Thailand – Thai Cooking Class on Koh Lanta
I love Thai food and have been cooking up a storm over the last few years (ever since I left my full-time job), so it was natural to seek out a cooking class while we were in Thailand. We ended up waiting until we were on Koh Lanta and discovered Time for Lime Cooking and Cocktails. This was a little bit more expensive, but we loved how the owner was the one who created Lanta Animal Welfare, so part of the proceeds of our cooking class goes to helping the animals. The experience of the cooking class was phenomenal. Our instructor was supportive and hilarious, the cocktails were devilishly strong, the recipes were complex enough to be able to tackle, and the food we created was surprisingly delicious.
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Thai Cooking Class on Koh Lanta
“Cooking and Cocktails” 2 Person Experience
Before you begin, you must choose what kind of thai cooking class you want to take. We (and it seemed like most everyone else) booked online. Since there were two of us, we opted for the “Cooking and Cocktails” experience that Time for Lime offers. This means one of us would cook the first course, while the other took a cocktail-making mini-class, then we would switch for the second course. There is another option to cook both courses, if you are going solo or looking to cook more. Rebecca and I discussed it later and both preferred the switching.
This is in part to the fact that we are both the primary cooks in each of our households, so it was wonderful to have someone else prepare something so tasty. The other factor was that we ended up doing the kayaking Talabang that morning, so we were both a little tired. It worked out to only cook one half of the meal.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, would definitely do it again
- Intensity: Casual clothes
- Location: on the beach on the main side of the island
- Cost: 4,000 TBH for 2 people
- Restrooms: Available at the restaurant
- Timing: 5 hours – 4 pm to 9:30 pm with never a dull moment
Highlights:
- Engaging, expert, and dare I say good looking teacher (Hi Chef Noi)
- Seem-less cooking and cocktails, even in a large group setting
- Veggie and vegan-friendly
- Delicious
Lowlights:
- Got tipsy off of the cocktails! Maybe this is actually a highlight…?
Arrival and Introduction to the Thai Cooking Class
When we arrived, we received bright green aprons and a piece of tape to write our names on and stick to the apron. Then we sat down at a long table. The dining area and bar were right on the beach, while the kitchen was a little further inside. Our instructor, Chef Noi, sat at the end of the table and walked us through a hefty packet we had picked up. Chef Noi was knowledgeable, kind, and hilarious. He helped us to understand what makes Thai food special, what the different ingredients were, and how best to use these ingredients. Apparently, there are many ingredients in Thai food that are only for flavor and you do not always eat. Surprising!
When we were talking about the ingredients, it quickly became clear how fish sauce and oyster sauce was an integral part of Thai cooking. Time for Lime and Lanta Animal Shelter share the same owner, with the same goal – to help the animals of Koh Lanta. The restaurant does not cook meat, so we would also not have meat during the cooking class. They also had replacements for the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and any other fish items for Rebecca and I, as well as another person who was allergic to shellfish. Our entire class also made the base of our curry to be vegan. I loved that they were so effortlessly accommodating.
For our day of the week, we would be making spring rolls as the first course and curry for the second course. Before we get into the courses I did want to mention that during the introduction, our cooking instructor walked us through how to make ourselves a little Thai snack with a leaf, peanuts, and a few other ingredients. It was simple and delicious.
First Course
Initially, everyone in the class started in the cooking area. We each grabbed a station, where we did a bit of chopping. This chopping was to create the base of the curry. Chef Noi instructed us for the proper way to chop each item for Thai cooking. My favorite was “killing” the garlic, which Chef Noi dedicated to each of his ex’s. We would each add our choppings to a large mortar and pestle. Some of the students took turns smashing the ingredients. Ultimately, a few local cooks in the back took over the smashing, where they would grind for more than a half-hour.
I volunteered to cook the first course, while Rebecca did the cocktail class. During my cooking class, I made: a small Thai salad with tofu, dressing, the insides of the spring rolls, and rolled the spring rolls. Chef Noi walked us through the steps and we followed. He and other helping chefs were available if anyone of us struggled to keep up. With the ingredients pre-picked/washed/and often pre-portioned, the cooking time flew by. I felt like I was on a cooking show with the amount of preparation. The cocktail class next door got quite loud at times, especially when shaking their shakers!
For the spring rolls, we were responsible for preparing the insides and rolling them. The professionals handled the frying. Chef Noi let us know what to look for and how to fry, in case we were going to repeat the recipe at home. It didn’t take long to fry our rolls. There was a variety of options for plating our dishes with garnishes galore. Rebecca came back to watch the frying and finessing.
Cocktails & Cooking the Second Course
We all sat down together to eat the first meal – it was fantastic! Rebecca was super impressed at the flavor, but I think it was the quality of the ingredients that took it to the next level. During our meal, Rebecca and I let each other know what to expect. I partially expected that we would be making cocktails for each other during the cocktail course, but Rebecca warned me that there is a bunch of alcohol in the cocktail course that I wouldn’t need more.
After the first course, I went to cocktails while Rebecca made our curry. The cocktail course was lead by a petite American woman who knew her way around a bar. Our stations were once again set up before we arrived. First, we tasted and had a shot of a Thai liquor- maybe rum? Then we made a Moscow Mule (Rebecca made a specialty margarita). The Moscow Mule did involve shaving, slicing, and pounding the ginger. We had different alcohol options to make the Moscow Mule with like vodka (classic), gin, and whiskey. We then measured the other ingredients and added them to the shaker. The pounding and shaking were super loud and I felt bad for the curry cookers.
After our Mule-making, we walked out to the beach to chat and get some fresh air – the kitchen was heating up. While chatting, our cocktail instructor brought us a full glass of white and then red wine. As someone who doesn’t drink regularly, this all happened very fast and I was still sipping my Mule when the red wine came. Not that I had to finish everything. The cocktail instructor invited back inside to cheer on our partners.
Eating & Dessert
Rebecca was doing great when I rejoined her. I brought her my glass of mostly-full red wine. She was just about done and about to plate the food. The timing was pretty spot on, although I wish we had learned more about alcohol or specialty cocktails during the cocktail course. The timing was spot-on, but the substance was a little imbalanced compared to the cooking.
We sat at our spots to dig in and it was again delicious! It was a Massaman curry with coconut milk. There was a kick to the curry with a couple of ingredients that were not edible – the Thai way. We were also given a rice pudding with bananas. It was a great way to cool off from the heat of the curry. The details of eating the second course are a little fuzzy as we were both a little tipsy from the cocktail course. We both forgot to take photos of the beautiful plating that Rebecca had done. Once we finished eating, the course was complete.
Chef Noi told us we could settle the bill at the front (in case we bought additional cocktails) and grab a taxi. Since we knew there would be a line, Rebecca and I hurried over to check out first. Although a taxi to the Old Town side of the island was not free, Chef Noi was able to call one over in an instant. After the cocktails, I am so glad we did not try to motorbike back! It was a good 20-minute drive. I believe the price of the Time for Lime Cooking class includes a local taxi.
Pack this for Thailand!
What if you cannot cook well?
With all the preparation done before we arrived and behind the scenes, I think most people would do just fine as long as they can follow instructions. It did get quite loud in the kitchen, so if you have difficulty hearing, try to get closer to the instructor. You can let them know ahead of time and I bet the Time for Lime staff would help you out. I also think the Cooking and Cocktails is a great option for couples where one person is more interested in taking a Thai cooking class. Overall, Chef Noi made the class move quickly and was a fantastic educator, so it was a lovely way to spend the evening. Have I mentioned the class is four hours long? It goes by in a flash.
Overall Thoughts: Thai Cooking Class on Koh Lanta
Whether you do it at Time for Lime or somewhere else, I highly recommend taking a Thai cooking class while in Thailand. I learned a lot about the balance of flavor and adding certain ingredients at the very end that I have seen in recipes or intuited, but hadn’t had concrete instruction about. Not only do you learn a ton and get to work with unique ingredients, but you also get a delicious meal out of the process.
One of my favorite things about the Time for Lime class, specifically, was their avoidance of meat products and how easily they were able to accommodate a vegan option (I am vegetarian and eat primarily a vegan diet). I used the word “effortlessly” earlier and that’s how it felt. Without making a big deal of it, we were all able to thoroughly enjoy ourselves.
Have you taken a cooking class before? My other recent experience was making an apple strudel in Germany. Each time I have learned so much more about the culture and the way other countries cook or bake. Let me know in the comments below, so I can look forward to more cooking and baking courses on future travels!
Happy Travels,
Hanna
