Four of us visited Singapore and Thailand on vacation for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays on December/January 2023, and we decided to schedule an in-person cooking class and market visit with Mam while in Bangkok.
We met Mam at a convenient meeting spot near a BTS elevated tram stop in her neighborhood and headed straight for the market. We took a roundabout stroll through the stalls to see everything on offer, from clothing and haircuts to fish, frogs, pork, beef, and chicken and all kinds of farm fresh fruits and vegetables. Mam was endlessly patient, helping us buy some things to try and waiting while we took lots of pictures.
After we got what we needed at the market, Mam’s husband picked us up and brought us to their lovely home. Along the way, he talked a lot about their neighborhood and the economics of day to day life, including how the low daily minimum wage led eventually to the proliferation of street food vendors and small markets everywhere. It was very interesting!
Mam (with help from her niece) put us to work right after we arrived, handing out aprons and having us wash our hands. In a quick 2.5 hours, we made four dishes: Pandan leaf chicken, Thai basil beef, glass noodle salad, and Pad Thai Goong with shrimp.
Everything turned out beautifully, with particular favorites being the Pandan leaf chicken and the Thai basil beef.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Mam and recommend her in-person cooking classes highly, the next time you are in Bangkok. We plan to try one of her online classes after we get home, to continue our education in Thai cooking.