From Soy Sauce to Spinach
THE INGREDIENTS THAT FORGE PHUKET’S VIBRANT CUISINE
Destination 5 minute read
Chef Steven Black, Executive Chef at COMO Point Yamu, including Nahmyaa – serving southern Thai specialties – discusses the ingredients he relies on for his locally-inspired menus.
Chef Steven Black joined COMO Point Yamu as Executive Chef in 2018. He has worked at top restaurants across Europe including London’s Berkeley Square Restaurant, which earned a Michelin Star. Before moving to Phuket, Black worked at Wildflower — the acclaimed rooftop restaurant at COMO The Treasury in Perth, Australia — and was awarded Chef of the Year in 2016 by the Australian Hotel Association.
Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, Phuket was a major trading port. Chinese, Malay, Indian, Arab and European merchants would visit to trade goods such as silk, porcelain, spices, tea and opium. This melting pot of cultures has left its mark on the island’s culinary traditions, resulting in dishes and flavour profiles not commonly found in other parts of Thailand. I’d describe Phuket’s cuisine as Thai-Chinese-Peranakan in style, but with stronger flavour. You’ll find the curries are spicier than in Bangkok, and the presence of seafood is heavier.
We have an abundance of fresh, local ingredients at our fingertips in Phuket — from fern tips to jasmine — which makes the island one of Thailand’s most exciting food scenes. I try to source as many ingredients as possible from Phuket and the wider area around Phang Nga Bay. It’s the best way to keep the flavours authentic.
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is another of Phuket’s most common ingredients: I rely on it to soften some of my punchier dishes. Kanom Jeen Nam Ya is a traditional Phuketian breakfast curry made with coconut milk, fish, lemongrass and galangal.
Jasmine
Night-blooming jasmine, renowned for its highly fragrant flowers, is one of Phuket’s most recognisable plants and ingredients. In Thai folklore, jasmine brings love and prosperity; couples who exchange jasmine garlands are blessed with eternal happiness. I use the blooms to infuse rice and teas, adding subtle floral notes.
Limes
Limes grow everywhere in Phuket, year-round. They’re very aromatic and green, and you’ll often see freshly squeezed lime juice being drunk around the island, as a refreshing antidote to the humidity. I primarily use limes in my dipping sauces, to add zest and vitality. Nam Phrik Goon Siap is a staple in Phuket cuisine. It’s a shrimp paste chilli dip — with lime juice and palm sugar.
Pak Gud
Pak Gud are young fern tips, which have a gel-like consistency once you split the leaf. They’re generally available from May to October, during Phuket’s rainy season. The texture is very delicate and they add a fresh, green flavour to a dish. I often use them in a stir fry, with plenty of garlic, chilli and soy sauce.
Phak Meang
Phak Meang is a kind of spinach, which grows wild in Phuket’s jungles, as well as being cultivated by local farmers. The flavour is slightly more robust than conventional spinach, which makes it ideal for use in strongly flavoured dishes. The leaf is very versatile and I use it in several dishes, including Gaeng Som Pla Phak Meang, a Phuketian sour fish curry with a tangy tamarind, turmeric, garlic, chilli and Phak Meang broth. It’s also fantastic wok-fried with fresh coconut milk, local Phuket shrimp paste and Andaman tiger prawns.
Seafood
Phuket has access to some of the best seafood in the world, positioned on the edge of the Andaman Sea. I particularly enjoy working with oysters. Oh Tao, or oyster omelette, is a popular street food dish in Phuket. It’s cooked using fresh oysters, eggs and a tapioca flour batter, and served with chilli sauce and spring onions.
Soy Sauce
At a push, I’d say soy sauce is my most-used ingredient. I source ours in Phuket, and feature it liberally in one of Nahmyaa’s most popular dishes, Moo Hong. It’s Phuket-style braised pork, slow-cooked and simmered in a rich gravy made from soy sauce, palm sugar and spices. The soy sauce — matured for a year before it’s ready — is what really anchors this dish, grounding it in the umami. I also love using soy sauce in Mee Sapam, which is a really local dish that mixes stir-fried Hokkien noodles with seafood. It’s actually my favourite dish on Nahmyaa’s menu.
Find out more about COMO Point Yamu, or make a reservation at Nahmyaa.
