Railay Beach, Krabi

There is always a reason why the beaten path is so well traveled;  Thailand is a perfect example. When we told friends that we were headed to Krabi, we either got one of two reactions. 1) Ew, Why? or 2) Go straight to Railay Beach. With such consistent reviews, we booked into a resort and headed directly for Railay. Thailand hotspots are always great; they're comfortable, clean and convenient. The food is great, and the cocktail list is extensive.

We left our condo at the ridiculous hour of 4am, but it was all worth it when we found ourselves waiting for a longtailed boat, drinking our lattes beside the Andaman Sea by 8am. As we rounded the shores of Krabi we were in awe of the limestone formations and cliffs jutting up through the sea. It was a picture-perfect, all-too-Thai tourist moment. Again, there's a reason why these places are inundated with tourists (unless you are touring during the rainy season, which I highly recommend).

As it was low-season, we managed to snag a beauty of a bungalow in a nice resort for a decent price (although it seems that we are always willing to spend a bit more on accommodations when we are away for just a few days). For the next four days we were lucky enough to dip in the pool when the emerald green sea was just a bit too tepid, sip on cocktails, and finally got to catch a Muay Thai fight.

Usually we are hard-up to find the odd Canadian rambling around KL amongst crowds of Australians and Brits, but it was Canadian night at Railay Beach. As it was a **slightly younger crowd of travelers, we sat back and watched the pre-fight entertainment including girls and guys volunteering their bras and boxers in exchange for free beers, and an amateur boxing match which concluded with (and I could not make this up) one of the Canadians exclaiming 'It's like I'm wearing a fuckin' parka in here, eh?' There couldn't have been a moment where I was more proudly Canadian. 

 Oh, except for being Canadian in Malaysia right now in light of the au naturel Canucks who are moving mountains (check out the National Post's article). Not caring to take a stance on either side of the debate, I will say this; However oblivious, stereotypical or tacky things can get (we too have had our time to shine), I can say that the Canadians we have run into abroad have, at the very least been harmless, void of ill-intentions and always up for a good time (however misguided that maybe). And for the bad-seeds out there, have some regard for the cultures you've traveled across the world to experience- Just as in retrospect it wasn't cool to peroxide your hair in high school, this too shall pass, Slim Shady. You will return to the real-world and realize you looked and were acting like a tool. Try to save the streaking for the Jays home-opener, eh?

I've digressed... So after a few days of Thai curries and a healthy dose of Canadian-isms, Railay Beach held up to its recommendations. Its got all the great bits there is to love about Thailand compacted into a scenic little peninsula...just enough distance for a cheeky naked mile ;) 

Plate Culture: Indian Cooking Class

Tyler and I are always in search of our next meal. Criteria; It needs to be big in flavour and bang for our buck. In Kuala Lumpur there is no shortage of restaurants that fill the bill. However, it's no secret that around the world, my kitchen of choice is the extremely convenient, transient and ever-local, Casa de Tyler. Tyler is amazing at using a variety of spices, fusing the best flavours from different cuisines and recreating world-dishes at home. One of the trickiest dishes to recreate at home has been (North in particular) Indian curries. Up until now, Chef Ty has done a great job with various curry dishes....but there has always been something missing from the spice equation. (His words, not mine. I would NEVER bite the hand that feeds me, figuratively or literally). So, this past weekend Tyler and I finally took an Indian cooking class.

Similar to the TV show 'Come Dine with Me', where amateur chefs host diners in their homes for an evening, Plate Culture invites customers into individuals' homes to have a private cooking lesson, share in their company and enjoy authentic cuisine. Having found our wonderful Chef Shamini online, we were eager to find the missing link to a perfect curry. We made several dishes that were all different, equally colourful and impressive...if I do say so myself. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon; slowly cooking and chatting about Indian food and culture, learning about the different spices and pastes (some of which we had previously been using incorrectly), and finally enjoying the fruits of our labour in a full blown Indian mid-day feast! Check out the goodness;

South Indian chicken curry, spicy pumpkin, prawn sambal, raita and chai tea served upon a banana leaf~ holllaaaa

 Although the highlight for Tyler was the chicken curry, mine was, hands down the ever popular paneer (cheese) butter masala. I know this is not a notable achievement for over a billion people, but for us this is a major culinary milestone. Yes, we can now make butter chicken in our house, probably everyday.

Ingredients
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
1 bay leaf
2 green chilies
1 tsp red chili powder
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped&pureed
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 cup full fat milk
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
250 grams paneer
Toasted cashews to garnish

Ok so I know it seems like a lot of ingredients and a labourous dish to make, but Chef Shamini made it seem so easy (even at times with a sweet little babe on her hip)! We are super confident we could do it again... and plan on it. As Tyler already makes a great bbq chicken tikka, we are excited about some curry-filled patio evenings with our fellow spice-route lovers. Until then we are looking forward to our next visit with Shamini, where we will add to our repertoire and figure out some breads for dipping!

***Please note that although I have consistently used 'we' in this blog post, it is most definitely meant as the 'Royal We'. Tyler is the King of the Kitchen in our house. I on the other hand, rarely wander over to that corner of our studio apartment.