Lemon grass was pound until smooth and turmeric and garlic added before whizzing the aromatic mix in the blender. On opening, the smell was intoxicating.
The contents were added to chicken in a steel bowl and then mixed. It was then allowed to marinade.
We then chopped onion, coriander, spring onion, lemon grass, a chilli, galangal and shredded ginger.
Stock, oyster sauce, garlic oil and sugar plus a pinch of pepper and some lemon juice plus fresh pepper corns, turmeric and basil were added. By this time the aroma in the kitchen was at its height.
We then prepared salmon and placed it in a dish before pouring over the sauce and introducing the heady mix to a steamer. The herbs were added after a few minutes.
On went the deep frier for the chicken drumsticks and minutes later we were tucking into three delightful dishes.
We had earlier prepared won-ton with minced pork and soya sauce and cooked the dainty meat parcels in hot water.
The meal was ready. This was, however, not a meal but a feast served with basmati rice.
The process had taken over two hours from start to finish with fresh ingredients used in every dish.
Orchestrating the whole event was Ru Herd, course leader of the Edinburgh-based Krua Thai Cooking School.
Ru has clients from over 30 countries and she also teaches regularly at classes run by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Watch out for her on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer and she packs a lot into the classes.
It’s tough going, particularly if, like me, a knife slips and you hack a piece out of a finger. Ru was there in seconds supplying medication.
Simply, the Krua Thai is an experience and we were told that previous guests have included corporate clients, big businessmen anxious to surprise their wives, hoteliers and others who want to open the door to a new culinary art.
We learned loads during the session and the joy is that if you make a mistake then Ru can provide an answer to the dilemma. I had several.
I now, however, have three recipes to try at home and now know what to do if I overdo an element.
That is the bonus of this type of learning. Yes, you can look at YouTube but I took in more being hands-on and making mistakes, much to the amusement of fellow classmates.
Now, my next dinner guests may well savour Pla Ob Samoon Prai, Gai-Tod and Giew Hang thanks to the recipes we took away from the class.
Incidentally, the delicate sauce in the salmon (samoon) dish was a the best I’ve ever tasted. It was that good.
Krua Thai Cookery School, 19 Liberton Brae, Edinburgh EH16 6QA (T: 0131 664 3036).
Experienced news, business, arts, sport and travel journalist. Food critic and managing editor of a well-established food and travel website. Also a magazine editor of publications with circulations of up to 200,000 and managing director of a long-established PR/marketing company with a string of blue-chip clients in its CV. Former communications lecturer at a Scottish university and social media specialist for a string of successful and busy SMEs.
