Loi Krathong, Thailand’s festival of lights falls on November 11 this year and Zen, the Asian restaurant at The Leela Palace, celebrates it with a weeklong festival featuring a special menu.
The Siamese festival marks the full moon of the 12th month in the traditional Thai lunar calendar, and is also celebrated in other countries such as Myanmar (as the Tazaungdaing festival), Sri Lanka (as Il Full Moon Poya) and Cambodia (as Bon Om Touk). The name Loi Krathong loosely means ‘to float a basket’ and it refers to the traditional practice of floating colourfully decorated baskets down the river.
Curated by Chef Abhijit Patil and Chef Piched Paoleng, the food promotion at Zen offers both lesser known and popular dishes from the South East Asian country, flavoured with all the authentic spices from the cuisine including galangal, kaffir lime leaves, young pepper, krachai (Thai finger root) and fresh turmeric.
On the menu, you will find heartwarming soups such as Goong Tom Takhir (spicy and sour prawn soup with mushroom, lemongrass and milk) and Tom Klong Hed (mushroom soup with smoked chilli, galangal, kaffir lime, garlic). For starters, tuck into Tod Mun Hua Plee (crispy fried banana blossom cake with peanut chilli sauce) or Plahmuk Phad Nam Prik (stir-fried squid with roasted chilli, basil, fresh young pepper). A few great picks for the main course are Pad Cha Moo (roasted pork belly with krachai, young pepper, kaffir lime in chilli garlic sauce) and Poo Pad Pong Karee (stir-fried crab with homemade curry, celery, onion, chilli). Round things off with Thai Tea Crepes with Pandana Ice Cream or Khao Tom Mud (steamed sticky rice and banana wrapped in banana leaf, cashew nut and coconut cream).
Rs.3,500++ for two. November 11-17. At Old Airport Road.