November 14, 2022
BANGKOK – The menu for the “Sustainable Thai Gastronomy” gala dinner was meticulously designed to impart the five flavours that distinguish Thai cuisine as well as its aromas, essences and many colours.
The menu was created to “connect the local with the global”, with ingredients sourced from every part of the country, the Foreign Ministry said.
Delicacies featured in the Carte du jour range from Nan in the North, plentiful Central provinces and the Northeast region of Isaan to the Andaman island of Phuket and the southernmost town of Betong.
Balancing the planet and people
The menu also aims to shed light on the many royal projects, community-based enterprises and local farms that have helped make many farmers and villagers self-sufficient.
For instance, decades of dedication to sustainable development by different sectors helped turn the arid Thung Kula Ronghai (fields of the crying kula) in the Northeast into a land of plenty. The area, which was once a desert, is now known for its famously fragrant jasmine rice.
The desert fields were transformed under the sufficiency economy principles initiated by King Rama IX and reflect Thailand’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The menu
Amuse-bouche
Krathong Thong: Wafer-thin golden pastry filled with a smooth velouté sauce and topped with fine caviar from Doi Inthanon – Thailand’s highest peak.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
Starters
Welcome to Thailand
• Northern Temptation: Lanna crispy khao soi-flavoured rice noodle
A crispy sphere of noodles that serves as a perfect foil for the savoury flavours of khao soi – a quintessential dish from the North of Thailand.
• Central Voyage: Ayutthaya tom yum-flavoured river prawn croquettes
Inspired by “tod man kung”, a speciality of the Central Region, Thai river prawns are cooked with tom yum herbs and curry paste before being fried as croquettes.
• Come to Isaan: Charcoal-grilled Wagyu from Korat with a spicy dipping sauce
Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) province in the Northeast is known for its Wagyu beef, and here it is charcoal-grilled and served paired with the traditional fiery naam jim jaew dipping sauce.
• Sailing South: Betong-style marinated grilled chicken
A signature dish from Thailand’s southernmost town of Betong, the grilled chicken is marinated in the unique goleh coconut-laced spice mix.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
Salad
Yam Yai
Organic salad vegetables are paired with grilled free-range chicken, seven-colour Phuket lobster and duck eggs from Suphanburi cured in fleur de sel from Phetchaburi. The greens come from community-based enterprises from across Thailand.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand