Thai Cuisine

Introduction

The art of cooking Thai food has been developing over the years in accordance with the outside influences, especially from the west. With the advent of modern kitchenware, new ideas and techniques have been further enhanced. Today, a good Thai food cook can be more and more creative than in the early years.

However, no matter how things have been improved, some major typical methods of cooking Thai food still remain the same as they were in the past. The first is grilling. This method derived from the fact that Thailand is abundant in the supply of natural wood that can be applied to set the fire and cook food. Thai people normally grill meats and fresh seafood and eat them with dips (locally called as 'Nam Phrik') which has sweet-and-sour flavors so that they become tastier.

Another popular Thai cooking method is 'Yam' basically a kind of salad. But Thai-style salad is different from the western because the Thai dressing contains no fat in its ingredients, unlike mayonnaise and different types of Ranch that are high in calorie and fat. In cooking a dish of Thai salad, simply add a portion of salty seasoning such as fish sauce of salt, lemon juice, chili, and sometimes, garlic and shallot, and mix them together. Then, you can make several dishes of Thai salad be they shrimp salad, pork salad, papaya salad, beef salad and so on depending on a person's creative ideas. Therefore, some can find a dish of 'yam' very delightful while its herb and spice ingredients are good for health as well.

Boiling is another typical way of Thai food preparation. Before the age of modern cookery, Thai people used clay pots to boil food. They also used clay pots to cook rice and make variety of soups. The famous 'Tom Yam Goong' also originated from boiling technique. Curries were also developed in the olden days as well but the present-day curries are much different from they were previously because ancient Thais did not use coconut milk in those spicy soups.

The art of Thai cooking evolved according to the cultural influences from other countries, mainly China and Western Europe. Thai people much welcome a Chinese quick-frying method as the Thais have created a large choice of stir-frying entries in their menu. Another influence from the mainland reflects in an extensive use of noodles in Thai recipes. While the Chinese deep-fry noodle and create savory sauces to mix, Thais apply it in many characteristically Thai styles. Thai noodles taste sweet, sour and sometimes spicy. A distinctive dish is Mee Krob, or crispy noodle.

During the reign of King Narai the Great coinciding with the reign of King Louis XIV of France, Thai food took a great leap forward. Foreigners and trades arrived in Thailand at our old capital in Ayutthaya. With them, they brought new ways of cooking as well as new ingredients. Thais did not use coconut milk in their food prior to the arrival of these foreign nationals. Westerners used to milk in their food suggested us to add coconut milk in our curries. Through experimentations the use of coconut milk in curries became the norm.

Coconut milk in those days was mainly used only in desserts and some dishes. It is an important ingredient as same as palm sugar and rice flour. With the arrival of the Portuguese, we were introduced to eggs in our ending meal. Such Portuguese dessert as golden threads and golden flowers, which are made of egg yolks and sugar syrup, are well known until these days. Some still think that these sweets are types of Thai national desserts but in reality they are Portuguese.

Chinese people migrated to Thailand, especially the Fukianese. They brought with them their eating culture and through generations develop their owner food which later became a part of Thai cuisine.

Western cuisine had the greatest influence on Thai cuisine from the reigns of King Rama V onwards. Our beloved monarchs were educated in Europe and brought back with then western culture and western taste in food. From time to time we see this influence on the menu of some old style restaurants that serve Thai food but there are also stews available on their menu. Thais especially love beef tongue stew and this is definitely a left over influence from the western cuisine in the last 100 years.

We Thais are a nation of eaters. When Thais meet, the first word they greet each other is "where are you going?" and the next question is "have you already eaten?" We like good food. We have a very palate and we like to experiment. We are a nation of bountiful supplies of raw materials, ready to be transformed into flavor tempting delicacies. Thai food is actually not difficult to make but one must understand the mixes of ingredients and the taste combinations.

Eating & Ordering Thai Food

Thai food is eaten with a fork and spoon. Even single dish meals such as fried rice with pork, or steamed rice topped with roasted duck, are served in bite-sized slices or chunks obviating the need for a knife. The spoon is used to convey food to the mouth.

Ideally, eating Thai food is a communal affair involving two or more people, principally because the greater the number of diners the greater the number of dishes ordered. Generally speaking, two diners order three dishes in addition to their own individual plates of steamed rice, three diners four dishes, and so on. Diners choose whatever they require from shared dishes and generally add it to their own rice. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with rice. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with other dishes, not independently. Spicy dishes, not independently. Spicy dishes are "balanced" by bland dishes to avoid discomfort.

The ideal Thai meal is a harmonious blend of the spicy, the subtle, the sweet and sour, and is meant to be equally satisfying to eye, nose and palate. A typical meal might include a clear soup (perhaps bitter melons stuffed with minced pork), a steamed dish (mussels in curry sauce), a fried dish (fish with ginger), a hot salad (beef slices on a bed of lettuce, onions, chillies, mint and lemon juice) and a variety of sauces into which food is dipped. This would be followed by sweet desserts and/or fresh fruits such as mangoes, durian, jackfruit, papaya, grapes or melon.

Regional Cuisine

North Thailand

Traditionally, local people of the north sit on straw mats and enjoy dining around 'kantoke', a small table made of oak. On the table, looking similar to a tray with legs, appears a selection of special entries normally comprising curries, sticky rice, various par-boiled vegetables and deep-fried fish with a choice of 'nam phrik' - chili paste dips. Among the northern dips, 'nam phrik noom' (young chili dip) is perhaps the most popular. Besides, northerners like to accompany their meals with the North's unique preserved meat called 'moo yor' and 'naem' (spicy pork sausages).

Northern cuisine is strongly influenced by the climate and neighboring people. Curries such as 'gaeng hang lay' are cooked in rich and creamy coconut milk. This fat gives people warmth in the cool weather of the mountainous region. The local varieties of nam phrik represent the Thais' typical use of chilies. But northern nam phrik always has a side dish called 'kaeb moo' (crispy pork rind) to distinguish the north's recipes from those of other regions'.

Northern people prefer to eat glutinous or sticky rice as the main constituent of their diets, as the Lao do. A Chinese influence is reflected in the widespread use of noodles. The favorite noodle dish of the North is called 'khao soi', crispy rice or egg noodle in a rich curry sauce. Originally created by Chinese Hors living in the hills, khao soi differs from noodle dishes in other regions by the addition of coconut milk to the soup. Another popular noodle dish called 'khanom jeen nam ngeow' directly results from the influence of Mon people in southern Burma. Among many culinary cultures affecting the north, Burmese seems to be the most obvious influence in most local recipes, especially curries and chili dips such as 'gaeng aom' (pork curry with innards) and 'nam phrik ong' (tomato chili dip with ground pork

South Thailand

The southern cuisine is best known in its weight of hot and spice. The locals believe that living in humid climate along the broad coastline can make them sick. Thus, the heat from food can protect them from fevers. This is how the geography affects the taste of the southerners.

Connected to Muslim country like Malaysia, the region has inevitably been passed Islamic culture into its culinary realm. There is an extensive use of turmeric that characteristically makes the southern dishes look yellowish such as 'gaeng lueng' (spicy coconut shoot soup), 'khao mok gai' (turmeric rice topped with chicken) and even 'gaeng som' (tamarind-flavored soup).

Southerners' favorite entry is 'gaeng tai pla' (fish viscera curry) which gives a spicy taste from chilies and salty flavor from 'koei' (shrimp paste). Massaman is another unique curry famous among people in the peninsula. Despite that Massaman is made from ingredients as basic as those curries found in other regions-chili, garlic, onion, galangal, lemongrass, coriander roots, kaffir lime and shrimp paste, it also comprises the five-spice powder strongly influenced from India. The locals also feature this curry with roasted peanuts, common in most southern dishes.

Surrounded by cove and ocean, the southerners are lucky to be able to enjoy abundant seafood throughout the year. They simply transform fresh Phuket's rock lobster, fish, crabs, prawns, squids, clams and mussels into many delicious menus. Besides grilling, boiling and barbecuing, people season their selected seafood with aromatic herbs and spices. 'goong ga-thi nor mai sod' (prawns and bamboo soot in coconut soup), 'poo pad pong gari' (fried crab with yellow curry) and 'goong pad sataw' (fried prawn with twisted cluster beans) are one of the most famous dishes. The bitter 'sa-taw' is another identity of southern cuisine.

Northeast Thailand

The Northeast or Isaan, the largest region of Thailand, is a high plateau with an arid land and low rainfall. The weather in this region is hotter and summer is longer than any other region of Thailand. Its severe topography and weather affect the eating habits of its people.

All dishes are simple in both the ingredients and the method of preparation. Besides, spiciness is a requisite in every delicacy. Mainly, Isaan food is a blend of spicy chilies and sour tamarind, 'makok' or red ant eggs. The Northeastern Thais, like the Northerners, prefer sticky rice in both sweetened and steamed styles. Served in a basket, locally called 'kratip', sticky rice and kratip have become the cultural symbol of the region.

Northeasterners are well known as experts in preserving fish, extensively used in cooking and seasoning. The local specialties of raw stuffed fish include 'pla ra', 'pla som' and 'pla daek'. The world famous Northeastern delicacy is 'som tam', a spicy raw papaya salad mixed with chilies, garlic, tomatoes, green beans, lime juice and fish sauce with the extra seasoning of stuffed fish and preserved crab. The innards are a delectable food which are boiled and seasoned into 'tom krueng nai', a sour and spicy Northeastern style soup.

Isaan sausage is another favorite dish throughout the country. The stuffed mixture in intestines is left to ferment with a slightly sour taste. Other mouth-watering plates include 'lahp', ground spiced meat, 'jaew', chili dip, 'sup normai', spicy bamboo shoot salad, and 'gai yang', barbecued chicken. Curries with non-coconut milk are also popular in the Northeast. Among other regions of Thailand, Northeastern cuisine is distinctive as being particularly fiery and hot.

Central Thailand

Geographically lying right in the heart of the country, the central region of Thailand is the most fertile area. It is blessed with natural water, dominated mainly by the Chao Phraya River. The fertility of the area is ideal for many crops to be harvested here. Rice is the chief agricultural product in this region but there are also a wide variety of other fresh produce be they vegetables, fruits and flowers. This freshness and abundance is key to the region's variety of delicious cuisine.

Chili dip or 'nam prik' is a typical dish served together with fresh vegetables which are in season such as cucumbers, morning glory stalks, makok leaves, cha-om and gratin. There are many types of chili paste dips distinguished by the main ingredients or the techniques in making dips.

Not only eaten with fresh vegetables, the chili paste dip is also applied to make many more complex dishes. The spicy Thai salad or 'yam' also derived from dipping. 'Yam' or Thai-style salad usually refers the dish with has sweet and sour taste and has a great aroma from some herbs such as kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass.

In the central region, there are many kinds of traditional dessert, cooked with different techniques. But whatever techniques are used, they all mostly share the three basic ingredients-flour, coconut and sugar. Another desserts of the central area are fruits. Apart from eating them fresh, the Thais are creative to apply them to make many delightful desserts. Simply add fresh fruits into light clear syrup and put some crushed ice into it, and then you will have another dessert that is easy-to-prepared and very delicious. We can see that it's quite simple to prepare to cook typical food of the central region. In fact, it's the ingredients where the secret actually lies.