| Tourist restaurants will often serve up a spineless, | | | | such as chicken kebabs with peanut sauce (gai |
| tasteless version of what should be a full flavour | | | | sate), an international favourite, and rich curries |
| feast, and without anyone to tell you the food is | | | | such as kaeng masaman from Malaysia. |
| less than genuine; a visitor's introduction to Thai | | | | Eating in Thailand is very much a family affair. It is |
| food is often tainted by these 'farang-ised' Thai | | | | often thought of as odd to see someone eating |
| dishes. Once you have had enough of yet another | | | | alone and most Thais will wait to the point of |
| overly sweet, messy slop of phad thai, it is time | | | | starvation until they find a dining partner. A typical |
| to explore the never-ending possibilities of Thai | | | | meal will include a soup, fried fish, spicy salad |
| cuisine. | | | | known as yam, a curry dish and a dip with |
| When asked what they like most about Thailand, | | | | vegetables. Each member of the party will be |
| visitors often answer 'the food'. The creation of | | | | served a bowl of rice and can take a bite from |
| Siam servings is a masterful mix of salty, sweet, | | | | the main dishes in the centre of the table. Meals |
| sour, spicy and bitter. The spice factor, often too | | | | are eaten with a spoon and fork, while chopsticks |
| much for most westerners, is used for medicinal | | | | are generally only used for noodle soups or |
| purposes, combined with the use of market fresh | | | | Chinese food. |
| vegetables and the choicest local herbs for | | | | Thai 'fast food' is known as such, not because of |
| bursting flavours and prevention of common | | | | its enticing greasiness or fat content as with the |
| ailments. The food is low in fat and high in fibre | | | | western equivalent, but instead as a range of |
| and most dishes, considering they taste so good, | | | | dishes that can be cooked up in a matter of |
| are surprisingly nutritious. | | | | minutes. These dishes such as phad thai, or fried |
| But it is not only the unique and pleasantly | | | | noodles, khao phad, or fried rice, or phad khrapao, |
| pungent tastes that visitors love, the cost of | | | | or fried basil with pork or chicken, are commonly |
| eating in Thailand is as satisfying as the pleasure | | | | ordered as a quick lunch, breakfast or evening |
| experienced by the palate. One of Thailand's | | | | meal, and often served with a fried egg plonked |
| major industries is agriculture. Grains, meats, | | | | on top. |
| vegetables and most importantly rice are all locally | | | | There are few countries that can offer such a |
| produced at minimal cost. The country also has | | | | range of fruits like Thailand. Its tropical climate and |
| rich waters filled with fresh and sea water | | | | heavy rains in monsoon season mean that fruit is |
| creatures, which are shipped across the land, | | | | everywhere. The diversity of delicious fruity |
| making seafood and fish dishes some of the | | | | sweetness to be found is so vast and the cost |
| most popular choices. Add to this the natural | | | | so little, some health conscientious rebels decide |
| innovation and long standing techniques used by | | | | to diet solely on fruit as an internal body cleansing |
| Thais in food preparation and there are few who | | | | exercise. From the vibrant pinks of the dragon |
| visit who cannot be satisfied. | | | | fruit to the prickly looking shells of the rambutan, |
| Passing through different regions of Thailand, you | | | | photo opportunities are an added bonus to the |
| may notice that the dialect and sound of the | | | | already particular delight of fruit shopping in |
| language changes abruptly. When you think you | | | | Thailand. |
| have learned how to say sawdee kha in exactly | | | | Thai desserts, in general, use five base ingredients: |
| the right tone, you move to another place and | | | | coconut cream, coconut flesh, rice flour, palm |
| find that they have a completely different | | | | sugar and eggs. Among the favourites are thong |
| method of utterance. The same goes for the | | | | yip, a sweet egg yolk cup; foi thong, shredded, |
| food. There are four main regions offering cuisine | | | | sweetened egg yolk, and tako, a jelly served with |
| adventurers a unique experience. | | | | creamy coconut. |
| Food in the northeast is influenced by neighbouring | | | | Those interested in more than just sampling the |
| Laos. Dishes are highly seasoned and among the | | | | food fare on offer while travelling in Thailand will |
| most popular specialities are larb, a spicy, | | | | be pleased to know that in any mildly touristy |
| seasoned salad made with pork or chicken; | | | | area you are sure to find a local cooking school. |
| somtam, spicy papaya salad, and gai yang, | | | | Courses include trips to local markets, ingredient |
| barbequed chicken. All are served with glutinous | | | | preparation, cooking and best of all, an eating |
| rice, a northern favourite widely known as sticky | | | | party after all the hard work. |
| rice, or khao neow. | | | | Top 10 Thai dishes among tourists |
| Burmese influences have bearings on the dishes | | | | Tom yam goong: a spicy shrimp soup made with |
| of the central northern regions. Northern cooks | | | | coconut milk, lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal and |
| generally are less heavy handed with the chilli and | | | | shallots. |
| the use of ginger, tamarind and turmeric is | | | | Kaeng khio wan gai: green chicken curry made |
| common. Khao soi, a curry with egg noodles and | | | | from green curry paste and coconut milk. |
| pickled cabbage, is only found in the north and | | | | Phad thai: noodles fried with tofu, spring onions, |
| should be number one on any visitor's list of | | | | bean sprouts and ground peanuts. |
| dishes to try. Tourists to the north should not | | | | Phad khrapao: chicken, pork or prawns stir-fried |
| miss the opportunity to dine at a traditional | | | | with basil. |
| Khantoke dinner, combining the best of northern | | | | Kaeng phet pet yang: roast duck curry. |
| specialities and traditional performances in a | | | | Tom kha gai: chicken in coconut soup with galangal |
| reconstructed wooden palace. | | | | and lemongrass. |
| Throughout the central plains of Thailand, the food | | | | Khao phad: boiled rice fried with meat, egg, onion, |
| combines mixes from all regions, and many | | | | cilantro, garlic and tomatoes. |
| Chinese-Thai fusions are common characteristics. | | | | Moo/gai sate: pork/chicken kebabs served with |
| The south is the place to get down to spicy | | | | peanut sauce. |
| treats. Chilli-filled soups and curries are common | | | | Gai phad met mamuang: stir-fried chicken with |
| dishes and fresh seafood is abundant. Influences | | | | cashew nuts. |
| are also found in dishes taken from Indonesia, | | | | |