ICONSIAM to stage vegetarian festival in grand style with extensive veggie offerings, activities, promotions

This event is a collaboration among ICONSIAM, Bangkok's world-class riverside shopping centre; Thai Agri Foods PCL, the maker of Real Thai products; KCG Corporation; Thai Thepros PCL, the producer of Golden Mountain Sauce; and MMP Corporation.

The ‘ICONSIAM Jae Sathaan Phop,’ literally translated as the vegetarian {festival} that shivers the Earth, will be held at SOOKSIAM, the traditional Thai-themed marketplace on the G floor of ICONSIAM on the Thon Buri side of the capital.  It will be offering more than 1,000 veggie dishes at the SOOKSIAM featuring lively Chinese style atmosphere with yellow lanterns and the Jae flags.

Mr. Supoj Chaiwatsirikul, Managing Director of ICONSIAM Co., Ltd., said the event is all about carrying on the long tradition of vegetarianism upheld by Thai people of Chinese descent to promote good health and making merit. The event is held under the concept of 'Im Boon, Im Jai, Sukapap Dee' (full of merit, satisfied and good health) to involve praying for blessings, eating veggie food, creating great merit and extending opportunities to the poor. Mr Supoj said: "The Vegetarian Festival is a long-standing tradition of Chinese people that dates back more than 400 years ago, taking place on the first day of the ninth lunar month according to the Chinese calendar and lasts for nine days.

"The Vegetarianism is very popular in Thailand, especially among Thai nationals of Chinese descent, as well as working and younger generations, and those who are health conscious."  What makes this year's vegetarian event at SOOKSIAM so extraordinary is the collaboration with famous restaurants and beverage outlets located in ICONSIAM and SOOKSIAM to bring out their delicious and healthy offerings prepared in the styles of four Thai regions, to the fair.

Indulge in diverse veggie fare

The journey to the ICONSIAM Jae Sathan Phop begins at The Veranda zone, G floor, with JUMBO Seafood proudly presenting the tofu clay pot and vegetarian fried rice, while Café Chilli offering E-sarn style spicy vegetarian mushroom soup, stir-fried vegetarian Kratok Mee and vegetarian Larb Khao Pun. At Ros'niyom, it comes up with a wide-ranging vegetarian menu including Kanom Jeen Salad, basil-based dishes and Som Tam Salad.

Moving up to ICONSIAM's second floor, Greyhound Café recommends appetisers in the popular street style with a mixture of grains, sweet corn, red beans, that come with a tri-flavoured ground nut dipping sauce, such as fried tofu, Tur Ka Ko (vegetarian pork knuckle), thin crust gyoza dumplings stuffed with vegetarian prawns served with secret recipe dipping sauce and relished with sliced yam bean and carrot, fried rice cooked with jasmine rice, meat-free sauce, guinea-pepper and vegetarian salted beef made from seasoned fried mushroom legs served with miso soup.

On the fifth floor, Hongbao presents stir fried vermicelli rice noodle, fried broccoli with mixed mushrooms, Fun Guo Dumplings with mixed vegetables filling  Laem Charoen Seafood is highlighting simmered mushrooms and stir-fried vermicelli rice noodles with soy sauce. The Mae Sri Ruen Restaurant on the sixth floor will be serving delicious vegetarian dishes such as Im Bun Noodles, Vegetarian fresh spring rolls and vegetarian Pad Thai. On the same floor, Japanese-style restaurants such as SUSHI DEN and YAYOI Chef Experience & Sushi Bar take pleasure to offer vegetarian fare to celebrate this vegetarian festival as well.

For snacks and drinks, there are many famous shops to choose from such as Susan Croissant, offering 'Banana is nuts' Cookies made from bananas, avocados, adding texture with nuts and dried bananas; Noir with vegetarian cookies stuffed with chocolate chips, Black Forest vegetarian cookies stuffed with berry jam topping decorated with berries; carrot cake with chocolate sauce, carrot cake mixed ,with apples and bananas, and nuts thrown in to add texture, topped with chocolate jelly sauce. There are also shops like Bang Bao, GAGA, INNARI,  Karun Thai Tea, KOI The, FUKU Matcha, Dakasi and Ang Bao offering vegetarian snacks and beverages.

Vegetarian fare from four Thai regions

 
Regional offerings at SOOKSIAM's vegetarian festival are quite mind-boggling.

The North: Kao Soi Roasted Duck, Kanom Jeen Nam Ngiao, Nam Prik Ong, Nam Prik Num with fresh vegetables, Yam Naem Khao Tod with five kinds of mushroom,  vegetarian pork rind and Puk sesame rice.

The South: Luk Yon rice porridge, Kua Kling, Southern-style vegetarian curry, and Phatthalung Sago.

The Central Plain: rice wrapped in lotus leaves, pineapple fried rice, Pat Pad Sian, Pat Mai Thong Pad Sian, Pat Nuad Mongkorn, Bua Sawan cabbage and shiitake mushrooms, and chili paste sets including Nam Prik Tar Daeng, Nang Phaya bean paste, tamarind paste with fresh vegetables, Lod Chong Wat Chet and Tabtim Krob.

The Northeast: Mushroom Laab, Som Tam Thai, Pla Lar Som Tam, Som Tam Thai, Fruit Som Tam, boiled rice sets with Phad Nam Liab, Gana Chai, and shredded mushrooms, and appetisers such as fried tofu, fried taro, fried radish, fried banana, among others.

Participants can also enjoy a variety of vegetarian dishes from eateries situated in SOOKSIAM such as The Heritage which is presenting Prune Muffin, Chia Almond Milk Pudding and Chia Pistachio Milk Pudding; Eat Pot offering Yen Ta For noodles and fried tofu; Siam Naemnueng with Pak Mor, Vietnamese style Vegetarian rice noodles, among others. Adding to the charm of the festival are offerings from the Chinese community in Ratchaburi Province such as a traditional black tofu of Teochew Chinese style in Photharam district; hand-made Golden Dragon noodles from Ban Pong District. Meanwhile, Chef Book will show the cooking of his special creation of '10,000-year Fried Noodles' which promises the benefits of longevity.

Every Saturday and Sunday throughout the festival, there will be classical Thai dance performances about Hong Linda, Chinese fan dance by the Arts for Youth Association, Ramayana Khon mask dance on the battle episode, cultural performances like Lam Tad (Mae Sri Song Krueng) by the Central Folk Song Association, to name just a few. During the festival, famous chefs will show their culinary talents with the creation of a variety of vegetarian dishes prepared with products from Golden Mountain Sauce, KCG Corporation and Real Thai coconut milk. On September 23, M.L.Kwantip Devakula, aka Chef Pom, and Food Creator from Golden Mountain Sauce, will give a lesson on cooking noodles in gravy (Rad Na) with Truffle and ham in a vegetarian style. Meanwhile, Supamongkol Supapipat, KCG ambassador chef and Judge of TOP CHEF Thailand nicknamed Chef Art, will present Western-style vegetarian menu based on KCG's Herbal gnocchi with pesto sauce. 

The Stage will be show KCG ambassador chef,  Chachaya Raktakanishta and Chief Judge of TOP Chef Thailand (Desserts) better known as Chef Bib, will stage a show on making Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake on October 2, 2022. 

There will be demonstrations on preparing vegetarian dishes and desserts using Real Thai coconut milk, such as vegetarian Tom Kha Gai, Kanom Jeen Nam Ya, Bua Loi Nam Dokmai, Coconut Sago Smoothie and Khanom Piakpoon.

Another key highlight is the 'Rong Jae Mor Yai' activity that envisions all sponsors and parties involved in the festival cooking up tasty vegetarian dishes in big pots and pans for charity. A total of 2,600 boxes of those dishes will be distributed free of charge to medical personnel, staff and poor communities, throughout the festival’s period at 11 a.m. at 13 points such as Taksin Hospital, Suwan Temple, Suttharam Temple and Tha Din Daeng communities. Throughout the event, there are other interesting activities for everyone to take part including workshops, sale promotions with benefits for every 300-baht worth of purchase at ICONSIAM and  SOOKSIAM, while ONESIAM SuperApp members are entitled to a choice of gift sets of Real Thai coconut milk, Golden Mountain sauce and KCG products when they complete a 200-baht purchase.

Furthermore, for purchase of 800-baht worth of goods at ICONSIAM and SOOKSIAM, and a 700-baht buy by ONESIAM SuperApp members, will get a free set of Real Thai coconut milk, Golden Mountain sauce and KCG products of their choice every day throughout the event. There are workshops lining up on September 24, 25 and 30 and October 1-2 to learn about making Bua Hima and Krong Kraeng Aun-ya Maneee desserts from the Real Thai coconut milk. 

At the same time, everyone is invited to pay their respects to the Bodhisattva Guan Yin. Three Guan Yin Bodhisattvas images in the Pang (gesture) of giving a blessing, Pang Pan Korn (with a thousand hands) and Pang sitting on a peacock will be present at SOOKSIAM for worship throughout the event.