It was a rather muggy Friday afternoon in the Capital. The kind that — prior to the onset of the pandemic — would have been perfect to watch a movie, go out for lunch or enjoy a siesta. Thankfully, things have now begun to look up for Delhiites, with people beginning to step out in order to enjoy the experiences that this spirited city has to offer. This is, perhaps, one of the many reasons why it was a packed lunch hour at GKII’s Whiz Cafe. And, why wouldn’t it be? After all, the city’s foodies got a chance to experience some fine Thai flavours amidst a vibrant ambience.
The lunch setting was part of a collaboration between the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi and Magnolia Quality Development Corporation India (MQDC India). This collaboration was all about a new campaign titled ‘Namaste Thai Flavours 2021’, which will be on till October 1. The four-week-long initiative is aimed at celebrating the vibrant blend and bonhomie of Indian and Thai cultures through delectable Thai cuisine.
Chayanin Sriviseth, the second secretary at the Royal Thai Embassy in Delhi, explained that this is their pilot project taking into account the current situation. “Before the pandemic, we used to promote Thai food in a different way. We would have a chef fly down from Thailand to take classes at a culinary institute in Delhi. The chef would also conduct a demonstration for a small group of people at the Ambassador’s residence. But, Covid happened, and we came up with this idea to make Thai food accessible to at least South Delhi residents,” he said.
In order to make things authentic, this curated lunch was prepared by the Thai Ambassador’s personal chef, Sureerat Chansri. On the delectable menu were some deep-fried corn cakes, vegetarian and chicken massaman curry. For dessert, pandanus tapioca dumplings were served to the guests attending this event.
The highlight of this event was a demonstration of the massaman curry’s preparation by the chef herself. According to an Embassy official, the choice of the curry was based on the fact that both the flavours and the spices are extremely similar to that of Indian cuisine. While the massaman curry was being rustled up in the wok, the Thai Embassy officials regaled the guests with anecdotes on the origin of the flavoursome massaman curry.