Chef Satya Beeknoo has been responsible for the kitchen at the Zeavola Resort on Kho Phi Phi in Thailand since 2018. Only with an understanding of sustainability can Satya’s chefs prepare healthy and sustainable dishes.
They now largely avoid fried dishes that use a lot of oil, which ultimately has to be imported. The chef uses mainly local products, almost completely avoids imported items, and composts waste to improve sustainability.
The cooking techniques shifted to grilling, steaming, and “Au Papillote”. Instead of imported fish, there is the “Catch of the Day”, where 100% local and sustainable products are used and the guests are informed about the environmental benefits.
Satya’s recipe for healthier and lighter cuisine is to avoid heavy sauces, fats, and dairy products. It was this approach that helped Chef Satya and two teammates from the Zeavola Resort to win the Iron Chef Thailand competition in June 2020.
Satya Beeknoo’s Fire-Roasted Tomato Crab Biscuit Phi Phi
Ingredients
- 3 onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 large fennel bulb, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 5 tomatoes (halved and roasted in Tao Charcoal)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 300g of Pukatoy (small local Thai crab)
- 250ml brandy
- 150ml white wine (dry wine)
- 1L crab stock (made from the shells and boiled water)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon juice, freshly squeezed (only a few drops to taste)
- 150ml mascarpone
- 300ml fresh cream
- 1 lemon
- 10g paprika powder
- 100g Enoki mushroom
- Edible flowers (for garnishing)
- Micro Greens (for garnishing)
- 100g cornflour (for fried shrimps and enoki mushrooms)
- 150 g white crab meat.
- Crispy fried Pukatoy and Enoki mushrooms and crab meat to garnish as a side dish.
See also: Nigella Lawson’s Meatballs with Orzo Pasta
Method
- Heat a large pot, add crabs, stir until dry, flambé with brandy.
- Add the olive oil, then add the chopped onion, fennel, carrot, roasted tomato and bay leaves and cook for 10 minutes over low heat until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the crushed garlic, stir and cook for another minute.
- Then add the tomato puree, the brown crab meat, and the white wine.
- Stir for 2 minutes, then add the stock to mix everything together.
- Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for 20 minutes on a low flame.
- Puree the soup with a hand blender. Strain the soup through a fine sieve into a clean pot, taking care to extract as much liquid as possible.
Before adding a few drops of lemon juice, warm the soup slightly, stir well, and season to taste. If necessary, add 1-2 teaspoons of mascarpone to intensify the taste. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. - Serve the soup on flat soup bowls.
- For the crispy fried pukatoy and enoki garnish, marinate with salt and pepper, dust with cornflour, and then fry over medium heat until golden and crispy.
- Place some of the crispy crab and enoki in the middle of each bowl and garnish with fresh herbs and a dash of paprika double cream.
