TheGoktor

I just found the following on one of the CM Facebook groups...

"There is a seamstress at Wararot Market named Sijan. She is amazing. Over the past 11 years I have had her make many things. You can take fabric and a photo, or a piece of clothing you already have and she can re-create it. Sometimes she has gone fabric shopping with me at the market (she has great connections with some of the shops that sell cloth for Thai traditional outfits). She is on the 2nd floor of the 3-story market. Go up the old un-working escalator....walk straight ahead...turn right...walk about 10 meters straight ahead and her work area is on your left. Her phone # is 087-179-4509. She speaks some English....my Thai is so-so but we can communicate a lot with drawings and pointing!"

I think this might be the lady that Rubberduck was talking about.

Also, apparently this thread on FB might be useful (but I haven't looked at it)

Apparently there's a very good sempstress at Santitham. I haven't tried her myself but a friend had an entire wardrobe made by her, and was very pleased with the results. Maybe someone else here knows who I mean?

Sounds good, are you able to ask your friend for some contact details?

Many thanks

This is what my friend said:

"The seamstress is called A&O, and located further down the road from Pun Pun, on the left. It's just past Plern Plern, the barbershop, the other little place and there it is. Can't miss it, if you know where to look. They're really good there, but you've got to bring your own fabric."

(Pun Pun at Santitham is now called Imm Aim)

I also saw some some other tailors/sempstresses at Wararot (Kad Luang) today - again, outside the indoor market, in the side streets. No idea how good they are but they look like they were serving local people, so maybe the stuff is better quality than at tourist places, such as the walking street/night bazaar??

Good luck - I hope you manage to find someone!

Go to the 3rd floor of Kadluang market building (in the corner above the foodcourt) the sewing ladies there do a very good job and cost near to nothing. They make shirts for me for years.

Forget the 'tailors' around nightbazar, they are crooks and use the same sewingfactory, the communication between you, those 'tailors' and the actual people who make it always causing trouble, many have bad experiences with those Pakistani. And they can't think out of the box.

Do you buy the material and then just take it to them for a fitting? If so where do you get the material from?

Thanks most informative

I saw this one today - I think you probably have to provide your own fabric... but there are loads of fabric shops at Kad Luang (outside the indoor market) - all very reasonably-priced too!

Don't you know the 4/5 storey old shoppingcenter right in the heart of Warorot ?

Oh, I am such an idiot - I've just realised that yes, I do know the place, and I've been there loads of times... I just didn't know it was a shopping centre! I've always thought of it as part of the market!

Go to the 3rd floor of Kadluang market building (in the corner above the foodcourt) the sewing ladies there do a very good job and cost near to nothing. They make shirts for me for years.

Forget the 'tailors' around nightbazar, they are crooks and use the same sewingfactory, the communication between you, those 'tailors' and the actual people who make it always causing trouble, many have bad experiences with those Pakistani. And they can't think out of the box.

Kad Luang is Wararot - where's the market building? Do you mean Kad Suan Kaew?

Don't you know the 4/5 storey old shoppingcenter right in the heart of Warorot ?

No I don't! I only know the market... where is the shopping centre? **intrigued!**

Apparently there's a very good sempstress at Santitham. I haven't tried her myself but a friend had an entire wardrobe made by her, and was very pleased with the results. Maybe someone else here knows who I mean?

Sounds good, are you able to ask your friend for some contact details?

Many thanks

Sure - I'll send her an email (she's no longer living in CM). Will get back to you as soon as I hear from her. :-)

Go to the 3rd floor of Kadluang market building (in the corner above the foodcourt) the sewing ladies there do a very good job and cost near to nothing. They make shirts for me for years.

Forget the 'tailors' around nightbazar, they are crooks and use the same sewingfactory, the communication between you, those 'tailors' and the actual people who make it always causing trouble, many have bad experiences with those Pakistani. And they can't think out of the box.

Kad Luang is Wararot - where's the market building? Do you mean Kad Suan Kaew?

Apparently there's a very good sempstress at Santitham. I haven't tried her myself but a friend had an entire wardrobe made by her, and was very pleased with the results. Maybe someone else here knows who I mean?

The Carnation seems like an odd ingredient to add... but then many foods I've had here have been sweet, so maybe not so surprising! Lovely photos, Note!

Thai Talking Food Menu for iOS (maybe other platforms too) is very good as well. It's made by G & K Graphics P/L . A lot of stuff from thaistreetfood.com and enjoythaifood.com

https://itunes.apple.com/th/app/thai-talking-food-menu/id461634692?mt=8

Another option is to use a large, heavy pestle for smashing/grinding it into a paste (bash a clove, take off the wrapping, grind until smooth. Very therapeutic!). There's a pic here, on my blog...

http://www.yumsome.com/masala-dosa/

This is how I learned to do it when I lived in India (always used a garlic press or knife before) - you can also grind up chillis, ginger, and spices at the same time. Now I'm back in Thailand, I do the same here... in fact, one of the first things I bought when I got back was a large, heavy pestle (no need for a mortar - just use a cutting board, or marble counter top).

I also find I have to use a lot more Thai garlic than Indian or European (I'm Italian - I adore garlic), same with onions, because of the lack of strength!

If I see any around, I'll let you know! So glad the mystery is solved

Taro in Japanese is "satoimo". However, it's really not suitable for stir-frying because of its sliminess. In Japanese cuisine it's only ever used in soups and stews as far as I know. All a bit of a mystery.

And we're still no closer to solving it!

BTW, it's stir fried in some Indian dishes, such as this...

http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2010/04/12/stir-fry-arbi-taro-root/

(Manjula's recipes are great, BTW - I love her food!)

Most Thai don't even know anything about Indian food and never tasted Indian food.

Most Thai don't get used to the smell of spices e.g cinnamon, cloves in their food etc..

Most Thai can't tell the different between Indian, Muslim, or Arab.

A lot of Thai food smell like rotten meat and in fact they do indeed rotten.

Most Thai don't know anything outside their country.

They know enough (mostly) to think they don't like it and to turn their noses all crinkly if you even mention it.

Of course food ignorance isn't limited to Thai nationals. I love Ethiopian food but if you mention that the the majority of Americans who have never tried it, you are likely to hear an idiotic joke about starvation.

Ethiopian food is amazing! I love having one big injera with lots of little bits of spicy dishes served up on it, and just tearing bits off.... with my fingers! Oh, and Ethiopian coffee.... mmmmmm!

Agree with the last two posts. Real dry Indian food is much better than the slop served up throughout most of Thailand.

I've not yet ventured into an Indian restaurant in Thailand.... having lived in Kerala, I find Indian food in the UK to be suspect enough, so I fear for it here in Chiang Mai! I've been trying to find Indian spices here, so I can cook real Indian food at home.

ETA: I've heard the 'eating with their hands' thing too... 1. In every home, restaurant, and café you will find a washbasin by the dining area. 2. Not everyone eats with their fingers, and not all foods are suited to finger-eating. 3. Sticky rice is eaten with the fingers here, so how is it any different?

I have to say that, as much as I love Thai, Khmer, and Italian food (I'm Italian!), Keralese is the best I've tasted anywhere in the world!

The only thing I can think of is that it's taro... which used to be called 'dasheen' in the USA (presumably because it's often marinated in dashi in Japanese dishes). It's also called dasheen in the West Indies (and eddoe in India!). It's the root of the elephant ear plant, Colocasia... y'know, the ones with the huge leaves which can be used as emergency umbrellas! You've probably seen taro over here - it's usually purple - but I'm guessing that the end colour depends on the variety and cooking method.

In the image you posted, I'm only seeing beans, garlic, and shallots; do you know the name of the dish you've eaten with it in? Or even the region it comes from? Sorry I can't be more help; I'd love to know the answer to this as well because I've never heard of anything like 'zassie' (although dashi/dasheen sound similar)!

I think I'll take my cracked (broken) tooth over and have a look. I'll report back.

Have you been yet, Al? What was your experience?

Ever since being treated for an illness several years ago, my upper teeth and gums have declined into a horrible state, so much so that now I find I need some extractions and dentures (due to several teeth being wobbly now). I need to find a reliable and reputable dentist rather quickly (as I am only here until September).

Has anyone had dentures from here?