Conch salad a family specialty
Q: I really enjoy the spicy conch salad at Malakor Thai in Northwood. It is so tender with just the right amount of heat. I’d like to try to make it at home for my husband’s upcoming birthday party. Do you think the chef will share the recipe? — Terry Davis, Delray Beach
A: Thank you, Terry, for putting Malakor Thai Café, (425 25th St., West Palm Beach, 561-762-9070, Malakor.com) back on my radar. Since I moved from the Northwood neighborhood of West Palm Beach, where owner and Chef Nopporn “Noopy” Areerak opened his first restaurant, the only authentic Thai food I’ve had was during a visit to Bangkok last year.
Areerak has been very busy since we featured Malakor Thai’s ginger dressing recipe in 2012, confessing he doesn’t get much sleep these days. In 2016 he launched sister restaurant Kao Gang (2626 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561-660-6994, kaogangpga.com), adding sushi and noodle dishes to his menu. For his most recent venture, Areerak expanded south, opening Malakor Thai Isaan in January (90 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, 786-558-4862, malakorthaiisaan .com). Isaan, the northeast region of Thailand, pays homage to Areerak’s birthplace, specifically the Yasothon province.
In Thailand, Areerak explains, “there are four regions with very distinct cuisines, the south, the center, northeastern Isaan and northern Thailand. They all offer different traditions, ingredients and spices. In the northeast you find specific flavors from galangal, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallots, chili pepper and cinnamon bark.”
We have Chef Tutu Sarjai, Areerak’s sister, to thank for providing Malakor Thai’s spicy conch salad recipe, a family specialty they’ve both made since they were young and learning to cook in their mother’s kitchen. Sarjai prepares all the dressings and sauces used at the restaurants, ensuring consistency at each location.