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[title]The demand of Siri Sathorn Hotel’s owner to recreate a tako (glutinous cake topped with salty coconut cream) that he had tried at Nahm drove chef Kanin Sinpan to delve into the long history of Thai royal court cuisine to find the right recipe. “I managed to replicate it on my tenth attempt,” Chef Kanin reveals. His research soon developed into the idea of offering
an authentic Thai afternoon tea at the hotel. Though Thai-style afternoon tea is nothing new, the young chef’s set is special in that it features snacks taken from the first six reigns of the Rattanakosin period.
The 32-year-old chef’s specialization in ancient Thai cuisine was born out of his passion for Thai history. “I graduated from OHAP [Oriental Hotel Apprenticeship Programme] steered by Mandarin Oriental. I competed in many culinary contests, but only won awards for my Thai cooking. That’s when I realized that my specialty is Thai, and that I should focus on this path,” he shares. Chef Kanin has won the gold medal at Thailand’s International Culinary Cup (TICC) in classic Thai cuisine for two consecutive years.
Sereechai Puttes/Time Out Bangkok
In his search for authentic royal court cuisine recipes, the chef came upon dishes served at important events in the country’s history, such as Bangkok’s bicentennial celebration, as well as recipes recorded by old families with links to the palace.
Chef Kanin explains that ancient Thai cuisine is very well-rounded. “Nothing in the dish should outplay each other; everything has to be balanced. That’s what my teacher, Khopkeaw Najpinit, an icon and respected figure in Thai cuisine who taught David Thompson and the chefs at Bo.lan, told me. When serving green curry, for example, a side dish that balances it out, like salted fish, is essential.”
This balance in flavors is reflected in all the snacks included in his afternoon tea. His khang khao peauk, a puffy samosa-like treat filled with shrimp paste is inspired by the recipe of Jao Kroak Thong Yoo, a prominent figure in the royal kitchen of King Rama I. The crab chor muang (glutinous savory dumplings) is drawn from the dish popularized during the reign of King Rama II as documented in Kap Hae Chom Kreung Khao Wan, an iconic poem the monarch himself wrote. Another snack, the mee krop Phra Buddha Chao Luang (deep-fried vermicelli with sweet and sour sauce) is made with more than 33 ingredients and was supposedly King Rama V’s favorite.
The de-centralization of royal court cuisine and political tension in the country since Rama VII’s reign lessened the role of royal cooks, and Thai cuisine became less exclusive soon after. “Starting from the reign of King Rama VII, noble families started to write their own cookbooks, which featured their take on many Thai dishes. The concept behind royal court cuisine began to lose its importance as these noble recipes became more available to the general public.”
Though his interests lie in ancient and long-lost recipes, Chef Kanin is not against more modern and molecular interpretations of Thai cuisine. “I don’t see anything wrong with elevating traditional cuisine through more contemporary techniques,” he says. “It’s like giving Thai cuisine a new outfit to wear. You can wear an elegant Western dress, but deep down inside you are still Thai. The taste can be authentic, while the look isn’t.”
Sereechai Puttes/Time Out Bangkok