Thai cuisine is derived from the influences of other culture across the world. Thai developed technique of wok cooking and using noodles from China . Similarly , different curries yellow,red and green from India along with Spanish and Portuguese who taught them to use chillies for Thai paste.
Features of Thai cuisine :-
1. Thai cuisine use all kinds of meat , lots of fish as well as many fruits and vegetables.
2. The main feature of Thai cuisine is extensive use of spices ( more than 10 varieties)
3. Thai cuisine was formed under the influence of Chinese ,Portuguese kitchen at the same time retaining their national character.
4. Thai cuisine is traditionally a combination of sweet and sour . So sour fruit juices and sugar are extensively used in recipes
5. There are no exact rules for the cooking . There are no strict procedures for consumption of food like western course wise.
6. All meals are served warm or at room temperature
7. Dishes are decorated with spring onion and coriander leaves.
8. It harmoniously combines five elements of taste : spicy,sweet ,salty , acidic and bitter . For spicy chilli pepper is used. For sweetness coconut milk,basil, sugar cane and pine apple ripe are used. For salty fish sauce is used . similarly, lemon grass ,lime , lemon and unripe mango are used for acidic taste. Also , fresh herbs and bitter cucumber are used for bitter taste
9. Rice is the most important staple food in country. Average Thais eat 450 gram of rice per day.
10. Soup is integral part of any meal. They are usually eaten along with all the other dishes . Thai soup is meat or fish broth flavour with herbs and spices.
11. For higher class dishes includes soups, sour -sharp Tom yam and Tom kha.
12. The second staple food is noodles and pasta .
13. Thai eats jasmine rice mostly. A fragrant rice.
14. Pork is found in most Thai dishes of meat.
Eating Culture of Thailand
- There is freedom of eating anywhere and anytime
- They eat together with family and friends as eating alone is considered bad luck.
- Most home cooked meal are combination of new and leftover dishes because a house cook always extra food for unexpected guests.
- Children are told to eat leftover food first
- There is no proper eating order as any course can be eaten anytime
- Chillies in vinegar is important for noodle soup
- Fresh chilli in fish sauce for fried rice
- They don't waste rice
- There is diversity in vegetables and fruits
- There are 30 varieties of banana and 70 different kinds mango.
- Banana leaves are used as a kind of wrap in Thai cooking instead of silver foil.
Herbs and spices used in Thai cuisine
Herbs and spices are extensively used in Thai cuisine :-
1. Coriander (phak chi) :- also known as cilantro. The leaves and stem are eaten fresh and used used frequently as a garnish.
2. Dried chilly :- fully ripened red spur chillies
3. Fresh chilly (phir - khi- noo) :- also called bird eyes chilly is smallest but the hottest type of chilly.
4. Galangal (kha) :- it is relative of ginger ,larger and lighter coloured with distinctive taste used in soup and curry paste
5. Holy basil :- with slightly hot flavour and fragrant they are used in many stirred fried meat dishes and curries
6. Kaffir lime (ma krut ) :-
Also known as citronella,is an aromatic straw like green grass with tough texture uses in soup.
7. Mint leaves (Sara nae) :-
8. Lemon basil ( maeng - lak) :-
Light green stem and leaves with lemony flavour especially used for sea food along with soup, salads.
9. Pandanus leaf ( Bai toey ) :- long bright green leaf of small palm. Its fragrance are used in making Thai dessert
10. Shallots :- small red onion flavoured in Thai cooking.
11.sweet basil ( horapha) :-
12. Wild ginger (kra chai) :-
SEASONING :-
lime :-
Palm sugar :- it is made from sap of coconut palms and may be sold as coconut sugar.
Shrimp paste ( Ka pi ) :- shrimp which are salted and left to ferment, allowed to dry in sun and then grind .
Tamarind ( ma khan) :-
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