Exploring the origins of aristocratic Thai cuisine, Dusit International’s signature Thai restaurant has delved deep into the country’s culinary past and curated recipes rich in history, culture and flavour. Benjarong, in Baan Dusit Thani on Sala Daeng, is housed in a historic stately home that enhances the new menu and dining experience.
The new a la carte menu focuses on recipes from the late 1800s to the 30s, and took the team several months of researching old texts, collaborating with local food experts, and honing recipes together. “Thai cuisine is known for its bold flavours and aromatic spices, but many people are not aware of the diverse influences that have shaped the cuisine over centuries,” says Benjarong’s head chef, Sukanya Ngarmsrikham. “Our new menu aims to showcase the aristocratic roots of Thai cuisine, which can be traced back to noble families of Siam, and highlight the delicious regional influences of that time,” she adds.
Begin with the amuse bouche of Mangosteen (B390), which is served with dry prawns and roasted coconut. The may change depending on what’s in season. The Grilled shrimp and smoked fish relish (B320) is served with lotus stem and bitter orange. The bitter orange is the seasonal som sa and also appears in another dish, the Son-in-law eggs.
It is notable that in aristocratic cooking, all the vegetables are cut with precision and there will not be any chunks. This was to showcase the produce and refinement.
Indulge in the Clear soup of pork belly and squid (B300), which is steamed broth. The pork belly is brown from a soy sauce marination and is steamed with the squid. Roasted pork bones are used to make the broth and the soup has its origins in gaeng jued sawaan. The addition of land and sea proteins is to showcase the wealth of the aristocrats, while the steaming method retains the nutritional values of the meat.
Gaeng kaek of duck leg (B650) has its roots in Indian and Javanese cuisines, and uses homemade masala (the Hindi word for curry paste), dried fruit, crispy shallots and garlic. The fruit is a medley of apricot, pickled raisins, crispy garlic and shallots. The betel leaves served with the dish is from the organic garden that surrounds the restaurant.
A savoury dish with slightly unsavoury origins is the egg dish that was cooked by a mother, who was less than happy with how her daughter was being treated by her son-in-law. So, she served him deep-fried eggs to let him know that if he’s not careful, his jewels were next in the frying line. Benjarong’s Son-in-law eggs ((B350) uses eggs from three birds, quail, duck and chicken. The eggs are slathered in a tamarind and palm sugar sauce, topped with crispy shallots and garlic, the juice of the bitter orange, roasted chilli and coriander.
The colour of the Gaeng prik of blue swimmer crab (B950) is unlike a green or red curry. This is because Benjarong uses fresh chillies that are charcoal-roasted and then pounded as opposed to the dry chillies used in other curry pastes. The curry is cooked in the southern-style with a little coconut milk but packs a punch. Also added are bamboo and lime leaves.
The Crispy pork belly uses four varieties of pepper; namely black, white and green peppercorns from Chantaburi and the northern pepper, makwaeng. The pork salted for three days and is then boiled overnight before being deep-fried for the crackling that everyone so loves. All these dishes can be ordered with a rare to find Pineapple Fried Rice with Horseshoe Crab Roe (B990).
“The best way to enjoy our new experience is by sharing a meal family-style and selecting a variety of dishes from across the menu,” explains chef Sukanya. “For example, you could order a soup, a curry, a salad, something fried, a relish, and some of our ethically sourced organic rice. The delicious harmony of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour flavours, combined with the various textures and premium seasonal ingredients, makes our offerings truly unique and, most importantly, highly memorable for our guests.”
For dessert, the thick and creamy Coconut custard (B290) uses both young and old coconut, with the latter being used for the coconut cream. The refreshing summer dessert, Som choon (B290) is served with preserved lychee and seasonal fruits in a jasmine-scented bitter orange syrup, which uses all parts of the orange. The dish is topped with slivered ginger and crispy shallots for that extra hit of flavour.
Call 02-200-9009, email info@baandusitthani.com, Line: @baandusitthani or visit baandusitthani.com.
