Joanna James
Gorgeous beaches and smiling faces are not the only lures in Samui. This paradise is gaining popularity as a foodie's haven owing to fresh ingredients, Thai traditions and an influx of master chefs.
Seafood, of course, is no 1 on any menu in Koh Samui. Being an island the place has an abundance of fresh fish, prawns, lobster, crab, squid and seaweed. Most often the dishes are prepared in a typical Thai style with lashings of coconut milk and flavour enhancers like ginger, basil, chilli and lemon. Restaurants in Bophut will have a wide a variety of seafood on the menu promising to tantalise and satisfy the foodie in you.
A must try sweet when in Samui; Kalamae is a speciality dessert that's quite famous in Samui and South Thailand where an abundance of coconut palms thrive. Made from glutinous rice flour, coconut cream and palm sugar the sweet comes wrapped in plastic cones. Tipped to be the Thai version of French caramel this sweet is widely available Hin Taa and Hin Yai markets as well as other fresh food markets in Koh Samui.
An all-time favourite Tom Yum soup is widely available in Thailand. The Samui version is predominantly made from seafood and other fresh ingredients such as lemongrass, crushed chilli peppers, lime juice, galangal, fish sauce and kaffir lime leave it is a dish that incorporates the key flavours of Thai cuisine. Mind you the soup can be quite spicy; ask for a toned down version if you can't handle too much spice. But it is indeed a refreshing must try a dish that's famous across the world. Acquire skills of Thai cooking by joining a cooking school. Like 'Spice Spoons' at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort there are many cooking schools that offer an insight to the salty, sweet, sour and spicy flavours of world famous Thai cuisine.
Translated this dish means Fried Rice; which being non-spicy is not considered an authentic Thai dish. It is, however, one of the most famous fast foods available. Whipping up a batch of Khao Phad is simple; Thai Jasmine rice is stir fried in a wok with fresh shreds of cabbage, carrot, egg, garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt and sugar together with a meat, fish or seafood of your choice. Quite the comfort food a steaming plate of fried rice is best eaten with cucumber slices, tomato slices, salt, lime and soy sauce.
One of the most popular Thai dishes available on Samui is Phad Thai. Introduced to the country during the Ayutthaya Kingdom this dish has Chinese and Vietnamese origins. Consisting of rice noodles, tofu, egg, tamarind pulp, garlic, fish sauce, palm sugar, red chilli and soybeans the flavoursome dish is fresh and quite tasty.
A simpler name in English for this marvellous dish is chicken cashew nuts. A definite favourite amongst tourists, this hard to pronounce dish is made with dried red, green and yellow chillies, spring onions, onions, Thai herbs, lots of cashew nuts and stir fried chicken.
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