Very inspiring thought. The idea of replicating an authentic foreign dishes and their herbal recipes are quite challenging. But it's worth trying in UK.
We've been trying for over 15 years. Roots like galangal and white turmeric grow very slowly because of the light levels, and basically fall dormant in the winter. Holy basil/Thai basil/lemon basil are annuals, where they would be perennial closer to the equator. Some trees simply hit the roof of the greenhouse before they fruit. Papaya and mango struggle to ripen, but are used green in my restaurants for salads. I think of it more like a living library of herbs, fruts and vegetables. I'd love to prove what we've learned with other growers, doing whole greenhouses full of one herb. Fresh and vibrant, and ensuring a steady supply to Thai restaurants in the UK.
You won't ever get that style at all... and even in those countries, they are also forever changing too. Cos you're talking about, moving an actual country with humidities.. and near the equator's.. into the Northern Europe... That is just not possible imho. And anyway, a lot of people don't really actually want it to be as so ? ..... (I noticed she placed a dolly noodle into that dish.) lol.... That was originally created in Taiwan.. and then also Japan has their own version too. And that itself was sold across SE Asia... as the US dollar rose.. and trade and transportation was a lot smoother. I know that the good farmers and the farms in the UK tried their very very best to produce greeneries with pak choi or chinese leaves. Which so many suppliers ended up producing. I am not too sure.. about these herbs from thailand at all. One of the thing like LKK's oyster sauces... I realised why it is missing. Cos the fermentation process in the heat and the degradation rate... literally helps the sauce gives its own tastes. Unless we actually create a proper "fermentation machine" in the UK. Which we don't have and can't do... I realised why America's LKK's oyster sauce's production is somewhat lacking ? I don't even buy it any more, despite the fact that it can exist in the likes of Tesco. And that they stock it. It reduces the tastes. And this forced the local suppliers in HK or makers to stop their production as well. Which is a shame. What should really have happened to those specific sauces, is if they produced the great oysters and shipped it into HK or somewhere hot.. and let them ferment... and then sold the larger tubs or flasks into specific country and let them distribute and to contain them etc. THAT should've been what happens instead... rather than to prepack them and sell them as individual bottles. Or basically bond the oyster sauces... like we used to do with wines.
10:45 Haha, pathetic FT, u literally put your answers in her mouth🤦♂️ (her English wasn't that bad, she would've expressed herself well enough) Edit: Otherwise, a great video, I loved the farming part👏
I normally have very high regard with FT, but am quite disappointed with this piece. I was hoping to see the very common Thai herbs and vegetables shown being grown in the "jungle farm". There is no jungle farm except your typical greenhouse, and the rather common ingredients. One big hurdle with attempting to grow Thai vegetations is importing the seeds and plants through legal means, and customs and agriculture agencies often are ignorant and will not let you bring them into the country. Yet they will get fresh produces in without next to no oversight. Am I the only one notice they use instant ramen in one dish?
This is a puff for the restaurant business rather than a serious look at the growing technology than might deliver these vegetables in a cost effective way. No mention of the carbon footprint heating this ropey old glass or of the intensive labour required. Who’d have thought it would be the right on FT that rehabilitated the ‘jungle’ 😅!
