Masterchef Na-moi Meesa-ard

The Age

Tuesday September 30, 2008

David Sutherland

Na-moi Meesa-ard arrived in Australia eight years ago to become head chef at Carlton's Lemongrass restaurant. She was an experienced and respected chef, with 12 years cooking Royal Thai cuisine in some of Bangkok and Singapore's best restaurants. At Bangkok's Bussaracum restaurant she trained under one of Thailand's most esteemed chefs, Acharn "Grand Madam" Boonchoo Pholwatana, dubbed the high priestess of Royal Thai cuisine.

Namoi was born in a village just outside Bangkok and went into cooking, her great love, after high school. She recalls fondly the sound of pestles pounding into mortars, the late-morning rhythm familiar to every Thai villager.

Namoi retains a great passion for Thai food, believing that when made with care and love it will create great pleasure. "That balance of sweetness, saltiness, spiciness and sourness in perfect unison results in happiness touching the heart," she says.

The pomelo salad dish encapsulates everything Meesa-ard says is the essence of Thai food. "It's healthy and simple to prepare and relies on fresh ingredients." -- DAVID SUTHERLAND

Yum som-o (pomelo salad in yum dressing)

INGREDIENTS

100g cooked small prawns

100g cooked chicken

1 ripe pomelo (about 1 kg)*

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp Thai roasted chilli paste in bean oil (nam prik pao)**

1 tbsp palm sugar

2 tbsp crushed peanuts

2 tbsp roasted coconut flakes

6 tbsp coconut cream

METHOD

? Mince the prawns and shred the chicken finely. Slice the top off the pomelo horizontally about four centimetres from the top. Keep this top bit to use as a lid.

? Hollow out the pomelo and break up the flesh finely. Use the hollowed out pomelo as a serving bowl and discard the membranes.

? Mix the lemon juice, fish sauce, chilli paste, palm sugar, peanuts, coconut flakes and coconut cream thoroughly in a bowl. Add the minced and shredded meats and continue to mix. Add the pomelo flesh and toss thoroughly. Fill the hollowed fruit with this tossed mixture and serve with the lid on top if you wish.

Serves 4

*Pomelo is a South-East Asian citrus fruit, which looks like an oversized grapefruit and is not particularly sweet. In most good fruit shops and Asian grocers.

** Thai roasted chilli paste in bean oil (nam prik pao) is available in bottles or jars in Asian grocers.