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The Joys of Thai Cooking

Bold. Exotic. Diverse. Pungent. Sweet. Sour. Salty. Hot. Sometimes bitter. Crunchy. Bright. Fragrant. Soothing. Unique. Alive. All these words and more come to mind when I think of Thai food.

My love affair with Thai food began when I was in high school growing up in Minnesota under the tutelage of my famous chef/restaurateur mother, Leeann Chin. I grew up learning the fundamentals of Chinese cuisine: stir-frying, steaming, grilling, deep-frying, creating velvety sauces and intricate dumplings. My culinary worldview was a Cantonese one.

Then one day that all changed. My mother took me to Arun’s Gourmet Thai Restaurant in Chicago when we went to visit my brother, Bill, who was earning his PhD in mathematics and, suddenly, my taste buds exploded with aromatic essences, piquant flavors, and abundant textures from our eight-course meal.

Chinese cuisine has had a major influence on Thai cooking. The threads of Chinese techniques and flavors are ever so delicately woven into Thai dishes that I felt an homage to my Chinese heritage with each bite. I was impassioned by the exciting flavors I was experiencing: my first sip of Tom Yum Soup, the crunch of the roasted rice powder in the Larb, the spike of chilies in the Chicken with Thai Chili and Basil and the sour, sweet tangy satisfaction from my first taste of Pad Thai. Finally, the cooling sensation of a mango shake tempered the thrill of culinary sensations I was encountering for the first time.

After leaving my career as a film and television marketing executive to follow my culinary dreams, I formed Double Happiness Catering and was excited to put my love of bold and exotic Thai flavors to the test in my pan-Asian catering kitchen. Soon I was mincing lemongrass for Thai steamed mussels, simmering large pots of Thai curries and threading pounds of chicken for satays with spicy peanut sauce. My clients went wild and my culinary world view was forever broadened.

Being aware of my love for Thai food, my husband whisked me off to Thailand for our honeymoon. What an amazing guy! We set forth on our culinary odyssey with open hearts, minds, and palates. We strolled around Bangkok sampling all that Thai street food has to offer, from satays and crispy spring rolls to steaming bowls of noodles and Som Yum Salad. We rented a jeep and traveled along the Mae Hong Son Pass from Chiang Mai sampling this region’s famous Burmese style cooking. We traveled over to the Northeastern province of Issan where we sampled melt-in-your-mouth Shaking Beef (page 81) and delicate rice paper summer rolls influenced by the Vietnamese immigrant population. Heading south, we spent the tail end of our trip island hopping to Phuket, Koh Samui, Pi Pi, and Krabi. There, we were treated to seafood that was so fresh it felt like it was jumping onto our plates from the sea—from crispy whole fish topped with spicy garlic-chili sauces to tender clams simmering in a delicious and pungent chili basil sauce. I came back with a full belly, tons of new ideas, and an excited heart eager to take my love of Thai cooking to the next level.

I retired from my catering business to become a mom to twins, Dylan and Becca and stepdaughter Kyla. As a new mother, I related to my friends who lamented about how challenging it is to get dinner on the table. Tired of takeout, all of my friends were begging me for new recipe ideas so I created my blog, The Sweet and Sour Chronicles where I share my knowledge, tips, and recipes for creating everyday Asian dishes.

When I was asked to write Everyday Thai Cooking, I jumped at the chance. I’m excited to arm you with my collection of Thai recipes for real people who are juggling hectic schedules. My book will show you how simple and economical Thai cooking can truly be, and soon, you’ll be weaving your own brilliant Thai tapestries of taste, texture, and aroma. You'll soon develop a love affair with Thai cooking too. Not only will you be the talk of the neighborhood, but you can kiss your take-out menus goodbye.