How Thai is that green curry?

Mint

6 days ago

I mention the words 'green curry" on the Zoom call, and chef David Thompson fires his first salvo. 'I've opened restaurants across the world, and one of the least controversial dishes I've ever had is the green curry. But here (in India), everybody has an opinion on it and I just think to myself; wow, it's a simple dish. Why is it so contentious?" Thompson, who has nearly four decades of global experience in Thai cuisine under his belt, is the culinary director at the recently opened Fireback in Mumbai. And the dish in question is the khmoy green curry, a robust, spicy dish loaded with heart of palm, babycorn, and cauliflower served with fragrant jasmine rice.
It's quite unlike the coconut milk-based green curry in your average Thai restaurant in Mumbai (which Thompson likens to cream of asparagus soup). I remember eating this dish at Fireback Goa when it opened in December 2023, and I revisited it in Mumbai last week. In both instances, it blew my socks off and reminded me of what Thai food tastes like in Thailand—bold and flavourful.
Sydney-born Thompson has lived in Thailand since the 1980s, and has been running a string of Thai restaurants around the world, including Michelin-starred ones in Bangkok and Hong Kong. 'I have delved pretty deeply into the cuisine; I've had to because I ain't Thai, so I had to build up a repertoire from scratch."
Mumbai (and India) is no stranger to Thai cuisine, but we have largely eaten a certain version of it with creamy coconut-based curries, peanutty satays, and bird's eye chilli-flecked stir-fries. That is not to say these are not 'authentic" Thai flavours, but there's so much more as I found out on my first trip to Thailand more than a decade ago. Every subsequent trip drove home the fact that the Thai food in Mumbai just about scrapes the tip of the iceberg.
Brand chef Kaustubh Haldipur at Fireback, who along with his team, was extensively trained in Bangkok by Thompson, says, 'Most of the curry dishes come from the central plains, but Fireback's menu also includes some dishes from southern Thailand, like the chicken gorlae." These are grilled skewers coated with the zingy coconut-based gorlae sauce topped with crispy shallots, and served with ajad, a spicy relish of cucumber, shallots, and chillies. The vegetarian version has pumpkin and sweet potato skewers, all from the Josper grill that takes centre stage in Fireback's glass-walled kitchen.
Both the green and red curries have a spicy kick to them, somewhat mitigated by the rice that's served alongside. 'My responsibility is to do my utmost to be as faithful to the cuisine as possible and execute it with as much finesse as I possibly can muster," says Thompson. Other signature dishes include the Massaman curry with pumpkin, potatoes, coriander seeds, and peanuts as well as the jungle curry with pork that packs in quite a bit of heat. The mango and sticky rice that comes next calms the fire in my mouth, but it's the grilled banana that's the real treat. Served with condensed milk ice cream and crispy roti, it's a take on the popular street dessert, Thai roti or crispy pancake with condensed milk and banana.
'It's ultimately about contentment. I hope guests leave not just satisfied, but quietly joyful—from the flavours on the plate to the attentiveness of the service. When those elements come together, it becomes more than a meal; it becomes a memorable experience," says Thompson.
And memorable it is. I'm still thinking about the chicken gorlae, reminiscent of the many grilled skewers I've scarfed in Bangkok's night markets.
Prachi Joshi is a Mumbai-based travel and food writer.