The tastes of modern-day Thailand boast an ancient history. As early as the thirteenth-century, the Thai people had established what might be considered the heart of Siamese cuisine as we know it today: various types of meat and seafood combined with local vegetables, herbs and spices such as garlic and pepper, and served with rice. Later, the Chinese brought noodles to Thailand, as well as the introduction of the most important Thai cooking tool: the steel wok.
Thai cuisine is also heavily influenced by Indian spices and flavors, which is evident in its famous green, red, and yellow curries. However, it would be nearly impossible to confuse an Indian curry with one from Thailand. Although Thai curry incorporates many Indian spices in its pastes, it still manages to maintain its own unique flavor with the addition of local spices and ingredients, such as Thai holy basil, lemongrass, and galangal (Thai ginger).
Other influences on Thai cooking may be found in the countries near or surrounding Thailand, such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Burma, and Malaysia. Such plentiful and vast influences combine to create the complex taste of present-day Thai cooking—one of the fastest-growing and most popular of world cuisines today.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
The Culture of Thai Food
In Thailand, there is no such thing as a starter; neither is there any dish that belongs only to one person. As a general rule, Thai diners order the same number of dishes as people present; however, all dishes are shared and enjoyed together.
For this reason, it is better to have many guests at the table rather than just one or two. In fact, many Thais believe that eating alone is bad luck. After the meal is over, there is no such thing as dispensing with leftovers. Throwing food away enrages the Thai “god of rice”, a female deity who watches over the people, ensuring everyone has enough to eat.
Bad luck or even widespread famine may then ensue. A typical Thai meal includes four main seasonings: salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. Indeed, most Thai dishes are not considered satisfying unless they combine all four tastes. When eating out, a group of Thai diners would order a variety of meat and/or fish dishes, plus vegetables, a noodle dish, and possibly also soup.
Dessert may consist simply of fresh fruit, such as pineapple, or something more exotic, such as colorful rice cakes, depending on the region. Aside from meals, Thais are renowned “snackers”. It is easy to pick up a quick but delicious snack for mere pennies along the roadside or at marketplaces in Thailand. Popular snacks consist of spring rolls, chicken or beef satay, raw vegetables with a spicy dip, soups, salads, and sweets.
The formal presentation of food is another important aspect of Thai culture. Developed primarily in the palace to please the King of Siam, Thai food presentation is among the most exquisite in the world. Serving platters are decorated with all variety of carved vegetables and fruits into flowers and other pieces of beauty. Palace-style stir-fries include elegantly carved vegetables within the dish itself. For such creation, Thai chefs use a simple paring knife and ice water.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
A Thai Recipe – Spicy Thai Gravy
Thais enhance their meals with sauces and dips. Usually, they find an assortment of them collected on the table at one time. Flavors vary from sweet to hot and spicy, from subtle to complex. These delicious flavors are unique, yet very simple to prepare.
Gravy is a sauce, made often from the juices that run naturally from meat or vegetables during cooking and often thickened with wheat flour or cornstarch for added texture. The gravy may be further colored and flavored with gravy salt or gravy salt that is dissolved in water orready-made cubes and powders that can be used as a substitute for natural meat or vegetable extracts.Gravy is commonly served with roasts, meatloaf, rice, and/or mashed potatoes.
The Spicy Thai Gravy is a thick sauce that is versatile. It is commonly poured over fishes or grilled meats.
Ingredients:
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 to 4 serranochiles, chopped (with or without seeds)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh galangal or Chinese ginger, minced
• 1/4 cup flour mixed with 1 1/2 cups water until smooth
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Thai Kitchen® Premium Fish Sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
1. HEAT oil in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add onion, chiles, garlic and galangal; stir fry 30 seconds or until fragrant.
2. ADD flour mixture, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, sugar and green onions. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro.Makes 2 cups.
Gravy is a sauce, made often from the juices that run naturally from meat or vegetables during cooking and often thickened with wheat flour or cornstarch for added texture. The gravy may be further colored and flavored with gravy salt or gravy salt that is dissolved in water orready-made cubes and powders that can be used as a substitute for natural meat or vegetable extracts.Gravy is commonly served with roasts, meatloaf, rice, and/or mashed potatoes.
The Spicy Thai Gravy is a thick sauce that is versatile. It is commonly poured over fishes or grilled meats.
Ingredients:
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 to 4 serranochiles, chopped (with or without seeds)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh galangal or Chinese ginger, minced
• 1/4 cup flour mixed with 1 1/2 cups water until smooth
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Thai Kitchen® Premium Fish Sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
1. HEAT oil in medium saucepan on medium heat. Add onion, chiles, garlic and galangal; stir fry 30 seconds or until fragrant.
2. ADD flour mixture, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, sugar and green onions. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro.Makes 2 cups.
A Thai Recipe – Cucumber Relish
A relish is a cooked, pickled, or chopped vegetable or fruit food item ideally used as a condiment in particular to enhance a staple. Itis popular all over the world.
Thai Recipe - Cucumber Relish
Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 shallots or red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small chili, thinly sliced (optional)
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Directions:
1. BRING vinegar, sugar and salt to simmer in medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
2. ADD cucumbers, shallots, chili and cilantro. Let stand 20 minutes to marinate. Serve at room temperature. Or, cover and refrigerate until chilled. It makes 1 1/2 cups.
Thai Recipe - Cucumber Relish
Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 shallots or red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small chili, thinly sliced (optional)
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Directions:
1. BRING vinegar, sugar and salt to simmer in medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
2. ADD cucumbers, shallots, chili and cilantro. Let stand 20 minutes to marinate. Serve at room temperature. Or, cover and refrigerate until chilled. It makes 1 1/2 cups.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
10 Essential Ingredients of Thai Cooking
These are 10 ingredients that are commonly used and basics for cooking Thai cuisine.
1. Thai Fish Sauce
Known in Thai as nam pla, this seasoning is a pungent brine made from fermenting fish with salt. Check the label: it should contain only anchovies, salt and water. It has over 1,000 mg sodium per tablespoon, so use it sparingly. Try mixing minced fresh bird or serrano chiles with fish sauce (as we do in this photo). Use this recipe for Fish Sauce with Chiles as a condiment or in place of regular fish sauce in recipes.
2. Curry Paste
Though you can make your own, even in Thailand most cooks buy premade curry pastes. Red and green varieties can be found at well-stocked supermarkets. Both have notes of galangal, lemongrass and coriander root. Green is flavored with fresh green chiles and red with dried red chiles.
3. Vinegar
Along with limes, unseasoned rice vinegar adds sourness to dressings. Its essential in many dipping sauces, including nam jim that is served with grilled chicken. Cider vinegar is a good substitute.
4. Coconut Milk
Used in Thai curries, fresh coconut milk is made by rinsing the oils out of coconut flesh with warm water. Canned coconut milk is an easy option and widely available in the Asian section of well-stocked supermarkets. Cut 280 calories and 16 grams of saturated fat per cup by using a “lite” version or dilute regular coconut milk with water.
5. Rice
Sticky rice, also called glutinous rice, is the staple in north and northeast Thailand. It is eaten out of hand, like a piece of bread. Jasmine rice is grown throughout central Thailand and is a staple in much of the country. For whole-grain rice choose brown jasmine or black sticky rice.
6. Chiles
Fresh and dried chile peppers provide heat in Thai food. Fresh cayenne chiles are used in curries. Fiery hot Thai “bird” chiles are used in sauces and stir-fries. Refrigerate fresh chiles up to a week or store in the freezer. Use serrano or jalapeño chiles if you can’t find bird or cayenne. Dried red chiles are commonly used to make curry paste and add heat to soups and stir-fries.
7. Black Pepper
Black peppercorns were the original source of heat in Thai food before the arrival of chiles from the Americas in the 16th century. They’re part of traditional marinades for grilled chicken and grilled beef.
8. Limes
Lime juice gives a tart lift to grilled meats, salads and fried rice. Lime leaves are often used in Thai cooking, but if they’re hard to find use freshly grated lime zest to give a similar floral, citrusy aroma to curries and soups.
9. Shallots and Garlic
Grilled shallots are chopped and added to vegetable salsas like Grilled Eggplant Salsa. For a little crunch and bite, thinly sliced shallots appear in Thai yam (salads) of all kinds. Garlic is crushed or minced and then tossed into hot oil as a flavoring.
10. Fresh Herbs
Abundant fresh herbs including cilantro, mint, Thai basil and Vietnamese coriander add distinctive flavors to everything from salads to curries to fried rice. Thai basil has a sweet anise flavor. Use it if you can find it, otherwise, substitute regular basil.
Thai’s Traditional Culinary Utensils
Below are the traditional tools and utensils which have been used in Thai kitchens for years. These items were originally brought by Thai ancestors who migrated from China to the northern part of Thailand. If you will walk into a traditional Thai kitchen, here are some of the common cooking tools you would find:
• Strainer: This is handy for straining liquids and grease from much food.
• Coconut Grater: Since coconut is used so extensively in Thai cooking, this utensil is almost a necessity and used by every housewife in Thailand.
• Chopping Block/Board: A wooden block for cutting meats and fishes.
• Glutinous Rice Basket: This tightly woven basket keeps sticky rice warm and moist, preserving it for a surprisingly long time without refrigeration.
• Mortar and Pestle: The mortar is made of crude earthenware, stone or hardwood, and is deep with a weighted base. The pestle is chunky. They are especially designed to cope with the moist curry pastes and for bruising lemon grass, citrus rind, garlic and coriander roots.
• Stove: This is the crude charcoal stoves, built of clay. The insert holds a wok or pot. In small villages charcoal stoves are the main source of cooking heat. The hole at the bottom allows air to flow in Bamboo Rice Steamer.
• Skewer: Usually made of bamboo. One end of the skewer is sharp and pointed, and meat and vegetables can be speared on it and cooked in shish-kebob style.
• Wok: This is easier to clean and distributes heat more evenly than a conventional frying pan. It is also less likely to be damaged. Used for conventional frying, stir-frying and deep-fat frying.
• Coconut Shell Spoon: A simple spoon with a wooden handle, which comes in many sizes. There are also similar utensils made with halves of coconut shells, used as ladles.
• Curry Pot: This clay pot has large handles on the sides that curve up above the level of the lid, which makes it easy to carry. As the name implies, it is used for the large variety of curries which the Thai people enjoy.
• Steamer: This is made of clay or aluminum, and fits atop the mouth of the charcoal burner. Since the Thai eat rice with every meal, a steamer is not a luxury, but a part of every kitchen in Thailand. (In fact, in Thai, the verb “to eat” is “gkin kao” which literally means “to eat rice”)
The kitchen in Thailand is a very simple, which is generally built away from the main house. It is a plain room, with a cement or dirt floor, with unglazed windows which might boast the luxury of screens to keep out the mosquitoes, although many do not even have a door, let alone window screens. In the central region, Thai homes are elevated on teak poles because of yearly flooding throughout the late rainy season from September till end of October.
The central feature of the kitchen is the stove, which is generally built-in, and constructed of cement or brick. It has a large aperture below to insert and remove the charcoal pot, a funnel shaped vessel of kiln-baked earthenware or a cement-lined metal pail that holds the burning charcoal. When the charcoal pot is in place, it fits directly below a circular opening in the top of the stove. This hole has flanges which hold a ‘wok’ (the traditional round-bottomed Asian frying pan) firmly in place above the charcoal fire. Extra charcoal is kept in a box or a sack beside the stove. In poorer households, they will simply use the charcoal pot, made with flanges on the top, as the stove.
Because there are no oven arrangements, there is no baking in the home, and in the entire range of Thai cuisine there are almost no baked dishes to be found.
• Strainer: This is handy for straining liquids and grease from much food.
• Coconut Grater: Since coconut is used so extensively in Thai cooking, this utensil is almost a necessity and used by every housewife in Thailand.
• Chopping Block/Board: A wooden block for cutting meats and fishes.
• Glutinous Rice Basket: This tightly woven basket keeps sticky rice warm and moist, preserving it for a surprisingly long time without refrigeration.
• Mortar and Pestle: The mortar is made of crude earthenware, stone or hardwood, and is deep with a weighted base. The pestle is chunky. They are especially designed to cope with the moist curry pastes and for bruising lemon grass, citrus rind, garlic and coriander roots.
• Stove: This is the crude charcoal stoves, built of clay. The insert holds a wok or pot. In small villages charcoal stoves are the main source of cooking heat. The hole at the bottom allows air to flow in Bamboo Rice Steamer.
• Skewer: Usually made of bamboo. One end of the skewer is sharp and pointed, and meat and vegetables can be speared on it and cooked in shish-kebob style.
• Wok: This is easier to clean and distributes heat more evenly than a conventional frying pan. It is also less likely to be damaged. Used for conventional frying, stir-frying and deep-fat frying.
• Coconut Shell Spoon: A simple spoon with a wooden handle, which comes in many sizes. There are also similar utensils made with halves of coconut shells, used as ladles.
• Curry Pot: This clay pot has large handles on the sides that curve up above the level of the lid, which makes it easy to carry. As the name implies, it is used for the large variety of curries which the Thai people enjoy.
• Steamer: This is made of clay or aluminum, and fits atop the mouth of the charcoal burner. Since the Thai eat rice with every meal, a steamer is not a luxury, but a part of every kitchen in Thailand. (In fact, in Thai, the verb “to eat” is “gkin kao” which literally means “to eat rice”)
The kitchen in Thailand is a very simple, which is generally built away from the main house. It is a plain room, with a cement or dirt floor, with unglazed windows which might boast the luxury of screens to keep out the mosquitoes, although many do not even have a door, let alone window screens. In the central region, Thai homes are elevated on teak poles because of yearly flooding throughout the late rainy season from September till end of October.
The central feature of the kitchen is the stove, which is generally built-in, and constructed of cement or brick. It has a large aperture below to insert and remove the charcoal pot, a funnel shaped vessel of kiln-baked earthenware or a cement-lined metal pail that holds the burning charcoal. When the charcoal pot is in place, it fits directly below a circular opening in the top of the stove. This hole has flanges which hold a ‘wok’ (the traditional round-bottomed Asian frying pan) firmly in place above the charcoal fire. Extra charcoal is kept in a box or a sack beside the stove. In poorer households, they will simply use the charcoal pot, made with flanges on the top, as the stove.
Because there are no oven arrangements, there is no baking in the home, and in the entire range of Thai cuisine there are almost no baked dishes to be found.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
A Recipe: Crispy Fish Cakes
Visit and sign-up in pimthaifood.com to see different recipes of Thai dishes.
Thais do love fishes, in any form and any season.
This recipe of crispy and spicy fish patties could serve as an appetizer, a snack, or a hot or cold lunch dish.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
* 12 ounces of firm white fish fillets
* 1 tablespoon of Thai red curry paste
* 1 egg
* 8 green beans (thinly sliced or slivered)
* 4 green onions (tops only; thinly sliced)
* 3 kaffir lime leaves (minced, however, optional)
* 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
* 2 tablespoons of Thai fish sauce
* 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon of sugar
* 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
* Cucumber relish, spicy cucumber sauce, or spicy Thai chili sauce
Directions:
• Cut fish into cubes. Place fish, red curry paste and egg in food processor; cover. Process until smooth. Set aside. Mix green beans, green onions, lime leaves and garlic in a large bowl. Add fish sauce, cornstarch and sugar; stir to make a smooth paste. Add fish mixture; mix well.
• Heat oil in wok or heavy skillet on medium-high heat. With lightly moistened hands, form ¼ cup portions of the fish mixture into patties. Slide 3 of the patties into the oil. Fry until golden brown on each side, turning once. Do not overcook. Drain on paper towels.
• Serve warm or cold with cucumber relish, spicy cucumber sauce, or spicy Thai chili sauce.
Thai Kitchen Tip:
To test mixture for flavor and texture, make a small patty and drop it into boiling water or fry in hot oil. For firmer patties, add fish or egg. For softer consistency, add cornstarch or a small amount of heavy cream.
The Finished Product:
Thais do love fishes, in any form and any season.
This recipe of crispy and spicy fish patties could serve as an appetizer, a snack, or a hot or cold lunch dish.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
* 12 ounces of firm white fish fillets
* 1 tablespoon of Thai red curry paste
* 1 egg
* 8 green beans (thinly sliced or slivered)
* 4 green onions (tops only; thinly sliced)
* 3 kaffir lime leaves (minced, however, optional)
* 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
* 2 tablespoons of Thai fish sauce
* 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon of sugar
* 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
* Cucumber relish, spicy cucumber sauce, or spicy Thai chili sauce
Directions:
• Cut fish into cubes. Place fish, red curry paste and egg in food processor; cover. Process until smooth. Set aside. Mix green beans, green onions, lime leaves and garlic in a large bowl. Add fish sauce, cornstarch and sugar; stir to make a smooth paste. Add fish mixture; mix well.
• Heat oil in wok or heavy skillet on medium-high heat. With lightly moistened hands, form ¼ cup portions of the fish mixture into patties. Slide 3 of the patties into the oil. Fry until golden brown on each side, turning once. Do not overcook. Drain on paper towels.
• Serve warm or cold with cucumber relish, spicy cucumber sauce, or spicy Thai chili sauce.
Thai Kitchen Tip:
To test mixture for flavor and texture, make a small patty and drop it into boiling water or fry in hot oil. For firmer patties, add fish or egg. For softer consistency, add cornstarch or a small amount of heavy cream.
The Finished Product:
The Must-try 10 Most Popular Thai Dishes
There are many reasons to visit Thailand. One of those reasons is the Thai food.
Visiting pimthaifood.com will make you feel as if you are in Thailand. Come visit, sign-up and enjoy watching various videos about Thai food.
Thai cuisine is a celebration of the fresh and fragrant. Whatever your reason for visiting Thailand, the abundance of delicious flavors will make you want to extend and stay. Do not leave Thailand without tasting these popular dishes:
Phat Thai
Invented in the 1930s by a Chinese-Thai chef, this dish of thin rice noodles stir-fried with egg, tofu and shrimp, and seasoned with fish sauce, sugar, tamarind, vinegar and dried chili has later reigned as the poster boy for Thai cuisine.
Tom Yum
This herb-forward broth is often referred to in English-language menus as 'sour Thai soup'. The shrimp version – tom yam kung – is the most praised, and justifiably so: the combination of fatty prawns and a tart/spicy soup result in an unusual but delicious and definitely Thai amalgam.
Laap
Thailand’s northeast in one country dish; laap (also known as larb or larp) takes the form of minced meat seasoned with roasted rice powder, lime juice, fish sauce and fresh herbs. Be sure to eat it with sticky rice, short, fat grains of rice that are steamed and even more delicious when eaten using your bare hands.
Khao soi
When in the northern part of Thailand, don’t miss this exceptional, curry-based noodle soup. Typically revolving around chicken or beef, the optional sides of lime, sliced shallots and crunchy pickled greens provide a satisfying contrast with the rich, spice-laden, coconut milk-based broth and soft, squiggly wheat-and-egg noodles.
Som tam
Although its origins lie in Thailand’s rural northeast, this dish of strips of crunchy unripe papaya battered in a mortar and pestle with tomato, long beans, chili, lime and fish sauce, has found a foothold in almost every corner of the country. Couple the dish with a basket of sticky rice for a light yet spicy Thai meal.
Phat kaphrao
This street food staple combines meat flash-fried with holy basil (the eponymous kaphrao) and a generous helping flavor of fresh chili and garlic. Served over rice and often crowned with a fried egg, it’s the embodiment of the Thai-style one dish meal.
Green curry
For Thai food beginners, there’s probably no better starting point than this intersection of a hot/herbal spice paste and rich coconut milk. Remember to do as the Thais and couple the curry with a plate of jasmine rice – it’s not meant to be eaten on its own as a soup.
Yam
As a side dish or drinking snack, you’re bound to encounter this ever-present Thai 'salad' that combines meat or seafood with a tart/spicy dressing and fresh herbs. A good introduction to this kind is yam wun sen, slinky glass noodles paired with pounded pork and shrimp.
Kai yang
Thai-style grilled chicken owes its fame to the people of the northeast part of Thailand, who marinate the bird in a unique mixture of fish sauce, coriander root and garlic. Couple the bird with sticky rice and green papaya salad, and you have one of Thailand’s most legendary meals.
Khao phat
For many Thai people, fried rice is considered as a comfort food. The variations are endless, and the dish is often the result of improvisation and innovation of recipes, but a staple at seafood restaurants across the country is the simple but delicious khao phat puu, fried rice with hearty chunks of crab and egg.
Visiting pimthaifood.com will make you feel as if you are in Thailand. Come visit, sign-up and enjoy watching various videos about Thai food.
Thai cuisine is a celebration of the fresh and fragrant. Whatever your reason for visiting Thailand, the abundance of delicious flavors will make you want to extend and stay. Do not leave Thailand without tasting these popular dishes:
Phat Thai
Invented in the 1930s by a Chinese-Thai chef, this dish of thin rice noodles stir-fried with egg, tofu and shrimp, and seasoned with fish sauce, sugar, tamarind, vinegar and dried chili has later reigned as the poster boy for Thai cuisine.
Tom Yum
This herb-forward broth is often referred to in English-language menus as 'sour Thai soup'. The shrimp version – tom yam kung – is the most praised, and justifiably so: the combination of fatty prawns and a tart/spicy soup result in an unusual but delicious and definitely Thai amalgam.
Laap
Thailand’s northeast in one country dish; laap (also known as larb or larp) takes the form of minced meat seasoned with roasted rice powder, lime juice, fish sauce and fresh herbs. Be sure to eat it with sticky rice, short, fat grains of rice that are steamed and even more delicious when eaten using your bare hands.
Khao soi
When in the northern part of Thailand, don’t miss this exceptional, curry-based noodle soup. Typically revolving around chicken or beef, the optional sides of lime, sliced shallots and crunchy pickled greens provide a satisfying contrast with the rich, spice-laden, coconut milk-based broth and soft, squiggly wheat-and-egg noodles.
Som tam
Although its origins lie in Thailand’s rural northeast, this dish of strips of crunchy unripe papaya battered in a mortar and pestle with tomato, long beans, chili, lime and fish sauce, has found a foothold in almost every corner of the country. Couple the dish with a basket of sticky rice for a light yet spicy Thai meal.
Phat kaphrao
This street food staple combines meat flash-fried with holy basil (the eponymous kaphrao) and a generous helping flavor of fresh chili and garlic. Served over rice and often crowned with a fried egg, it’s the embodiment of the Thai-style one dish meal.
Green curry
For Thai food beginners, there’s probably no better starting point than this intersection of a hot/herbal spice paste and rich coconut milk. Remember to do as the Thais and couple the curry with a plate of jasmine rice – it’s not meant to be eaten on its own as a soup.
Yam
As a side dish or drinking snack, you’re bound to encounter this ever-present Thai 'salad' that combines meat or seafood with a tart/spicy dressing and fresh herbs. A good introduction to this kind is yam wun sen, slinky glass noodles paired with pounded pork and shrimp.
Kai yang
Thai-style grilled chicken owes its fame to the people of the northeast part of Thailand, who marinate the bird in a unique mixture of fish sauce, coriander root and garlic. Couple the bird with sticky rice and green papaya salad, and you have one of Thailand’s most legendary meals.
Khao phat
For many Thai people, fried rice is considered as a comfort food. The variations are endless, and the dish is often the result of improvisation and innovation of recipes, but a staple at seafood restaurants across the country is the simple but delicious khao phat puu, fried rice with hearty chunks of crab and egg.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Pim Thai Food would like to take into account ones experiences with Thai street food
The Thai Street Food
The awesome Thai street food found throughout the country must have been behind the phrase “Amazing Thailand”. As soon as you arrive in Bangkok, you immediately notice the high heat and humidity as well as the wonderful smell of all sorts of food being cooked everywhere you turn. This was one of the main things that I noticed on my first trip to Thailand over six years ago. There is food everywhere from the main roads in Bangkok, to the small villages in Northeastern Thailand, also known as Issan. Everyone eats food off of the street vendors! The food is excellent, it is healthy. It is also fresh and inexpensive. Street food like this just does not exist in the United States. It is also available 24 hours a day in the larger cities.
Learn About Thai Street Food
Typically there are three variations of the delivery of street food in Thailand. The first is the small open air “restaurants”, which typically consist of a few plastic tables and chairs surrounding a vendor’s food cart. Whenever a section of public sidewalk is built, an open air restaurant is opened or a food cart takes up residence. They are found everywhere! The second is the mobile food cart that is typically based upon a 110cc motorbike with a sidecar converted into a mobile kitchen. The vendor will drive around and either sets up somewhere for a few hours or people will flag them down for a quick bite to eat. The third is the mobile push food cart. Typically these are set up in a semi permanent location or are pushed around by the vendor n an established circuit to various locations during the day. Food is either eaten on the spot or is placed in plastic bags to be taken home and eaten there.
The “menu” offered by the specific vendors are usually limited to one or two specialties. Just about anything that you could want is available, as well as a few things that you may not want to try as well, but more of that later! One of the most popular dishes that you will see both Thai people, as well as “farangs”, which is what Thai people generally call foreigners, eating is one of several varieties of spicy noodle soup. One of my favorite soups is sold in front of the Tops Daily, which is a small grocery store chain in Thailand. This noodle soup is made with small noodles, pork, pork balls, various vegetables including lettuce and beans. The broth is made of water as well as pig’s blood, which may sound disgusting, but is actually delicious. The vendor either serves it on site or puts it in plastic bags for take away, which is usually what my wife and I do. You can make it as spicy as you desire as they will give you a small bag of chili as well as a small bag of sugar as well. Total cost is 35 Thai baht or approximately $1.00 U.S. Trust me it is a very filling meal and it as very fresh!
Thai people are like Americans as they like to barbecue, except they barbecue many more things than we do in the United States. Grilled chicken on a stick is very popular and is available for 10 Thai baht or approximately 30 cents. Grilled pork is popular as well, especially when it has been grilled with “nam chim”, which is a spicy sauce. It also costs 10 Thai baht or approximately 30 cents. Even hot dogs are grilled and are available.
Roasted chicken is also very popular as well. It is either slowly cooked in a large clay pot or cooked rotisserie style over a charcoal fed fire. It is amazing how juicy and tender the chicken is after cooking it this way. Also popular is fried chicken, which is done in a large vat of boiling oil, often too close to where you are sitting or walking. In the beach areas, fresh seafood is also found on the street. One of the more popular items is a whole salted fish. Often sold with sticky rice, the fish is slowly cooked over a charcoal fire and is quite juicy and has a unique taste, especially when combined with the ever present “nam chim” to spice it up. Grilled squid is also very popular, although many may find it an acquired taste. One of the more healthy foods being offered on the streets of Thailand is the great variety of fresh fruits including oranges, watermelon, papaya, bananas, grapes, apples, pineapple, mango and coconut.
Thailand also has a number of local fruits that are typically not found in the west including “Gaou mung gon”, which is a white fruit with black specs and is very sweet and is encased in a red skin. Another Thai fruit is “Durian”, which is a large fruit with a unique smell and is quite tasty once you get past the smell. Often the vendor will slice them up while you wait and place them in a plastic bag along with a wood skewer. Do not be surprised if you see a Thai person putting crushed chili on their fruit! Even deserts can be found on the streets of Thailand. Want to try something very tasty? Look for some homemade coconut ice cream! It is either served in either a traditional cone or in an empty coconut shell. Another great desert to try is this crepe like pancake with banana and egg inside.
Fried bananas is a great treat and is equally tasty and easily found. Often you will find carts on the street serving a variety of beverages including various beers and soft drinks. Look for the one offering either fruit smoothies or iced coffee. Smoothies are typically made with fresh fruit, with strawberry, pineapple and mango smoothies being the most popular. It is interesting to watch them being made as there will be dozens of bees swarming around due to the sugary water that is added to the mix. Like Vietnam, the coffee found in Thailand is excellent, especially iced coffee, which is the only way to drink coffee in the tropics. The vendors will grind the coffee beans on the spot and brew the coffee as you wait. The coffee is then mixed with condensed milk and served on ice.
The condensed milk is the key ingredient and results in a thicker coffee that just outstanding. Best yet the cost is only 65 cents. Try to get that at a coffee shop in the United States. One of the more interesting street foods that you will find in Thailand is a variety of insects. Popular insects include scorpions, beetles and grasshoppers. The vendor will re-fry the insects of your choice on the spot, which results in an interesting smell. Insects and other non-typical foods are eaten in the rural parts of Thailand, particularly in Northeastern Thailand. This part of Thailand is in general rural and the people are poor and have learned over generations to eat things that westerners would never dream of. In some of the areas frequented by tourists, you will find street vendors offering a variety of western and other foods.
One of my favorites is pizza, which has a thin crust and is cooked on the spot with your choice of meats such as pepperoni. I rarely eat western food here in Thailand and much prefers Thai food. Many westerners are somewhat concerned about the apparent lack of cleanliness of some of the street food vendor’s carts and equipment. In addition, some will be uneasy about seeing food being prepped as well. In general, there is nothing to worry about, but realize that there are no health department inspections or anything like that on vendors serving street food.
One of the things that you will find here in Thailand is that hot water is typically not used when washing dishes. In fact, a vast majority of kitchens found in homes in Thailand do not have hot water. The best way to determine if the food is safe to eat is to eat the street food that the Thais eat, as they seem to know if the food being prepared is safe or not.
I eat street food daily here in Thailand and the only time I got food poisoning was from an American fast food chain. If you are lucky enough to visit Thailand, be sure to experience real Thai food off of street vendors, as it is a part of the experience. It is hard to explain until you experience it, but eating in Thailand is almost a religious experience to Thai people. Try the Thai street food and you might be in heaven as well.
The awesome Thai street food found throughout the country must have been behind the phrase “Amazing Thailand”. As soon as you arrive in Bangkok, you immediately notice the high heat and humidity as well as the wonderful smell of all sorts of food being cooked everywhere you turn. This was one of the main things that I noticed on my first trip to Thailand over six years ago. There is food everywhere from the main roads in Bangkok, to the small villages in Northeastern Thailand, also known as Issan. Everyone eats food off of the street vendors! The food is excellent, it is healthy. It is also fresh and inexpensive. Street food like this just does not exist in the United States. It is also available 24 hours a day in the larger cities.
Learn About Thai Street Food
Typically there are three variations of the delivery of street food in Thailand. The first is the small open air “restaurants”, which typically consist of a few plastic tables and chairs surrounding a vendor’s food cart. Whenever a section of public sidewalk is built, an open air restaurant is opened or a food cart takes up residence. They are found everywhere! The second is the mobile food cart that is typically based upon a 110cc motorbike with a sidecar converted into a mobile kitchen. The vendor will drive around and either sets up somewhere for a few hours or people will flag them down for a quick bite to eat. The third is the mobile push food cart. Typically these are set up in a semi permanent location or are pushed around by the vendor n an established circuit to various locations during the day. Food is either eaten on the spot or is placed in plastic bags to be taken home and eaten there.
The “menu” offered by the specific vendors are usually limited to one or two specialties. Just about anything that you could want is available, as well as a few things that you may not want to try as well, but more of that later! One of the most popular dishes that you will see both Thai people, as well as “farangs”, which is what Thai people generally call foreigners, eating is one of several varieties of spicy noodle soup. One of my favorite soups is sold in front of the Tops Daily, which is a small grocery store chain in Thailand. This noodle soup is made with small noodles, pork, pork balls, various vegetables including lettuce and beans. The broth is made of water as well as pig’s blood, which may sound disgusting, but is actually delicious. The vendor either serves it on site or puts it in plastic bags for take away, which is usually what my wife and I do. You can make it as spicy as you desire as they will give you a small bag of chili as well as a small bag of sugar as well. Total cost is 35 Thai baht or approximately $1.00 U.S. Trust me it is a very filling meal and it as very fresh!
Thai people are like Americans as they like to barbecue, except they barbecue many more things than we do in the United States. Grilled chicken on a stick is very popular and is available for 10 Thai baht or approximately 30 cents. Grilled pork is popular as well, especially when it has been grilled with “nam chim”, which is a spicy sauce. It also costs 10 Thai baht or approximately 30 cents. Even hot dogs are grilled and are available.
Roasted chicken is also very popular as well. It is either slowly cooked in a large clay pot or cooked rotisserie style over a charcoal fed fire. It is amazing how juicy and tender the chicken is after cooking it this way. Also popular is fried chicken, which is done in a large vat of boiling oil, often too close to where you are sitting or walking. In the beach areas, fresh seafood is also found on the street. One of the more popular items is a whole salted fish. Often sold with sticky rice, the fish is slowly cooked over a charcoal fire and is quite juicy and has a unique taste, especially when combined with the ever present “nam chim” to spice it up. Grilled squid is also very popular, although many may find it an acquired taste. One of the more healthy foods being offered on the streets of Thailand is the great variety of fresh fruits including oranges, watermelon, papaya, bananas, grapes, apples, pineapple, mango and coconut.
Thailand also has a number of local fruits that are typically not found in the west including “Gaou mung gon”, which is a white fruit with black specs and is very sweet and is encased in a red skin. Another Thai fruit is “Durian”, which is a large fruit with a unique smell and is quite tasty once you get past the smell. Often the vendor will slice them up while you wait and place them in a plastic bag along with a wood skewer. Do not be surprised if you see a Thai person putting crushed chili on their fruit! Even deserts can be found on the streets of Thailand. Want to try something very tasty? Look for some homemade coconut ice cream! It is either served in either a traditional cone or in an empty coconut shell. Another great desert to try is this crepe like pancake with banana and egg inside.
Fried bananas is a great treat and is equally tasty and easily found. Often you will find carts on the street serving a variety of beverages including various beers and soft drinks. Look for the one offering either fruit smoothies or iced coffee. Smoothies are typically made with fresh fruit, with strawberry, pineapple and mango smoothies being the most popular. It is interesting to watch them being made as there will be dozens of bees swarming around due to the sugary water that is added to the mix. Like Vietnam, the coffee found in Thailand is excellent, especially iced coffee, which is the only way to drink coffee in the tropics. The vendors will grind the coffee beans on the spot and brew the coffee as you wait. The coffee is then mixed with condensed milk and served on ice.
The condensed milk is the key ingredient and results in a thicker coffee that just outstanding. Best yet the cost is only 65 cents. Try to get that at a coffee shop in the United States. One of the more interesting street foods that you will find in Thailand is a variety of insects. Popular insects include scorpions, beetles and grasshoppers. The vendor will re-fry the insects of your choice on the spot, which results in an interesting smell. Insects and other non-typical foods are eaten in the rural parts of Thailand, particularly in Northeastern Thailand. This part of Thailand is in general rural and the people are poor and have learned over generations to eat things that westerners would never dream of. In some of the areas frequented by tourists, you will find street vendors offering a variety of western and other foods.
One of my favorites is pizza, which has a thin crust and is cooked on the spot with your choice of meats such as pepperoni. I rarely eat western food here in Thailand and much prefers Thai food. Many westerners are somewhat concerned about the apparent lack of cleanliness of some of the street food vendor’s carts and equipment. In addition, some will be uneasy about seeing food being prepped as well. In general, there is nothing to worry about, but realize that there are no health department inspections or anything like that on vendors serving street food.
One of the things that you will find here in Thailand is that hot water is typically not used when washing dishes. In fact, a vast majority of kitchens found in homes in Thailand do not have hot water. The best way to determine if the food is safe to eat is to eat the street food that the Thais eat, as they seem to know if the food being prepared is safe or not.
I eat street food daily here in Thailand and the only time I got food poisoning was from an American fast food chain. If you are lucky enough to visit Thailand, be sure to experience real Thai food off of street vendors, as it is a part of the experience. It is hard to explain until you experience it, but eating in Thailand is almost a religious experience to Thai people. Try the Thai street food and you might be in heaven as well.
Pim Thai Food features Thailand’s delicious and one of a kind deserts
Thailand’s Version of Ice Cream
Thailand’s cuisine is a fascinating jumble of adaptation, ingenuity, and creativity. The Thai experience with ice cream “I-tim” or “Ais-u-creem” as it is known throughout the Kingdom, is a classic example of how the country’s eating habits have evolved.
Frozen desserts seem to be a Chinese invention. There is evidence that primitive forms of ice cream were eaten in frigid areas of China as far back as 2000 BC. Flavored water ices were being eaten regularly when Marco Polo arrived and impressed Italy’s famous traveler so much that he took recipes with him when he returned to Europe.
The first step was to make flavored frozen ices. This was accomplished in several ways and some of them are still followed today. The I-tim laht that are sold by mobile vendors and in Thailand’s traditional markets provide a fascinating glimpse into the past. These “Popsicles” or “ice lollies” are made in an extraordinary contraption fabricated from stainless steel. Tubes slide into a rack that is fitted into a large container that is filled with ice and salt. The rack is shaken back and forth to promote freezing. When the ice is almost frozen, a bamboo stick is inserted so that tube of frozen ice can be enjoyed without the consumer ending up with sticky hands.
The Thais, who didn’t have a lot of dairy products, reached the same conclusion and began to make “ice cream” from coconut milk. The taste and texture of I-tim kati soht is slightly different, but coconut milk has the fat necessary to make a dessert similar to the ice cream made from dairy products.
The flavors of Thailand’s frozen ices and coconut ice cream are unique and virtually unknown as dessert flavorings to Westerners. Millet, corn, basil seeds, red beans, black beans boiled with syrup, and laht chong, a bright green noodle flavored and colored with pandanus leaves, are some of the favorites. Try finding these flavors and toppings at your local Baskin-Robbins!
Even now, when dairy products are readily available in Thailand, the ice cream made by vendors and hawkers is often made solely from coconut milk or from a combination of dairy milk and coconut milk.
Although slightly different from the Western product, it is unique and flavorful in its own right. The Thai fondness for ice cream made from coconut milk probably isn’t only a question of taste preference. The Thais, like most people in the Asia, have difficulties digesting lactose, the sugar that occurs naturally in milk. Since lactose doesn’t occur in coconut milk, large quantities of coconut based ice cream can be consumed without the irritating side effects produced by dairy ice cream.
Traditional Thai ice cream is available in a variety of places. Vendors with boxes filled with ice and coconut ice cream, cruise the streets and sois of Thailand with their bicycles and motorbikes. Children pester their parents for a few baht so that they can enjoy the rich cold sweetness. The scene is one of the most fascinating things about Thai ice cream is the way it is served. Ice cream cones are popular, but most Thais prefer their ice cream dished up in a hot dog bun! The bun is opened and small scoops of one or more flavors of ice cream are placed in a row. A topping or two – often unique to Westerners – is poured on top and the ice cream and bun are then eaten like a hot dog! The result is delicious, unusual and uniquely Thai.
Old Recipe for Thai’s Traditional Coconut Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
3 ½ cups thick coconut milk
Procedure:
1. In a sauce pan, heat the water and melt the sugar so that a thick syrup is formed, taking care not to scorch the sugar. It should be thick enough to coat a spoon or paddle.
2. Remove from the heat and when the syrup has cooled to the point where it is warm, add the thick coconut milk.
3. Put the mixture in the container of an ice cream maker and crank for about 45 minutes. If desired, after about 25 minutes, shredded coconut or a chopped fruit of your choice can be added.
4. When finished cranking, pour the ice and ice water out of the ice cream maker and put in new ice and salt. Cover the entire ice cream maker with a blanket or newspapers and let sit for about thirty minutes.
5. Remove the ice cream from its container and ready to serve.
Thailand’s cuisine is a fascinating jumble of adaptation, ingenuity, and creativity. The Thai experience with ice cream “I-tim” or “Ais-u-creem” as it is known throughout the Kingdom, is a classic example of how the country’s eating habits have evolved.
Frozen desserts seem to be a Chinese invention. There is evidence that primitive forms of ice cream were eaten in frigid areas of China as far back as 2000 BC. Flavored water ices were being eaten regularly when Marco Polo arrived and impressed Italy’s famous traveler so much that he took recipes with him when he returned to Europe.
The first step was to make flavored frozen ices. This was accomplished in several ways and some of them are still followed today. The I-tim laht that are sold by mobile vendors and in Thailand’s traditional markets provide a fascinating glimpse into the past. These “Popsicles” or “ice lollies” are made in an extraordinary contraption fabricated from stainless steel. Tubes slide into a rack that is fitted into a large container that is filled with ice and salt. The rack is shaken back and forth to promote freezing. When the ice is almost frozen, a bamboo stick is inserted so that tube of frozen ice can be enjoyed without the consumer ending up with sticky hands.
The Thais, who didn’t have a lot of dairy products, reached the same conclusion and began to make “ice cream” from coconut milk. The taste and texture of I-tim kati soht is slightly different, but coconut milk has the fat necessary to make a dessert similar to the ice cream made from dairy products.
The flavors of Thailand’s frozen ices and coconut ice cream are unique and virtually unknown as dessert flavorings to Westerners. Millet, corn, basil seeds, red beans, black beans boiled with syrup, and laht chong, a bright green noodle flavored and colored with pandanus leaves, are some of the favorites. Try finding these flavors and toppings at your local Baskin-Robbins!
Even now, when dairy products are readily available in Thailand, the ice cream made by vendors and hawkers is often made solely from coconut milk or from a combination of dairy milk and coconut milk.
Although slightly different from the Western product, it is unique and flavorful in its own right. The Thai fondness for ice cream made from coconut milk probably isn’t only a question of taste preference. The Thais, like most people in the Asia, have difficulties digesting lactose, the sugar that occurs naturally in milk. Since lactose doesn’t occur in coconut milk, large quantities of coconut based ice cream can be consumed without the irritating side effects produced by dairy ice cream.
Traditional Thai ice cream is available in a variety of places. Vendors with boxes filled with ice and coconut ice cream, cruise the streets and sois of Thailand with their bicycles and motorbikes. Children pester their parents for a few baht so that they can enjoy the rich cold sweetness. The scene is one of the most fascinating things about Thai ice cream is the way it is served. Ice cream cones are popular, but most Thais prefer their ice cream dished up in a hot dog bun! The bun is opened and small scoops of one or more flavors of ice cream are placed in a row. A topping or two – often unique to Westerners – is poured on top and the ice cream and bun are then eaten like a hot dog! The result is delicious, unusual and uniquely Thai.
Old Recipe for Thai’s Traditional Coconut Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
3 ½ cups thick coconut milk
Procedure:
1. In a sauce pan, heat the water and melt the sugar so that a thick syrup is formed, taking care not to scorch the sugar. It should be thick enough to coat a spoon or paddle.
2. Remove from the heat and when the syrup has cooled to the point where it is warm, add the thick coconut milk.
3. Put the mixture in the container of an ice cream maker and crank for about 45 minutes. If desired, after about 25 minutes, shredded coconut or a chopped fruit of your choice can be added.
4. When finished cranking, pour the ice and ice water out of the ice cream maker and put in new ice and salt. Cover the entire ice cream maker with a blanket or newspapers and let sit for about thirty minutes.
5. Remove the ice cream from its container and ready to serve.
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