Authentic Thai Cooking Class with Ann, Chiang Rai
What better place to take a Thai cooking class than a local Thai homestay? After nearly a month of travelling around Thailand, we figured it was time to uncover the secrets behind all that delicious Thai food.
If you are thinking about doing a Thai cooking class in Chiang Rai, you might want to stay a few days at Ann's Greenhouse - she's on Airbnb.
Since we were already living in the heart of it all, we couldn't resist booking a cooking class with Ann herself. It cost 1,100 THB per person, and it was well worth it.
The experience was brilliant - we cooked everything from scratch with Ann nearby to lend as a hand whenever we need it.
Bookings: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. This means that if you choose to make a booking, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank You!
Shopping At the Local Market
At 9.30 am we all met up in the kitchen, ready to kick off our epic Thai cocking class. First order of business: choosing what to cook.
Charlie and I could either team up and make two mains and a dessert or go all in with four individual dishes each (three mains and one dessert). We chose the full-on option. In hindsight, it was a lot, and we'd definitely recommend the shared route.
With our dish list sorted, Ann drove us to the local market. It was great to go with a local - we learnt what some of the more mysterious ingredients actually were.
We'd skipped breakfast, so naturally we grabbed a few things along the the way. Not everything hit the mark, but the deep-fried plantain and sweet potato were a win - solid breakfast stuff. We also tried a special type of pineapple grown only in Norther Thailand - tiny, super sweet, and nothing like the ones back home.
Some of our dishes needed meat, so morning was the best time to shop. We managed to get chicken, but missed out on fresh minced pork for Nam Phric Ong (Thai-style Bolognese) - it had already sold out.
While browsing, we got sidetracked by a box of bright pink eggs - too striking to ignore. We bought a few, boiled them later in class. Turns out, the white were black - a salty, slighly earthy falvout, and actually quite nice.
Shopping with Ann was a real bonus - she knew exactly were to go, so no aimless wandering. She was great at explaining all the ingredients. Best of all, going with a local meant we got fair prices - no inflated tourist rate, ha!
After finishing our market run, we stopped for some well-earned refreshments and each got a cup of traditional Thai iced tea. So good - sweet, creamy, and exactly what we needed.
Ann's Fruit & Veg Garden
Some ingredients - like green papaya, banana leaves for the sweet sticky rice, and lemongrass - we didn't need to buy at the market. Instead, we picked them stright from Ann's garden, which was full of fresh herbs and produce.
Cutting the lemongrass was especially fun. Neither of us had done it before, but with a bit of guidance (and a machete!), we were soon slicing like pros.
Preparations for the Thai Cooking Class
First things first, prep time. Everything we bought at the market had to be prepared from scratch, including the chicken... which still had its head and claws on. Eeek!
Thankfully, Ann kindly handled that part. She gave it a good scrub with salt, and then rinsed it with cold water.
Meanwhile, I was on less intense duties - washing and peeling prawns, chopping veg. Charlie, on the other hand, got the butcher's role and learned how to break down a whole chicken. Look at that massive knife! I think he secretly enjoyed it.
Ann laid out large plates for each dish, we could neatly arrange all the prepped ingredients. She also put together small dished of condiments and spices: fish sauce, vinegar, palm sugar, coconut milk, dried shrimp, cumin, salt, and plenty more - all ready to go.
The toughest task was making the pastes for the Thai Green and Massaman curries. We learned the correct order for pounding the ingredients in a mortar and pestle - but wow, it was a serious workout. Still, the vibrant colours, the smell, and that incredible flavour was totally worth the effort.
Cooking the Thai Dishes
It took us hours just to prep before we even started cooking. At around 4 pm we were nearly there - and starting to feel hungry.
Still, hunger aside, the actual cooking was pure joy. Adding colourful ingredients to bubbling pots, blending coconut milk, spices, and palm sugar - turning it all into delicious Thai fusion - was such a satisfying experience.
We were proud of each dish. My Thai green curry tasted nothing like the one I used to make back in London with a shop-bought paste - this was on a whole other level.
Another highlight was learning the how to make sweet sticky rice, my all-time favourite. The best part was heading into the garden to cut a giant palm tree leaf to wrap it all up. So cool!
The Thai Dishes We Cooked
Both Charlie and I chose Massaman Curry - a great decision in the end. Charlie executed it beautifully. The dish was rich, fragant, and so satisfying.
Next on Charlie's wish list was Nam Phric Ong - a dish a bit like a Thai version of Bolognese. Made with garlic, lemongrass, palm sugar, and a mix of fragarant spices, it smelled incredible. Served on a banana tree leaf, it looked amazing too.
Charlie's pick of Morning Glory was a bit of a twist on the usual. Instead of the fresh stir-fry version we'd been eating across Thailand, this one was deep-fried - known as Yum Puk Boong Grob.
We started by making a light batter, then dipped the morning glory and fried until crisp and golden. Charlie also whipped up a dipping sauce with pork, garlic, lime juice and coconut milk - it was gorgeous!
I know it's a it of a basic choice, but wanted to experience what the Thai Green Curry is like when made properly. but I wanted to see what it's like when it's made properly.
I enjoyed cooking it with palm sugar for the first time - a total game chnager. Just be warned: it's sweeter than regular sugar. I went a bit overboard and had to balance things out with a splash of water and extra fish sauce.
Despite a few hick-ups, my Kang Keaw Wan Kai turned out beautifully green and full of flavour. It was worth all that effort.
We first tried we tried Som Tum - Green Papaya Salad - while visiting Koh Tao and absolutely loved its juicy, fresh flavour. So, naturally, I had to recreated during the class.
Kristina
I took a little trip to Ann's garden and picked the biggest papaya stright from the tree. We gave it a god wash, peeled it, and washed it again before grating it down.
All the fresh ingredients were lightly pounded together in the mortar and pestle to release their juices and blend the flavours. For a final touch, we added prawns and slices of pink egg on top - a colourful, tasty finish.
As our Thai cooking class was winding down, I was most excited to make Khao Tom Mad - a sweet sticky rice and black bean dessert. Ever since trying it at the Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market in Bangkok, it's been my absolute favourite.
Kristina
Surprisingly, the cooking process was easier than expected. To prep, I wandered into Ann's garden and pikced the biggest palm leaf I could find to wrap up our little sticky rice parcels.
The dish itself os simple - just sticky rice, coconut milk, palm suga, and black beans - but the result is so satisfying. Wrapping it properly was the hardest part, mostly because we kept overfilling the leaves - classic mistake.
Once wrapped, the parcels can be steamed or grilled - we went for the grilled version, which gave it a lovely toasty flavour.
Would We Recommend Ann’s Thai Cooking Class?
Absolutely - without a doubt. What made the experience so pecial was how personal it felt. Unlike larger cooking schools, Ann keeps her classes small which means you get hands-on help and plenty one-on-one guidance.
Ann herself is brilliant - warm, funny, knowledgeable and passionate about Thai cooking. It really comes through in the was she teaches. We're so glad we took the class and came away with a deeper appreciation for Thai cuisine (plus new skills!).
You can book Ann's Thai cooking class directly through her website - and just to be clear, this isn't sponsored! We simply had a great time and wanted to share it.
Top Tip: Make travelling in Thailand super easy with the super friendly 12GoAsia website. Book online and there’s no need to print your tickets, just show them to the station staff before you board on your smartphone. No running around looking for a place to print anything. Nice!