The gastronomic delights of Phuket

It isn’t a list you would expect to see Phuket in. Best known for its beaches, Phuket has now been included by Unesco on its Creative Cities list for its gastronomic delights. Thailand’s second most important destination after Bangkok, this Andaman Sea island was one of 47 cities from 33 countries included as new members of the Unesco Creative Cities Network. Thailand’s largest island, often dubbed as the ‘Pearl of the Andaman’, Phuket is famous the world over for its beaches, diving, water sports and other marine-related activities. As for its gastronomic delights, there is a wide range on offer. Among the dishes included in the application were the Baba recipes for moo hong (salted boiled pork), oh-aew (white jelly made from squeezed Chinese herb and bananas, served with boiled red bean and shaved ice), mee hokkien (stir-fried Hokkien noodle), nam chub yam (spicy shrimp paste sauce) and bue tord (batter-fried grass with small shrimp).