sourcing Wines for Discerning Private Clients