A NEW ADVENTURE IN GRILLING
Leela Punyaratabandhu highlights regional flavours and universal techniques
Leela Punyaratabandhu has a clear memory of the first time she was allowed to light a fire on her own as a child. “It was one of the most empowering moments of my life,” says the award-winning author, who divides her time between Chicago, Ill., and Bangkok, Thailand. The realization that she could pluck vegetables from the earth or fruit from a tree and cook them over a fire she had built herself was enticing. Decades later, grilling hasn’t lost its allure.
“There’s something very attractive about live fire. I’m not a pyromaniac, but there’s something attractive about being close to nature,” Punyaratabandhu says laughing.
Growing up in Bangkok, grilling was integrated into everyday cooking. Traditional Thai homes have outdoor kitchens, she explains, and a charcoal grill is as much of a fixture as a fridge or gas stove. In contrast to the significance it holds in countries like Canada — where it’s an event, a passion and a celebration of the arrival of warm weather, at long last — grilling is a regular, year-round part of every cook’s repertoire.
When it came to writing her third book, Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill, Punyaratabandhu sought to highlight the universality of the cooking method. The fact that, while cooks may use different equipment, tools and fuels depending on where they are in the world, the principles are the same. In sharing some of her favourite dishes from the region, she demonstrates how seamlessly they can be re-created in North American backyards.
The practicality of the recipes was important to Punyaratabandhu. She calls for cuts of meat commonly found in North America, and ingredients that are easy to access. She only included dishes she makes regularly in her own backyard in Chicago.
“There is a tradition of grilling in North America that is already in place. You already have the equipment. You already have the skill. You already have the familiarity with this type of cooking. All you have to do is broaden your flavour palate,” she says. “Then you can just slide right into this whole world of cooking that in some ways is deeply familiar. And in some ways is new and adventurous.”
Recipes reprinted with permission from Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill: Classic Recipes for Seafood and Meats Cooked Over Charcoal by Leela Punyaratabandhu. Published by Ten Speed Press.