How about rustling up a healthy dish for the most important woman in your life? There’s nothing a mother appreciates more than being attended to by her children, and cooking is indeed one of the most practical ways to express your love for her. Sure, a hug and a kiss would suffice, but anyone can do that. For those extra brownie points, you’ll need to go all out.
Put a smile on her face with this easy-to-do recipe designed by Chef Piyachart (Boy) Puttawong of Saneh Jaan (1 Michelin star, MICHELIN Guide Bangkok 2018) and we can be certain of a Mother’s Day she won’t forget.
MICHELIN Guide Bangkok: Did your mother have any influence on your cooking career?
Chef Boy: My mother had a restaurant so I used to watch her cook all the time. My grandmother also majored in home economics and she was especially good with Thai desserts so it has always been in my DNA. I started making bua loy, Thai jelly (woon) and Thai steamed cupcakes poui fai since I was 13.
MICHELIN Guide Bangkok: What do you cook for your mother when she visits you?
Chef Boy: She prefers ready-made baked snacks so it’s quite difficult to cook for her! Sometimes I make coconut cake and Thai steamed muffins for her.
MICHELIN Guide Bangkok: Despite you cooking for one of Bangkok’s leading restaurants, does she still offer you any cooking advice?
Chef Boy: She always reminds me to work hard, to keep trying to achieve my goals and the importance of teamwork.
MICHELIN Guide Bangkok: For those wanting to cook something special for their mother on Mother’s Day, you are suggesting a simple but meaningful recipe they can make at home. What are the main ingredients needed?
Chef Boy: Jasmine rice cooked in butterfly peas and jasmine-scented water for the lovely purple colour and jasmine fragrance in the rice.
MICHELIN Guide Bangkok: What does the main dish comprise of?
Chef Boy: The main dish is nam prik kapi (chilli paste dip made with shrill paste) and pla too tod (fried mackerel). The rice is put into a mold and placed onto the plate to resemble a floral garland. It’s an important message because this is what Thais offer to their mothers on this special day. Then, we decorate our garland with steamed vegetables such as carrots, purple eggplants (makua muang), white eggplants (makua kai tao), Thai eggplants (makua proh) and steamed pumpkins.
MICHELIN Guide Bangkok: Why did you choose this dish?
Chef Boy: I believe every child has memories of their mother making this dish for them. It’s every Thai kid’s all-time favourite dish that’s not only healthy but delicious to eat and contains all the essential vitamins from the basic food groups. In my view, making this dish for our mother is probably the best way to reciprocate a mother’s love for her child.
MICHELIN Guide Bangkok: What lies at the heart of this recipe?
Chef Boy: The attention that goes into creating this dish is the star of the show. The delicate details all resemble one’s love for our mother as the energy put into it will come straight from the heart – that’s the most important ingredient.
The recipe
Preparation time: 2 hours
Carved fresh flowers and vegetables
Sesbania flowers (dok sano)
Cowslip creepers (dok kajorn)
Pumpkin
Carrots
Siamese tulips (dok krajiew)
HOW TO COOK:
Place fresh flowers and vegetables in a pot of boiling water then immediately soak in freezing cold water. If steaming is preferred, do so for 10-15 minutes.
The mackerel
1 mackerel
5 pandan leaves
5 wooden pins
Cooking oil
HOW TO COOK:
Wrap the mackerel in pandan leaves and deep fry in 165 degree-oil for 7-15 minutes.
Leave to rest.
Fried climbing wattle and eggs (cha-om kai tod)
Climbing wattle
3 eggs
Fish sauce
HOW TO COOK:
Heat up oil in a pan. Beat eggs and climbing wattle, add fish sauce and fry until cooked.
Vegetables and flowers for carving and frying
Purple eggplants (makua muang)
White eggplants (makua kai tao)
Green eggplants (makua tor lae)
Red Jinda chillies
Cucumber
Climbing wattle (cha-om)
Coral vine (puang chompu)
The rice
Fresh jasmine rice 200g
Old jasmine
Butterfly pea water 250g
Jasmine scented-water 200g
5 Pandan leaves
Salt 5g
HOW TO COOK:
Wash both types of rice thoroughly and soak in butterfly pea water and jasmine-scented water. Cook rice for 20-25 minutes.
Chilli paste dip with shrill paste (nam prik kapi)
Chillies (prik kee noo suan) 2g green, 8g red
Peeled garlic 12g
Peeled hairy eggplants (ma-euk) 30g
Cooked shrimps 24g
Best krill paste wrapped in banana leaves (kapi) 30g
Fish sauce
Lime juice
Turkey berries (makua puang)
HOW TO COOK:
Grind chillies and garlic in mortar and pestle, followed by shrimps and hairy eggplants. Once fine, put in krill paste and a bit of palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and grind in mortar and pestle. Add turkey berries and crush gently with pestle but not too much.
Here's what our Inspectors said about Saneh Jaan (One Michelin star)
Thai dishes crafted from ancient recipes that once impressed the royal family are the draw here but don't discount the lovely setting, complete with vaulted ceilings and contemporary Thai touches. Dishes are a mix of classics and hard-to-find recipes, like hot and spicy soup (kaeng ranjuan), red curry with grilled pork, and sweet and sour coconut dip with crabmeat. Don't miss dessert: try khao moa rang - a rare creation made with young green rice grains.
