Thai food is fast gaining a reputation as one of the world's most
delicious and creative cuisines. The variety of dishes – from
quick lunchtime noodles to spicy salads, soups and curries –
combined with ingredients like coconut milk, lemongrass and ginger,
make a make it a must try. Surprisingly, it isn't always spicy;
Chinese-influenced dishes are considerably toned down.
Thai food varies from region to region, depending on the local
ingredients. Southern Thailand is famous for fiery curries and fish
dishes. Surrounded by the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand,
there is no shortage of fish, prawn, lobster and crab. Seafood can
be curried, steamed, boiled, barbecued or fried, and served with
different sauces and dips. Phi Phi is the ideal place to sample
them all.
Rice Dishes
Thailand produces some of the best rice in the world. Always served
plain and unsalted, it provides the perfect counter balance to the
heat of many Thai dishes. When mouths start to burn, the experienced
leave the water alone and reach for rice.
It’s also the perfect partner to just about any Thai dish.
If you’re not eating noodles, chances are good that some form
of rice will be nearby.
Khao Mok Gai is a Muslim speciality consisting of roast
chicken on a bed of saffron rice, mixed with ginger and lightly
fried garlic. Not spicy by default, but accompanied by an optional
sweet hot sauce.
Khao Mun Gai is similar, but white rice is used and the
dark sauce is comprised of soybean sauce, ginger, chilies, sugar,
vinegar, and soy sauce. Chicken is chicken, rice is rice, but not
all sauces are created equal; a shop that does this correctly wins
customers for life.
Fish is always fresh, and always goes well with a heaping
spoonful of rice. Try fish in three tastes (sweet, sour, and spicy),
barbecued with dips, grilled, or with garlic and ginger.
Fried rice (khao pad) is an easy fallback when you can’t
decide what to eat. The Thai version of this Asian specialty uses
Jasmine rice and usually contains chicken, egg, garlic, onion, and
tomatoes. Not to be left out of the seasoning race, Thai fried rice
makes liberal use of soy and fish sauces, salt, and sugar –
with chilies, sugar, and sauces also placed on the table for a personalized
touch.
Noodles
Phat Thai is the country’s signature dish. Noodles
are stir fried with shrimp, chicken or tofu and vegetables, then
topped with roasted peanuts and accompanied by condiments like sour
pickle, chilli, sugar and limes.
Khanom Cheen, a popular Chinese breakfast of white rice
noodles covered with a spicy fish curry and served with plate of
fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruit.
Kuay Tiew: is it a noodle dish or a soup? Both, actually.
And it’s made so many different ways, with so many different
kinds of noodles, and casts so many different ingredients in supporting
roles that it nearly defies explanation. Generally, a clear broth
is filled with the noodle of choice and delectable bits of chicken,
pork, duck, beef, and vegetables.
Soup
Tom Yam Gung is Thailand's famous shrimp soup. The flavorful
and aromatic qualities are due to the presence of galangal, kaffir
lime leaves, lemongrass, and coriander. There are many varieties
of the Tom Yam including an excellent vegetarian version.
Tom Kha Gai (boiled galangal chicken) steals the galangal
and lemongrass from Tom Yam Gung, throws in some chicken, and wins
the distinction of being refreshing by the addition of coconut milk.
Salad
Som Tam (Papaya salad) is affectionately known as ‘Papaya
Pok Pok’ – with the pok pok being the sound of the ingredients
being mashed together as the mortar and pestle do their work –
this spicy salad originally from the northeast. It’s now a
national favourite.
Made from sliced green papaya, peanuts, dried shrimp, and raw vegetables,
it's usually eaten as with sticky rice and fresh grilled chicken.
Very tasty and very spicy; ask the cook to make it not spicy if
you.
Fruits
Thais traditionally finish a meal with fruit, and the Andaman region
has many locally grown varieties to choose from. From the familiar
– oranges, pineapple, bananas, apples, and papaya – to
the eye-popping exotics – rambutan, custard apples, langsart,
and mangosteen – the quality, price, and availability of tropical
fruits is astounding.
Durian is perhaps the king of tropical fruits, but many find the
smell offensive – to the point that certain areas have signs
prohibiting them.
Guava, similar to an apple, and green mango are eaten dipped into
a mix of sugar, salt, and chilli.
Mango the national fruit, is delicious, but generally only available
between January to June. One last note, eating fruit also helps
take out the fire of some of the more spicy dishes of Thai food!
Desserts
Ingredients like coconut, and vegetables, such as beans, or pumpkin
are used inventively in the Asian way, accompanied by shaved ice,
sweetened coconut milk and palm syrup.
Many report mangos with sticky rice to be the best. Perfect after
a meal, or as an in-between snack.
International Food
Thais are very good at adapting other dishes from different countries,
and with the increase in tourism there's a better knowledge of European
food and cooking methods.
In the upmarket hotel restaurants you are not likely to be disappointed
in your choice. Don't however, expect great Western food at the
local restaurant down the road or on the beach.
The taste will definitely be different from what you're used to.
Drinks
Beer goes well with Thai food. Local beers include Beer
Chang and Singha - both have claimed heavy hangovers on past visitors.
International brands, including the occasional American beer, are
also available.
Wine is relatively expensive. Good wines are can be found
in hotels and upscale restaurants.
The availability of juicy, fresh fruit in Thailand makes for some
amazing fruit drinks. Favorites include freshly sqeezed orange juice,
coconut smoothies, and shakes with banana or pineapple.
Water for consumption comes only from bottles; never drink
from the tap. Small Thai kitchens will have water pitchers on the
table – the water they contain comes from large bottles and
is safe.
Useful tips
1. Thais don't eat with chopsticks, except for certain dishes (usually
of Chinese origin). They eat with a spoon and fork, especially effective
with rice.
2. The phrase mai phet means not spicy. A very useful phrase
when you are ordering Thai food.
History
Thai cuisine is a blend of centuries-old eastern and western influences
which have, over time, fused to form something uniquely Thai. Whether
fiery hot, or sweet and sour, Thai food is about harmony and balance
in the taste and textures of the dishes.
In the past, many Thais lived by the water – and the cooking
reflected it. Fish, shellfish, plants and herbs were major ingredients.
Meat was rarely used and never served in large chunks, instead being
shredded and laced with herbs and spices. Tthe Chinese introduced
frying, stir frying and deep-frying, adding to the traditional cooking
methods of stewing, baking, or grilling.
From the 17th century onwards, Indian, Dutch, French and Japanese
culinary influences were absorbed and given a Thai twist. Portuguese
missionaries introduced Thais to chilies from South America in the
late 1600s, though nobody could have guessed how popular they would
become. |
