Southern Thailand

Second stop: Southern Thailand

Koh Samui, Koh Pha-Ngan, Koh Tao

After enjoying the culinary surprises that Indonesia provided, we made the journey from Bali to the South Eastern Thai Islands. It is at this point that I confess: for the majority of our time here, we were more focused on the local beers and spirits than the food. It was New Year and we met a group of our friends here to celebrate at the full moon party in Koh Pha-Ngan, so the meals mainly functioned as hangover cures. That being said, Thai food is the perfect way to blow away the cobwebs, and there were 3 stand out dishes well worth a mention

Panang Curry

If you're talking about Thai curry, red and green are the first words that come to mind. However, this dry dish, medium in spice, really packs a flavour punch. Kafir lime leaf is the prominent flavour and although coriander root is ground into the paste, it's one of the few Thai dishes that coriander haters like me are safe with. Veggies don't make much of an appearance in a Panang and the sauce is thickened with fried coconut cream. If you're looking for the healthy choice, this probably isn't the dish for you but if it's comforting hangover food you're after then look no further.

Massaman Curry

As a carb lover, this has to be my favourite of all the Thai curries. The combination of spices such a cardamom, cinnamon and clove make for a mild and aromatic sauce, which the cubed potatoes in the dish absorb beautifully. Rice probably isn't necessary as an accompaniment but if you're nursing a New Year's Day hangover and need some energy, then a bowl of this starch filled stodge with steamed rice will set you up for the day. It certainly sorted me out. (see full image)

Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai)

You've probably grasped by now that mild dishes are more up my street. Tom Kha Gai is the mildest of them all and traditionally is served as a chicken dish. This gentle fare is crammed with oyster or shiitake mushrooms and brought back fond memories of my childhood, when my mum would give me chicken and mushroom soup from a can on the days that I felt unwell. This 5* version of the Heinz classic is perfect for settling the stomach of a tired, fragile backpacker.

Krabi,Koh Phi Phi, Phuket

I apologise in advance that some of our South Western Thailand food highlights came in the form of international or fusion food. But, when it's this good, it deserves a mention and I have future blog posts in the pipeline dedicated to spicy Thai food...

Krabi

Looking out over the banks of Krabi River doesn't exactly get the taste buds tingling. The sludgy mounds were cluttered with alien looking mud skippers and thousands of tiny crabs, so when we saw some local fisherman casting lines, we weren't confident that their catch would appeal to us. Catfish is available in abundance from this river and it's ugly looks are probably the reason it isn't found on the fish counter in Morrisons.

As the sun came down over the river, the town came to life. Chao Fah riverside market is a foodies dream and it was a personal highlight from my time in Southern Thailand. Every night the locals set up shop, selling fresh produce and delicious street food. Having seen the catfish being reeled in, we had to try it so we tucked into a garlic marinated catfish skewer for a mere 60 Thai Baht (approx £1.20).
It was seriously tasty and gave us the feel good factor to know we were supporting local trade and sustainable fishing.
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The market spoiled us with other delicious treats; sticky BBQ pork, chicken satay skewers and grilled red snapper. After the meat and fish mains, it was time to look for pudding. I fell in love with an elderly Thai man who was busying himself over a griddle, flipping mini pancakes. We came to discover that the dish he made was Khanom Buang: a savoury pancake batter stuffed with orange zest, coconut and marshmallow. I've found that many Thai desserts have a savoury element, making it impossible to guess what a dish may taste like and therefore giving me a valid excuse to try them all! (see full image)

Koh Phi Phi

We made our way to Koh Phi Phi from Krabi. We were expecting to discover miles of idyllic beach and a relaxing atmosphere and so were initially surprised when we landed on this party island! Having spent a long day traveling we had worked up quite an appetite and so 'Matt's Grill' was exactly the type of place we were looking for. Our friends had recommended it from their time in Phi Phi and we weren't disappointed.

Ladies and lady-boys eat for a discounted price at this all you can eat BBQ. I must admit, buffets aren't usually my thing but at Matt's there is something for everyone as the salad bar is delicious and the griddled meats are endless in variety. The mini burgers went like hot cakes and it made for entertaining people watching as diners sprung from their seats to grab a plate full before they disappeared!
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Phuket

We only had a couple of nights in Phuket town and the majority of our meals here were much the same as the aforementioned. However, there was one standout restaurant which took fusion food to a new level and satisfied four hungry backpackers who were looking for a filling, reasonably priced meal. 

"The Cook" is run by a Thai Chef who gained much of his experience in an Italian resort. This man takes his food seriously; for the forty minutes that we dined in his cafe he popped his head out of the kitchen at least 5 times to check that his customers were happy. For me, happy is an understatement as I tucked in to a coconut curry pizza with glee. My dining companions were smiling too, with their seafood Tom Yan, Massaman curry and Thai green curry pizza's. It's hard to describe how and why it worked so well, so if you find yourself in Phuket town, make sure you try it for yourself.
(see full image)

Indonesia

First stop: Bali

Before we left the UK I really only had Thai food on my mind, so Balinese cuisine came as a delicious surprise. Even on a backpacker budget, you can eat like a King.


The national dish is Nasi Goreng and it's a great example of how to eat hearty grub on a budget. This substantial meal is good any time of day and, as it never meant more than a 5 minute wait, must be seriously simple to make.

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As good as Nasi Goreng is, I was taught a powerful lesson by the humble Balinese beef stew...

This photo shows a delicious looking version of the dish that I enjoyed in a rather pricey Seminyak restaurant. Don't get me wrong, it was good, and the decor of the restaurant was stunning (glass jars stuffed with herbs and spices from Indonesia adorned the walls), but as I said, beef stew taught me an important lesson. Restaurant dining is great, but for hungry backpackers, nothing beats street food. This same dish was a 10th of the price from a warung on Mataram Street. If you can get over the appearance of fly infested cabinets storing day old looking food, you will be rewarded with a basket of perfectly spiced delight!
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Don't be drawn in by the restaurants on Kuta or Legian high street. For an authentic dining experience, with local people get to Mataram street. (see full image)

 

Stop 2: The Gili Islands 

Any good meal needs to be washed down with a refreshing beverage and Indonesia's signature beer, Bintang, is fit for purpose. Gili Trawangan provided the perfect setting to enjoy a bottle or 3. (see full image)
Okay, maybe I lost count but it was Christmas Eve after all!
I'd love to mention the fresh fish platter we had as our Christmas Day meal but our Bint'angover saw us craving turkey with all of the trimmings. We settled for sharing a chicken leg and an Indonesian twist on the traditional vegetable accompaniments.
                                                                                                 

Gili night market is the place to be for the freshest BBQ'd fish. BBQ is the theme of Gili and the swanky beach front restaurants fill the promenade with a smokey smell. Unfortunately, they were a little pricey for a backpacker budget but the night market was kinder to the purse strings and looked just as good. Although it meant dining on the floor, the infectious hustle and bustle kept us coming back for more. (see full image)