Thai Food

History Of Thai Food

Thai cuisine bears the influence of Chinese Indian food. Most notable similarities are the hot and spicy dishes of Szechaun and the curries from India. In bygone days, the food was cooked with a minimal amount of fat. Seafood was preferred over meat. Minimum portions of foods cooked lightly to retain their crunch and nutritional value was the norm.

Regional Cooking

• Central - A touch of sweetness and presentation is important. Carved produce is frequently used as table decoration. Three to five dishes usually accompany the staple rice dish. Typically, they are fried meats with chili sauce, curries, and vegetable soups.
• Northern - Northern Thai food encompasses the bounty of locally available ingredients. Sticky rice and vegetables are the sides for pork and chicken. Salty tastes predominate. Another favored delicacy is Naem- a fermented minced pork sausage wrapped in a banana leaf.
• Southern - Spicy food reigns supreme in the south. Gang (spiced soup or curry) is the local favorite. Other specialties are sataw, a green pod with green berries. Thinly sliced strawberries find their way into gangs with meat and chilies or served with vegetables boiled in coconut milk.
• North-Eastern - This is where some of the oddest dishes by western standards are found. Locals prefer their meat fried, and also take a liking to frog, lizard, snake, large red ants, rice field rats, and insects. Definitely not for the weak stomach.

Make Time For Thai

When deciding to eat Thai, having it at a restaurant is the easiest way. Thai dishes are time consuming to prepare. Cutting is an art, not just in the elaborate fruit and vegetable carvings, but in preparation as well. This pre-prep stage is what takes the most time. Care and diligence is taken in the kitchen, so each bit of meat and fish when combined with a mere half a spoonful of rice is equal to one mouthful. Knives are not presented at the serving table because they are a symbol of hostility. This makes it the responsibility of the cook to make sure the food is palatable. Street food is trendy and easily accessible in Thailand. Vendors hawking their wares may have baskets of fried rice wrapped in banana leaves, or steaming bowls of noodles. Yet another may offer lightly cooked vegetables served with a chili or fish sauce.

Some Like It Hot

The common belief is that all Thai food is fiery, and there are ample grounds for that belief. Vinegar and lime juice are used to draw heat from the chilies. This infuses the whole dish with the flavor and heat of the chili, thus making the removal of the chili pepper from the dish to reduce the heat a moot point. Sourness is another distinctive flavor, and it comes from the use of lime juice. Using all taste sensations is what makes this cuisine so unique and flavorful. According to ancient Chinese medicine, sweet, salty, spicy, bitter, and sour tastes correspond to the five essential elements needed by the human body. This drives home the notion of Thai food as a health enhancer.

Sweet Sensations

Diners won’t find rich pastries or towering chocolate creations at the end of a Thai meal. Instead, dessert Thai-style is apt to be fruit soaked in sugar syrup with coconut sugar, a sprinkling of salt and chili. How’s that for different? Or, consider Loi Kaeo, also called Cool Float, which is a treat of diced fruit served in syrup with crushed ice. The fruit’s flavor is heightened by the wafting aroma of jasmine flowers or rose petals. If that doesn’t call out to you, then try mango served with sticky rice and an ultra decadent coconut cream.

An Invitation

Thai food is not just hot and it’s not just rice. It is truly an eating and cultural experience. Say sawatdee krub (hello in Thai) to Thai food when you’re in the mood for something different.