Thai cuisine
When living abroad, tasting the local cuisine is part of discovering the country.
What is your favorite food in Thailand?
What is the local speciality?
Share with us the local tastes of Thailand and why not your best recipe.
Thank you in advance,
Priscilla
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Red curry with chicken ( Gaeng Phed Gai ) ---> Gai mean chicken
Green curry with beef ( Gaeng Kiew Wan Nuea ) ---> Nuea mean beef
Chicken satay ( Gai Satay )
Mango and sticky rice with coconut milk ( Khao Niew Namuang ) - Dessert
Curry with beef and potatoes ( Massaman Nuea )
Thai stir fried noodles ( Pad Thai )
Papaya Salad ( Som Tum )
Thai Fish Cake ( Tod Mun Pla ) ----> Pla or Plaa mean fish
Spicy prawn soup ( Tom Yum Goong ) ---> Goong or Kung mean prawn
Stir fried nodles with pork ( Pad Se-Eew Moo ) ---> Moo mean pork
Not to say that pad thai, pad see ew, som-tum, curries and all the rest aren't common here, just that it's very common for people to eat very basic foods.聽 My son would live on fried chicken and sticky rice if we let him, and I do eat that every weekend for lunches with him.
The curries are my favorite, maybe red curry, although it's usually prepared too hot for me to eat it.聽 Jungle curry is an interesting category, a type that seems to mean a lot of different things, relating to a mix of spicing that isn't consistent, so some are really great and others not so good.聽 Red and green curries taste quite the same related to the spice blends (not as each other, I mean the type is consistent), just prepared with a better or worse balance of flavors or ingredients.
Thais eat less beef and mutton. You don't find many Thai dishes has beef or mutton.
The 2 types of Thai cuisine on noodles are Phad Thai and Phad Key Mow.
Phad see yew is actually Chinese food. Original taste has fish cakes and cockles. Some will add prawns or crab. There are black one's as black sweet souce is added. While white is no black sweet sauce. Penang, Malaysia is famous for the white one with prawn or crab meat.
Many noodles you see on the streets are actually Chinese but modify to Thai taste.
When comes to satay, there are only 2 types in Thailand and don't have rice cake (Ku tu Pud)
Malaysia; Singapore; Brunei and Indonesia serves authentic satay and there is beef, mutton and even belly. For sure there is rice cake and dipping sauce is great with lots of peanuts in it.
Most of the stir fry vegetables in Thailand are Chinese food.
Some of the desserts are Chinese too like ginko nuts (pek kuay)
The stir fry oysters is Chinese food too and they modify it. (or luak and or jian) there is a shop next to Robinson Bangrak near to Saphan Taksin BTS station. Thai Chinese cooked it and near to original taste. When I'm there, I can speak Teochew to them. ;-)
I hardly eat Thai food in restaurant unless I entertain foreign guests or clients.
You can get Thai food very common in the streets or small cheap restaurants. No need to spend much money in restaurant in S & P or Bua or Seefa or other restaurant.
Most porridge and congee is Chinese food and not thai.
I stop counting how many different types of Thai curries as too many.
Enjoy thai cuisine.
Papaya Salad ( Som Tum )
Red curry with chicken ( Gaeng Phed Gai ) Gai mean chicken
Stir fried nodles with pork ( Pad Se-Eew Moo )聽 Moo mean pork
In English, there is NO sticky rice as Thais do a direct translation from Thai language.
The correct word in English language is "Glutinous Rice."
The Chinese make the triangle glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in pandan leaves. They cook it by boiling. There are many versions since China has many provinces. But in Thailand, only 1 version.
The Thais called it "Bak Chang" which is actually Chinese language.
If you eat dim sum, there are some dishes that has glutinous rice.
When Chinese eat glutinous rice, they always have a hot pot of Chinese tea because it helps to counter balance the rice in your belly.
You feel much better after eating glutinous rice and drinking hot Chinese tea. That is why Chinese tea is popular when one eats Dim Sum.
Oh when I was a kid and doing my school work. Ran out glue, we use rice to stick the paper. Now the usual rice you eat is sticky too.
How could we know if "sticky rice" ever became acceptable?聽 聽Both words are in the dictionary,聽 no help there.聽 One way would be conventional聽 and redpected references would become common, such as this (but maybe the jury is still out):
bkk tea blog wrote:An excellent point, and a great segway into linguistics;聽 Thais deserve to know if they are eating sticky rice or glutinous rice.聽 Formally the latter is correct.聽 But language is a funny thing; it evolves.聽 At one point "selfie" was just a stupid thing a few people said and later it became a real word, because it's a matter of convention.
How could we know if "sticky
rice" ever became acceptable?
聽 聽Both words are in the dictionary,聽 no
help there.聽 One way would be
conventional聽 and redpected references
would become common, such as this
(but maybe the jury is still out):
c-sticky-rice-recipe.html
The problem with Thais, they love to speak short words or easy to say words without caring if it's wrong.
For example future park shopping center is called future and the people around that area will call "few."
Future park changed to future then few.
Likewise for illustrator software is known as illus as that is known.
Ask any thai if they know what does KFC means. They know KFC as that is short word.
Many Thais know MK restaurant and known to them is "Suki" which is a totally wrong word to describe the food.
Japanese has a dish known as sukiyaki and it's totally different from what MK restaurant sells. Thais changed it and call Suki.
The correct name for that dish is called Hot Pot or Steam Boat.
Though MK restaurant started first but still way far behind compare to other countries.
In Singapore and Malaysia, they have 1 pot but 2 segments so 2 different types of soup.
Next follows 2 tier pot then 3 tiers pot and now 4 tiers pot. MK restaurant has long way to go plus varieties are backwards too.
When comes to international food, Thais are still behind other countries.聽 You don't have much Michelin star restaurant here. Neither do you see Thai own restaurant get voted in the world's best restaurant.
There is a thai restaurant voted top 10 in the world but managed by a foreigner.
You will get more confuse with English words that Thais pronounce for many things.
Another excellent Northern Thai dish is nam prik num .聽 This is a green chili paste that is served with northern sausage, sticky rice, or just veggies.聽 Not sure if you can get really good nam prik num anywhere outside of Northern Thailand.聽 but try it if you ever get here..
jschorr wrote:For people traveling to Northern Thailand or lucky enough to live near a Northern Thai restaurant abroad (e.g., Sticky Rice in Chicago), try Khao Soy, it's served with chicken, fish, pork, or Tofu for vegetarians.聽 It's a special northern curry noodle dish served with onion, pickled vegetables, special chili sauce, and dried noodles too.聽 Add to taste.聽 I live in Chiang Mai and it is my favorite dish.聽 No two restaurants seem to use the same
recipe, but I haven't had a bad one yet!
Another excellent Northern Thai dish is
nam prik num .聽 This is a green chili
paste that is served with northern
sausage, sticky rice, or just veggies.聽
Not sure if you can get really good nam
prik num anywhere outside of Northern
Thailand.聽 but try it if you ever get
here..
Now to have khao soy in Bangkok is not difficult. Food court or fast food that uses card in The Mall sells it. You can have chicken or beef.
As for northern sausage and num, you can get good ones at the counter outside Gourmet Market in Siam Paragon. I always buy it when I go there.
I dont eat with glutinous rice as I watch my health. Too much of glutinous rice may land you to be diabetic like most issan people because of sugar content.
I make sandwich with veggie and northern sausage. So good and delicious and nice spicy taste too.
Ohh at the same place there is carrot or raddish cake and that is the best in Bangkok because original taste. Slightly crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Thais called it Kanom Parkad
A small piece cost 25 baht & previously was 25 baht. During vegetarian festival, they sell it at 30 baht.
I told the sales girl that i will not buy anymore since you increase the price.
I will make it myself and will add prawns. It's a Chinese dish and you can have it in Malaysia or Singapore or Hong Kong. It's not a Thai dish.
A hot pot of Chinese tea helps to digest which is true. As dim sum has some glutinous rice dishes, it helps a lot in digestion.
Yes Chinese tea helps to ease the oily staff. You can use a hot pot of Chinese tea to wash your greasy dishes. You will be amaze by the effect.
Please let me explain to you the difference of porridge and congee.
With porridge, You can still see the rice grain with lots of water in it. There are many versions such as fish; prawns; baby oysters; crab etc
With congee, you can't see the rice grain. If you say "Jok" then it's Cantonese language which People in Hong Kong and Canton speaks. Thais called it the same.
Here again there are many versions. One can add "Chinese croissant" to it.
I'm joking, it's feed fired fritters and the Thais called it, "Pa Tounge Go" and some take it with coffee or soy bean drink.
Thais style is very short piece. But if you are in China; Malaysia; Taiwan; Singapore or Indonesia - it's like a foot long.
Some Thais eat with condensed milk or jam as they have sweet tooth.
It's nice to add these deep fried fritters
into congee.
Thailand don't have good dim sum unless overseas chef are flown in to do it and they better don't forget the spices.
Sad to say no good Chinese restaurant in Thailand do it especially lots of varieties. So far the best is Crystal Jade restaurant.
Enjoy it when you are back at the new restaurant.
There are many Chinese restaurants in USA and even non Chinese cook or own it.
Sorry to say this but it's a true fact. Americans love Chop Suey dish which is not a Chinese dish.
In the old days, left over foods are collected by pig farms as they will put all in a pot to cook. These are fed to the pigs. No Chinese will eat it but were shocked to see Americans love it.
As to ducks feet, usually it's eaten while drinking by the men. Instead of peanuts or chips, the Chinese take ducks feet.
Chicken feet are cooked in many versions, but for dim sum then they have it with plum sauce and boil it.
Steam Chicken feet skin are mix with spices and served cold is a very popular dish in Shanghai. It's consider their local delicacy.
Oh Thailand invented American Fried Rice and I was shocked when I first know it. No place in the world serve this dish.
Fried rice originated from China whereby there are left over rice in the pot. The next day when the rice is dry without moisture. They fry the rice and that's how it started.
If you noticed some thai restaurant after boiling the rice, they will use the fan to blow the rice to make it dry before they fry it.
喔涏弗喔侧斧喔∴付喔佮笝喔多箞喔囙浮喔班笝喔侧抚 plameuk neung manao, lemon steamed squid... it's especially nice it the squid is full of roe!
喔ム覆喔氞斧喔∴腹喔椸腑喔斅� laab moo tod, deep fried minced pork
喔⑧赋喙�喔權阜喙夃腑 spicy beef salad
喔勦副喙堗抚喔佮弗喔脆箟喔� kua gling, minced southern thai curry
喔箞喔斧喔∴竵喔涏弗喔猜� hormok pla, curry with fish served in a bowl made of leaves
There's many more I love to eat, but the above are really worth trying out if you haven't yet!
Guess I need to try squid roe and it's my first time knowing it. I know they stuff minced meat into the squid
Chinese and Thai have different sauce for steam squid. I find it common as very easy to cook at home and squeeze lime.
They have the deep fried squid or grill squid with turmeric spices.
Hormok is not curry and it's steam cook.
Thai is steam and served in a leaf cup.
Malaysia and Singapore is Otak and it's grilled wrap in pandan leaves. There is fish or prawn or crab.
Thai food is divided into 4 regions. There are many different types of thai sausages and curries.
If there is an otop fair, one can try different types of thai food. This subject to how many exhibitors as now not many participate in the fair. Guess they get less customers so don't want to be in the fair.
I find now there are so many similarities in Thai and Chinese culture (but not so much in the food/spices mostly), so much more than initially when I moved here back in the late 80s...
The hormok I've eaten has a coconut base, but I thought the spice mixed in is a curry... it tastes like a light curry to me, but then again I just eat the stuff, never made it... I mostly eat the standard hormok here, which I think is typically cooked with catfish, but have had some mixed seafood hormok (talay) that are really lovely too.
Too bad about the Otop fair dwindling, like so much of the culture has been over the last decade or two. I blame the internet and the globalization caused by it. I'll bet in another ten years, we'll all be eating chop suey (555 just joking, I hate that stuff!!)
Wow you know char kuay teow. Thai have it and it's called Phad See Yew but not original taste. They had vegetables and slice pork only.
I do my own char kuay teow but tedious work because good noodles must be bought from a market in Nonthsburi. Black sweet soy sauce must come from M'sia or S'pore or HK.
Then Her Piah fish cake comes from yaowaraj or ratchawat market. Fresh cockles is a must otherwise it loose the umhh...
I add in prawns from the sea and not thai river prawns. Difficult to get good chilling so I get it from a Chinese restaurant.
Most important ingredient is pork lard as that gives the fragrance and flavor.
I don't eat Thai red BBQ pork (Moo Daeng) or crispy pork (moo kob)
I cook it myself as I can get the red BBQ sauce from HK and I grilled the pork. Thai do it by boiling the pork and add red colour.
Thai cook the crispy pork by deep fried but I grill it as that is the original style.
I even made my own mince pork as those sold are with lots of fat. You can see all those white stuff mix with the mince pork are fat.
There are many Chinese immigrants years ago and became Thais. Thus culture, lifestyle, food etc are passed to Thais.
Many food spoken by Thais are actually Chinese words like kuay teow or pek kuay (ginko nuts) etc
Many thai Chinese have lost their roots as they can't speak any Chinese at all. Some can't even know how to use chopsticks.
If you enjoy eating authentic Chinese food in Bangkok, I can recommend to you. Food from Beijing or Hong Kong.
I'm not sure if the S'pore food festival end or not as a hotel flew in a chef to whip out S'pore food.
Oh I don't eat chicken rice (kow nun kai) in Thailand as it's not original taste. I cook it myself with original sauce.
Thank GOD for my friends from all over and family members. My spices etc comes from overseas. Thus I can whip up some food that can't buy in Thailand.
As price is main issue for most Thais so a hormok is sold at 10 baht in the market. What do you expect they put in but cheap ingredients etc
It's same for many thai dishes too because price is top priority and not quality of food.
Don't be surprised when you have fried rice with prawns or squid but not fresh. They had frozen it for many days.
Like wish for fish too and very easy to tell if it's steam fish. Just a pair of chopsticks and pick up the meat will tell you if it's fresh.
Thais normally deep fried or season it with lots of salt and grill. This way you may not tell if the fish is fresh.
While in supermarket like Tesco Lotus and Big C at the seafood section. Just by looking at the fish eyes, one can tell if it's fresh or not. Then confirm by looking at the fish gills.
Actually OTOP fair doesn't do well because of certain factors and 1 of it is Thais lack of understanding in the world market; culture and language.
Get to know the SME association; Thailand Trade etc will give you answers.
Thailand gave lots of opportunities to foreigners and need to thank the Thais.
Other favs are khao mun gai tot and gang keow wan.
I love khao soy too but the versions you get in the North are typically much better.聽 I've even had a really good vegetarian khao soy in Chiang Rai once.
Ofcourse my faves are PAD THAI and Green Coconut curry, but there are so many others like Southern food, and Chiangmai and Isarn food. SO many great flavours!
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