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Revelations Andy Needham, chef proprietor, L’Amorosa
Rosa’s Thai Café: the Cookbook By Saiphin Moore Mitchell Beazley, £20
This book from Saiphin Moore, Thai-born co-founder of the six London restaurants of the same name, acts as a perfect primer for anyone seeking an introduction to the Thai classics.
Before we even get to the rec- ipes, a glossary of ingredients explains the distinctive flavours, with staples such as basil, tama- rind and pandan leaves described with flair and compassion. It’s a lively chef indeed who finds the heart to describe the infamously odorous fish sauce (nam pla) as the “condiment that she cannot imagine cooking without”. And it’s that passion that comes through on this book’s every page. One of the first things we see is an explanation of the Rosa’s Thai Café doily – the logo on the front of the book. Although at first glance a quintessentially British decora- tion, a closer look reveals the story of Moore’s career. The design con- tains illustrations of bowls from Moore’s first noodle shop, bottles of the country’s famous sriracha sauce, chopsticks from her child- hood kitchen and tuk-tuks – also the namesake of Moore’s first restaurant, Tuk Tuk Thai. The recipes are arranged across categories, including salad, soups, curries, stir-fries, grills, and
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desserts, with ample choice for anyone seeking creative input, from a caterer needing interna- tional inspiration to a gastropub wanting an injection of spice. And while the recipes are unmistakably Thai, many offer a familiar Western twist. Prawn pad Thai sits next to spicy seafood spaghetti, explained with the tale of Marco Polo, who is said to have brought noodles from China back to Italy, recreating them with wheat flour rather than rice flour, thereby creating spaghetti. It’s a gentle meeting of East and West. The book has many tasty, sim- ple options: mince pork patties and fish cakes would sit well on any starter menu, along with heartier plates, such as “tiger’s tears” (strips of grilled beef with chilli and lime dipping sauce) and sweet choices such as the little dollops of coconut pudding. Rosa’s Thai Café has quickly expanded across London in recent months, and this book’s wide array of dishes go a long way to explaining why. By Hannah Thompson
If you like this, you may enjoy Eat Clean: Wok Yourself To Health Ching-He Huang Simple Thai Food Leela Punyaratabandhu Thai Food David Thompson
What were your best subjects at school? Art and French
What was your first job? Milk and newspaper delivery
What was your first catering job? I was a waiter for one weekend, then I did the washing-up in a busy pizzeria. I’ve stayed in the kitchen ever since.
What do you normally have for breakfast? Porridge or fruit and coffee
Which is your favourite restaurant? Da Cesare in Alba, Italy
Which ingredient do you hate the most? All overly perfumed herbs
Tell us a secret. Often suppliers call and think we have a large team with many departments, but it’s me using different accents and voices
How would you describe your desk? Constantly in need of more attention
Which person in catering have you most admired?
Alain Ducasse Which person
gave you the
greatest inspiration? Giorgio Locatelli
Cast away on a desert island, what luxury would you take? A small hotel
Describe your ultimate nightmare? Ready Steady Cook. Good food cannot be rushed
If you had more time, what would you do? Write a book
What irritates you most about the industry? VAT
What is your favourite prepared product? Worcestershire sauce
Who’s in your fantasy brigade? It would be a small kitchen with just myself and a good kitchen porter who doesn’t talk a lot – very similar to my current situation
What’s your favourite hotel? Sa Talaia in Ibiza
20 March 2015 | The Caterer | 53
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