Nikky Phinyawatana, Chef/Owner of Asian Mint, is on a mission to Thai-ify kitchens throughout Preston Hollow and the Park Cities. The Hockaday grad launched a line of Thai seasonings and sauces and is using them as tools to broaden the culinary horizons of home cooks.
In her online Thai Takeover series, Nikky comes into local home kitchens, sauces in hand, to use ingredients found in chill boxes and pantries to create Thai dishes. She recently took over my own kitchen and made a Thai version of Shrimp and Grits that was easy to make and stunningly delicious.
Nikky skips about 1,000* steps involved with making richly flavored Thai cooking and finishing sauces that are available at her Asian Mint locations and online. Advanced home cooks might know how to use exotic Asian ingredients such as Nam Pla (fish sauce) and black vinegar, but many cooks find these sauces intimidating to work with. Chef Nikky’s sauces are very straightforward. She incorporated those ingredients to make the ready-to-use sauces which are: Stir Fry; Sweet & Sour; Pad Thai; Black Soy; Hot Sauce and a gluten-free Sir Fry Sauce.
*Maybe not 1,000 steps but a lot.
The success of the Thai Takeover series has her sauce sales booming, which means she wants to go into even more kitchens for more takeovers. Would you like to have her come into your kitchen? Apply here to be considered for a Thai Takeover. Even if you aren’t chosen, it’s a great excuse to clean out your pantry and refrigerator.
To watch the Thai Takeovers of my kitchen, or that of Dr. Tiffany Moon, Dive’s Francesca Nor, and others, follow Chef Nikky on Instagram or view on YouTube.
Asian Mint has four locations: Inwood Village, Oak Lawn, Forest Lane, and Central Expressway, and in Richardson.
PHOTOS: Nikky Phinyawatana