‘Baan’ means the hearth, the home, the community, the place where you come from and this new book by Kay Plunkett-Hogge emulates just that feeling from Thai cuisine. Born and raised in Bangkok, Kay spoke Thai before she spoke English and has spent more than half her life in Thailand. Baan is a true homage to her childhood, to the delicious recipes that she was raised on and a cuisine and country that she loves.

Baan features over 120 recipes that Kay has collected from all over Thailand from friends, acquaintances and street-stall holders, all gathered over around 30 years of travel, and all of them tried and tested back in London. Some are familiar, some unusual, and some so regional they capture a distinct sliver of Thailand and all its unique character. Crucially, all of them are well within the capabilities of the competent and curious cook. Kay demystifies Thai food, providing clear and concise recipes and revealing the shortcuts, kitchen hacks and ingredient substitutions that make delicious and authentic Thai cookery achievable in an ordinary Western home.

Learn how to cook rice — so central to Thai food and so easy to get right, whether steamed jasmine rice or sticky white rice, all secrets are revealed. Chapters include: Snacks and Aharn Len; Yums, Laarps and Tums; Soups; Stir-fried and Deep-fried; Curries, Stews and Braises; Grilled, Steamed and Baked; Relishes, Dipping Sauces and Pickles; Eggs and Drinks and Desserts.

Baan will guide the reader through the fragrant world of Thai cooking — of dishes of profound and gracious subtlety — onto a culinary adventure all within the comfort of their own kitchen.

Kay Plunkett-Hogge

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