Page 96 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 4 | April - May 2024

SRI LANKAN
Ministry of Crab

There’s a high chance you’ve either heard of or visited a branch
of the famed Ministry of Crab restaurant series, an homage to
Sri Lanka’s Mud Crab. Its magic was brought to Bangkok some
time ago after the success of Chef Dharshan Munidasa’s original
Ministry of Crab in Colombo, Sri Lanka, which was featured in
Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for several consecutive years. While
the Bangkok restaurant may not be new, it deserves a spotlight
on its unique menu, influenced by the chef’s Japanese and Sri
Lankan roots. The cooks of this particular kitchen have consistently
delivered the freshest and finest seafood in Thailand and Sri Lanka,
cooked to perfection with a variety of herbs, spices and distinct
flavours native to Sri Lanka.

To highlight a few dishes, the menu is filled with Sri Lankan-style
crabs soaked in peppercorn and pepper dashi sauces, as well as
traditional Japanese techniques of preparing seafood, such as Ikejime,
where the release of ammonia is prevented while preserving the
sweetness of their meat. For first-timers, you’ll be tempted to claw
into the restaurant’s main attraction, the Mud crab, ranging from
the half-kilo crab to the hefty 2kg Crabzilla, prepared in the house
signature flavours. However, it offers more than just succulent
crabs, from freshwater prawns of various sizes to sweeter endings
with the Coconut crème brûlée.

Located on Soi Sukhumvit 31, Ministry of Crab is open daily for
lunch from 12pm to 2.30pm, and dinner from 5pm to 11.30pm.
Instagram: @ministryofcrab.bkk

PAKISTANI
BBQ Delight

Similar to Afghan cuisine, Pakistani cuisine is a combination of
heavy, Indian-based spices and other ingredients that are of Iranian,
Afghan, Persian, and Western influences. A significant amount of
its origin can be found in the Mughal era, whose cuisine featured
distinct herbs and spices, almonds, raisins, and more. Pakistani
cuisine usually consists of heftier breakfast dishes such as siri-paya
or nihari, the staple rice; roti or naan and meat curry for lunch; and
dinner is reserved for dishes that require more preparation, such
as biryani, pulao, kofte, kebabs, keema, and other savoury dishes.

BBQ Delight, a name that can be a tad deceiving, has been a
go-to for many South Asians hoping to get a taste of Pakistan.
In fact, most individuals will visit the restaurant just to have an
authentic bowl of slowly cooked Nihari – a dish originally eaten
by the Nawabs of the Mughal Empire and which Pakistan became
famous for after generations of Old Delhi natives immigrated to
Karachi. Accompanied by possibly one of the best and pillowy-soft
naans in town, the Niharican be enjoyed both for breakfast and
lunch. Those same naans are a perfect pairing to the other kebabs
and meat dishes on the menu. More importantly, the environment
is a very homely one, as if the dishes were brought straight out of
your Pakistani neighbour’s kitchen.

BBQ Delight, located in upper Silom, is open from Monday
through Saturday, from 12pm to 11.30pm; and from 10.30am to
9.30pm on Sundays.
Tel: 02 631 7526

Picture of dish not taken from restaurant.
96 | MASALA MAGAZINE APR-MAY 2024