A Glossary of Typical Thai Dishes - Part I

By Napatr Lindsley
Planning to eat at a Thai restaurant can be a challenge sometimes, especially the first time one tries Thai food. Looking up dishes on the Internet ahead of time is always a good idea. The Internet is filled with lots of information on both authentic Thai dishes and Thai dishes customized for one's country. So, when choosing your Thai dishes, be aware that they might not be the same as a given description on the Internet. Even authentic Thai recipes for a given dish can be different. This is because it depends on the person who wrote the recipe. The region plays important role. Green curry in the north can be different from green curry in the central plains. A variety of factors make recipes and descriptions a fluid process. But that there are benefits to this situation. Becoming familiar with multiple perspectives and possibilities can enliven one's eating experience further and help generate new ideas and tastes.
Most Thai restaurants in the US will provide menus that include descriptions of each dish. Some may also show dishes written in Thai and/or a phonetic English pronunciation of the Thai name. The names of dishes often derive from from the main ingredient. For instance, Kaeng Kiaw Wann Gai translates literally as "curry, green, sweet, chicken." Here are some typical Thai dishes in Thailand. Perhaps you'll find some dishes here that you've tried or would like to look for in restaurants in your country.
Snacks (Appetizers) Thais love snacks and often eat between meals. There are a wide variety of snacks ranging from deep-fried insects to fruits and sweets.
Gai Ping: charcoal-grilled chicken with sticky riceKai Ping: charcoal-roasted eggs with dark chili dipping sauceKhanom Pang Nah Goong: deep-fried minced shrimp, garlic and cilantro on breadKhanom Pang Nah Moo: deep-fried minced pork, garlic and cilantro on breadKiaw Krob Goong-Moo: deep-fried minced pork, shrimp & spices enclosed in a wonton wrapperKluay Ping: charcoal-grilled bananaLuk Chin Ping: barbeque meatballs with chili dipping sauceLuk Chin Tod: deep-fried meatballs with chili dipping sauceMiang Kam: leaf-wrapped tidbitsMoo Ping: charcoal-grilled pork with sticky ricePo Pia Tod: deep-fried spring rolls with sweet dipping sauceRoti: Muslim pan-fried bread with sweetened condensed milk and granulated sugarRoti Sai Mai: flour-wrapped spun candySakoo Sai Moo: steamed tapioca filled with minced porkTod Mun Goong: fried shrimp cakes with cucumber and peanut in sweet dipping sauceTod Mun Pla: fried fish cakes with cucumber and peanut in sweet dipping sauce
Noodle Dishes There are many types of noodles - three examples of types are egg, rice and transparent noodles. The rice noodles come in 3 different sizes: sen yai (wide), sen lek (medium) and sen mee (thin). Egg noodles are called "Ba-Mi" and transparent are called "Wun sen" and are made from mung beans starch. Most Thais would eat noodle dishes with chopsticks as contrasted with their regular use of spoon and fork.
Bami Haeng: egg noodles (served dry) with vegetables and meat/meatballs (pork, chicken, beef or fish balls)Bami Kiaw Nam: egg noodle soup with wontons (filled with meat), sliced barbeque pork and vegetablesBami Kiaw Haeng: egg noodles (served dry) with wontons (filled with meat), sliced barbeque pork and vegetablesBami Nam: egg noodle soup with vegetables and meatballs (pork, chicken, beef or fish balls)Khamon Hua Phak Kad: stir-fried white radish cake with bean sprouts and Chinese chivesKhao Soi: Chiang Mai-style noodles; creamy sauce served over egg noodlesKuai Tiaw Kai Kau: stir-fired wide rice noodles with chickenKuay Tiaw Haeng: rice noodles (served dry) with vegetables and meat/meatballs (pork, chicken, beef or fish balls)Kuay Tiaw Num: rice noodle soup with vegetables and meatballs (pork, chicken, beef or fish balls)Lad Nah: stir-fried thin or wide rice noodles with light gravy bean sauce and Chinese kalePad Kee Mao: Stir-fried wide rice noodles with meat and vegetables with chiliesPad See Eew: stir-fried wide rice noodles with meat and vegetables with black soy saucePad Thai: stir-fried medium rice noodles with egg, dried shrimp and fried bean curd sprinkled with peanuts (served with beansprouts)
Curry Dishes Thai curry dishes are well known for their spicy qualities. Each curry dish is made with a specific type of curry paste; the term can also refer to the pastes themselves. There are two common types of curries: coconut-based curry and water-based curry. The coconut-based curry will consistently have coconut milk in it whereas water-based curry has no coconut. Most water-based curry will involve fish as one of its ingredients. Here are some typical curry dishes Thais eat:
Kaeng Daeng: red curry with meat, red bell peppers, basil and coconut milkKaeng Hang Le: Northern style curry with meat, curry powder, lemongrass, ginger, shallots, shrimp paste, chilies and peanutsKaeng Kari: Indian style curry with meat, potatoes and coconut milkKaeng Kiaw Waan: a slightly sweet green curry with meat, Thai eggplants, pea eggplants, winter melon, Thai sweet basil (Bai Horapa), kaffir lime leaves and coconut milkKaeng Khua: three-flavored coconut-based curry (sweet, sour and salty) most common meat is fish, shrimp or clam. Main added ingredients typically used in this curry can be pineapple, mushrooms or winter melon. Other ingredients are galanga, kaffir lime zest, dried chilies, lemon grass and shrimp pasteKaeng Leung: hot yellow curry, most common meat used is fish. Other ingredients are winter melon, chilies, garlic, turmeric, lemon grass, shallots and shrimp pasteKaeng Liang: vegetarian curry, most common vegetables are sponge gourd (buab liam), gourd leave (bai tam leung) and phak nam tao (bottle gourd). Other ingredients are shrimp paste, dried shrimp and shallotsKaeng Matsaman: curry with meat, potatoes, peanuts and coconut milk (a mild curry from the Muslim Southern part of Thailand)Kaeng Pa: jungle curry is a water-based curry eaten in Northen Thailand. This curry is hot and full of flavor from fingerroot, kaffir lime zest, lemon grass, garlic, shallots, shrimp paste and chiliesKaeng Phed: spicy curry with meat and chiliesKaeng Som: hot and sour curry with fish (can be fired), morning glory vegetables and juice-based tamarindPhanaeng: Thai southern style dry curry with meat, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk
Soup Spicy and non-spicy soup dishes are always served as one of a communal dinner's dishes. Most non-spicy soup dishes can be made with a variety of ingredients.
Kaeng Chued Ma Ra: stuffed bitter melon in soup broth. Stuffed bitter melon can use ground pork or chickenKaeng Chued Taeng Gwa: stuffed cucumber in soup broth. Stuffed cucumber can be ground pork or chickenKaeng Chued Tao Hu: beancurd, soy bean sprouts in soup broth. Some may add ground porkKaeng Chued Wun Sen: clear noodle, ground meat, vegetables and brothKaeng Tam Leung: chicken or pork rib broth with gourd leaves (bai tam leung)Tom Kha Gai: hot and sour coconut milk soup with chicken, lemon grass, mushrooms, kaffir lime leaves and chiliesTom Kha Pla Duk: hot and sour coconut milk soup with catfish, lemon grass, mushrooms, kaffir lime leaves and chiliesTom Kha Ta Le: hot and sour coconut milk soup with assorted seafood, lemon grass, mushrooms, kaffir lime leaves and chiliesTom Som: sweet and sour soup with fish, shrimp paste, tamarind juice, onion and corianderTom Yum Gai: hot and sour soup with chicken, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, nam prik pao paste and chiliesTom Yum Goong: hot and sour soup with shrimp, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, nam prik pao paste and chiliesTom Yum Moo Pa: hot and sour soup with wild boar, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, nam prik pao paste and chiliesTom Yum Pla Duk: hot and sour soup with catfish, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, nam prik pao paste and chiliesTom YUm Ta Ke: hot and sour soup with assorted seafood, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, nam prik pao paste and chilies
Rice Dishes With rice as Thais' staple, there are many of quick rice dishes. Some may eat as their main meal, but some may eat as snack.
Jok: rice porridge with ground pork, fresh ginger and green onion (some may add egg)Khao Krug Ka Pi: shrimp paste rice with slices of thin omlet, fired shallots, shreaded raw mango, sweet shredded pork and dried shrimpKhao Mok Gai: Thai-style chicken biriyani served with rice cooked with yellow spicesKhao Moo Daeng: Chinese-style red pork with rice, boiled eggs and cucumberKhao Mun Gai: steamed chicken with rice cooked in chicken stock and garlicKhao Nah Ped: roasted duck served on riceKhao Ob Subparod: fried rice with shrimp, pineapple, onions and cashew nuts, baked in a pineappleKhao Pad Moo-Goong: fried rice with pork, shrimp, eggs, onion and cilantroKhao Pad Poo: fried rice with crab meat, eggs, tomatoes, onion and cilantroKhao Pad Subparod: fried rice with shrimp, pineapple, onions and cashew nutsKhao Tom: rice soup with a selection of meat and vegetable side dishes;Khao Tom Goong: rice soup with shrimpKhao Tom Moo: rice soup with porkKhao Tom Pla: rice soup with fish
Desserts Dessert is known as Khanom or Khong wan in Thai. Most Thai desserts are based on fruits and natural flavor.
Bua Loy Benjarong: taro, pumpkin, and mung dal bean balls in coconut milkKaeng Buat: potatoes, taro and pumpkin in coconut milkKhanom Kluay: blended banana mixed with flours dessert with shredded coconut on topKhao Niaw Dum Puek-Ma Prao: taro, coconut meat and black sticky rice with coconut toppingKhao Niaw Gaew: boiled pandanus sticky rice ballsKhao Niaw Ma Muang: mango served with sticky rice and coconut milkKhao Tom Mud: steamed black beans, sticky rice and banana in banana leafKhanom Chan: nine-layered sweet. Main ingredients are flours and natural colorsKhanom Khrok: warm coconut puddingKhanom Moh Kaeng: Thai-style egg custardKhanom Tago: sago-based dessert with coconut cream on topKhanom Thien: mung beans in banana leafKhanom Thua Fu: jasmine sponge cakesKhanom Thua Paep: mung bean stuffing coated with shredded coconut meatKhanom Thuay: coconut cakesKluay Buat Chee: banana in coconut milkKluay Tod: deep-fried banana frittersLuk Choob: made from mung dal beans, this dessert is a collection of miniature replicas of fruits and vegetablesMun Tom Khing: potatoes in ginger syrupNam Kang Sai: assorted fruits, beans or sticky rice with shaved ice on topPaeng Jee: grilled coconut cakesSang Kha Ya Fak Thong: coconut custard in a hollowed pumpkinSakoo Khao Pod: tapioca and corn with coconut toppingSakoo Tao Dum: tapioca and black beans in coconut milkTao Suan Med Bua: mung dal beans and lotus seeds with coconut toppingThong Yip (Pinched Gold), Thong Yod (Drop of Gold) and Foi Thong (Golden Threads): these three are well-known egg-yolk desserts in Thailand. The color of these three desserts is a yellow-like golden color from the egg yolk
There are lots more dishes than I can mention here. Part II will talk more about seafood dishes, stir-fried dishes and fruits. Already a fairly extensive list, the above selections help give one a sense of both the wide variety of dishes and the groups of dishes that relate to or build off of each other. Certainly many different combinations of dishes await! Combinations can be further harmonized based on increasing familiarity with dishes that also allows one to better tailor selections for a given occasion. As noted earlier, recipes and general descriptions for a dish can vary significantly. As a result, there are many possibilities for taste and other elements of many of the dishes listed here.
Let us here from you if there is something you'd like to hear about in an article, such as a general topic for an article, or more information on a particular selection of dishes. Looking through this wealth of choices can be a good way to discover new favorite dishes. Until next time, happy eating!
Napatr LindsleyLearn Authentic Thai Cooking athttp://thaicookinghouse.com/

Making the Perfect Thai Fried Rice

By Tommy Nopud
Fried rice is one of the most common foods in Asia, and it is so simple to make. On every street corner in Thailand, you find food stalls, offering plates of fried rice. There are a few varieties of fried rice, and Thai fried rice goes in a much different direction.
In Thailand, fried rice serves as a lunch dish, and it is often served with cucumber and a wedge of lime on the side.
The most popular fried rice is crab fried rice. Cooking fried rice is also a great way to clean leftovers from your refrigerator since any vegetables and meats you have in your fridge will do.
For meats, you can use just about everything - bacon, crab, chicken, ham, tofu - you name it. Any vegetables will do very well too.
The Perfect Thai Chow Fun (Fried Rice) Recipe
3 c Cooked Rice
3 Bacon Strips
3 Slightly Beaten Eggs
1-1/4 c Meat, Finely Diced
2 Green Onion, Finely Chopped
1/2 lb Bean Sprouts (Optional)
6 Mushrooms, Sliced
Salt
1 ds Black Pepper
2 tb Soy Sauce
Preparation
Cook the bacon until it is lightly browned but not crunchy and set aside.
Add the beaten eggs to the bacon drippings and scramble.
Remove and chop very fine.
Add the cooked rice and fry for approximately 5 minutes stirring constantly.
Add the remaining ingredients, and mix well and continue cooking for 10 minutes longer.
Serve.
You can also use your favorite meats; pork, chicken, ham, beef, or shrimp, or experiment with whatever tastes good to you.
Enjoy!If you liked this recipe, then you may download thousands more at the Ultimate Recipe Collection: http://www.recipes.instantinfoprofit.com

A Guide to the Food of the Thailand and the Islands

By Orson Johnson
Think Thai food and the first image that comes to your mind is usually a spicy dish or one with a lot of curry. This is partly true - to an extent. Believe it or not, you might have probably had Thai food at least once in your life without knowing it, or maybe you do. Thai food is internationally famous, and for many a reason. All Thai dishes are rarely ever bland and always have that one special ingredient that makes you wonder how it's done.
Rice is the main staple food of Thailand and this is usually what accompanies a set meal, if weren't a meal on its own (eg.fried noodles). There are two kinds of rice the Thais love: standard white rice and glutinous sticky rice. Glutinous rice is more loved by the northern Thais as you see it more frequently in their meals. Thai food differs from one place to another. Spice is famous in most dishes but the Thai's balance out their spicy food with ingredients such as lemon, lime and lemon grass.
For the northern areas, apart from the glutinous rice, a lot of their food has influence from neighbouring countries like Laos with most of their food highly seasoned and spicy E.g.: spicy roast pork. A favourite dish of the northerners would be khanom chin nam ngiao (Thai vermicelli in spicy soup). Vegetables are seen a lot in the dishes here as well because most northerners are agriculturists.
If you're in the Central region, the cuisine is somewhat "Royal cuisine", as some dishes are inspired by the kitchens of the Royal Court back when Thailand was known as Siam. The dishes are more elaborate and tend to look like beautiful masterpieces that took hours to make instead of something that's whipped up in 5.
For the southern region the dishes get really interesting. Coconut is a prominent ingredient in many dishes. It usually is present to offset the heat of curries and chilli based soups and its oil is widely used for frying. As the southern bit tends to be near the coastal regions, fresh seafood such as crab, lobster and prawns are usually the centre of many dishes and curries.
The most popular Thai dishes of today include those such as Tom Yam Kung ( Spicy shrimp soup ), Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai ( Green chicken curry ) , Phanaeng ( meat in coconut cream ) and Pad Thai ( fried noodles ) which is probably Thailand's most famous noodle dish.Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing Phuket Villas & Vacation rentals

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Sauce Recipe

By Shelley Pogue
I have realized that I have a very fond place in my heart for most curry dishes. It seems that they are more popular then ever these days, and I love to make and eat them often. I have tried several that are on the www but have found that I have not enjoyed them very well so I have created my own. I hope that you will find this to be a simple recipe and that you will enjoy it as much as I do.
Ingredients you will need: Chicken about 3-4 breast, Onions 1 small sliced like fajita cut, Red Bell Pepper 1/2 julienned sliced, 1/2 Can of Straw Mushrooms, 1/4 Cup of Matchstick Carrots, 1/4 Cup of Snow Peas. **For the Sauce: 1 Can of Coconut Milk, 2 Tablespoons of Sugar, 1 28 oz Can of Tomatoes Diced, 1 Yellow Can of Curry Paste, 3 Tablespoons of canola oil, 1 Toe of Fresh Garlic and Ginger, 1/4 Cup of Fresh Cilantro, Pinch of Salt and 2-3 Tablespoons of Corn Starch in about the same amount of water to make a slurry.
First you will get your sauce ready so you can let it simmer down after all of the ingredients are added. You will take a large sauce pan and add your oil and garlic and ginger over a low heat until you start to smell the aroma of them. Then add your Coconut milk and your tomatoes and curry and stir. Then add your sugar, salt and heat it up to about a simmer. When the sauce is warm add your slurry to thicken and then add your fresh cilantro and turn the heat on low and just let it hang out until your other ingredients are ready.
Chicken- You will want to cook your chicken. You can sauté it or bake it with a little salt pepper and paprika if you prefer. If you are going to sauté it you will need a little bit of oil in the pan preferably canola oil. It is a mono-saturated fat and it has a higher smoke point than olive. Get it to a golden brown in the pan and let hang out in the pan covered or in the oven on its lowest setting until done. To bake it you will add salt pepper and paprika and bake on 350 for about 15 minutes or until done. You do not want to overcook it because it will be dry.
Vegetables- You will want to get all of them washed and cut and ready to add the the sauce. I would sauté them in the pan that the chicken was cooked in to get the flavor from the chicken. When the vegetables are warm you will add them to the chicken. First i would add the onions and get them translucent and then I would add the carrots and bell peppers. I would add the mushrooms and the snow peas at the very last and give them a toss or two, and call them done.
**Rice/Starch- If you want to make some rice for this dish and you want to keep it more on the healthy side I recommend a brown rice if you prefer. The dish is fine without the rice but if you are trying to make sure you get your grains in for the day I say go for it.
When ready to serve if you are using rice and it to a serving dish and pour the sauce around the rice. Add your vegetables an top and the chicken to top of the veggies and serve. If you are not using rice add the vegetables to the sauce and stir. You will them add all of the sauce with veggies to a serving dish and the chicken will go on top of the sauce. Enjoy!Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Thai Herbs - Garlic, Ginger and Tamarind in Thai Food

By Wevangti Vangra
Garlic
Garlic is actually important ingredient use in Thai Food and found in every recipe prior to fried vegetables and meat. It is also unable to be missed in soup and chili paste and as well spicy salad. This includes the pickled garlic, garlic plants and fried chopped garlic to sprinkle the food.
Benefits:
- Reduce blood pressure
- Prevent heart disease
- Antibacterial, fungal, yeast, virus
Garlic Use in Thai Food:
- Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
- Beef Masaman
- Kai Phad Phed
- Phanaeng Kai
- Som Tum
- Phad Thai
- Khao Phad Kra Prao
- Nam Ya Pla
Ginger
Thai people use ginger to reduce the fishy smell in many dishes. Tom Som, steam fish with lemon or fry with meat and as well ingredients in Miang (tidbits), such as Miang Kum, Miang Pla Tou, Miang Som. It is also mixed with pickling, mussels, Tai Pla, Saeng Wha, etc. Chopped ginger is tasty to fry with meat and as well Yam Pla Tu, Yam Khing, Yam Pla Kra-pong and Yam Hoy Kraeng. Pickled ginger is a good supplement to boiled rice and many types of paste. Ginger juice and ginger boiled in syrup and mixed with mung bean or sweet potatoes are tasty desserts.
Benefits:
- Antihistamine
- Antibacterial, Fungal, Yeast, Virus
Ginger Use in Thai Food:
- Beef Masaman
Tamarinds
Thai people in every part eat the tamarinds, fresh leaves, flowers and the pods as vegetables and seasoning agents. The content in the ripe pods provides sour taste. People in the middle part of Thailand use the young pods as ingredient of the tamarind paste. The fresh leaves are used in soups; Tom Klong Pla Kroab and Pork and pumpkin in coconut soup.
Benefits:
- Cooling
- Laxative
- Antihistamine
Tamarind Use in Thai Food:
- Beef Masaman
- Phad ThaiThai FoodMagnetic Resonance WaterWevangti

Thai Food and Great Dishes to Prepare

By Lance Winslow
Do you love authentic Thai dishes as well as American Thai combos? If you do and you love to eat such food, you are not alone, in fact these types of foods are amongst my favorites too. So, let me recommend a most excellent cookbook for you, one I am sure you will enjoy and thank me for later. The cookbook to which I refer is:
"Tommy Tang's Modern Thai Cuisine" by Tommy Tang; Double Day Publishing, New York, NY; 1991.
Tommy Tang is a master chef and owner of fine Thai Restaurants in Los Angeles and New York. This book has over 90 Thai Recipes in it, much more than his menu and many of these recipes are illustrated. This cookbook is unique in that it has a glossary of all the ingredients in the front and if you buy all those for your kitchen you will be able to prepare any of the fine dishes in the book. This sure makes it easy to make great Thai food at home.
I think you will enjoy the Thai Chili Fish and Thai Pasta, of course, for me it is hard to decide which is better Tommy's Duck recipe or his special sushi. Tommy dedicated this book to his mom with a great poem and judging by his generosity in sharing all this with the world, I'd say Tommy is the real deal and I'll be happy to eat in any of his restaurants, if I do not cook his delicious dishes in my own custom kitchen. This book is a must for those who wish to cook Thai food at home.
Tommy has a unique way of mixing and matching cultures to find the best of everything, some of the dishes are pure Thai and others are modified to fit nearly anyone's taste buds. The juries in; Tommy Rocks."Lance Winslow" - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

Thai BBQ Chicken

By Joe Sitthiosoth
Finally, it is summer here. This is the best time of the year after long winter blues for 6 months. What are people going to do on a warm sunny day? Firstly, they are going to the beach. Secondly, they are going to have a barbecue party with friends or family member in their own backyard. Last Sunday when I walked back home, I saw my neighbor having a BBQ party at home with family and friends. They looked so happy. I was so happy too (even they didn't ask me to join them.) I was so happy because the smell of their barbecue reminded me of my favorite Thai food. That is Thai BBQ Chicken which is our menu today.
Thai BBQ Chicken is one of the most popular Thai food. You can find this kind of food in every corner of the street , no matter where you live in Thailand. Thai BBQ Chicken is very tasty and easy to cook as well. Usually, Thai people will eat BBQ Chicken with sticky rice and sweet chilie sauce. However, eating Thai BBQ Chicken alone is good enough for everyone. I remember the first time I cooked Thai BBQ Chicken to my Canadian friends was last summer. They were so excited to try my food. Many of them told me that this was their first time to have a very delicious and juicy BBQ chicken. I knew what they meant because mostly BBQ food they usually have are hotdogs, burgers and steaks. The taste of these foods cannot compete with Thai BBQ Chicken at all. Okay, let's get started now.
Ingredients
1 piece of chicken (400-450 grams) you can use chicken drumstick if you want.
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of light soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1 teaspoon of curry powder
Preparation
1. Put all ingredients on the chicken and rub it all over the chicken accordingly
2. Leave it for 1 hour (if you have time you can leave it overnight in the fridge)
3. Grill the chicken with medium heat both sides (be careful, do not overcooked or let it burn)
Now you are done. Enjoy your food !! I have to go to the beach with Nicole now.
See you next time.
Joe SitthiosothJoe Sitthiosoth is an average Joe who is passionate about Thai food and Thai cooking. He travels the world, makes new friend and shows them how wonderful Thai food is. Every post comes from his real experience. You can read more from here http://EasyThaiCookingByJoe.blogspot.com

Introduction to Thai Food - Khao Soy

By Robert Orson
When you talk with anyone who has taken a holiday in Thailand, it takes no time at all for the conversation to turn to the great foods that are a "must try." For the adventurous traveler who wants more than just the beaches of the south or the Bangkok mega-city experience, the choice is Chiang Mai in the northern mountains and the "must try" food is Khao Soy.
Every region has local specialty dishes but when you say Khao Soy you are talking about Chiang Mai and the old Lanna Kingdom. It's not surprising that this noodle and curry soup dish may be the most delicious food of your stay in Thailand. What is surprising is that it will usually be the least expensive food on the menu.
I remember a travel writer describing the dish as Thailand's answer to fettuccine Alfredo but I think of it as the world's best chicken noodle soup. It's rich and creamy but not at all heavy, spicy but not hot. The soft texture of the flat egg noodles and stewed chicken is contrasted by the crispy fried noodles and crunchy vegetables garnishing the top. The pale orange/yellow color from the curry base is pleasing and the addition of some standard condiments can give a slightly sour or salty or acidic bite as preferred.
Khao soy was invented hundreds of years ago when Chiang Mai was a wealthy capital city and well placed to be a crossroads for trading. The noodles came with the traders' mule caravans from Yunnan, China in the north. Curry is believed to have come from India and across Burma to the west. Limes, shallots, lightly pickled cabbage, the richness of coconut milk and the talent for making deliciously balanced tastes were the local additions. The descendants of the Yunnanese traders still make some of the best Khao Soi in Chiang Mai ( especially on the small streets near the Ban Haw Mosque and across the Ping River next to Wat Faham) but it is also available in just about every other restaurant in the city with a Thai menu.
Like any food that's been around for centuries there are lots of variations in the preparation and closely guarded family recipes. Some can be complicated but the ones that always taste the best to me are the simple and quickly prepared home cooking style dishes. The ingredients are basic, it's the proportions that are the secret. In all of the methods, chicken cut into reasonable sized pieces is boiled in enough water to make a good stock. In a separate pot, fresh wide egg noodles are boiled for a very short time, drained and placed in a bowl. A thinner noodle has been fried crispy and set aside for garnish.
The soup begins with a prepared red curry paste that is heated in a pan until the paste begins to separate and become fragrant. As the pan heats, chopped garlic is thrown in and sauteed in the oil from the curry paste. When the garlic is cooked soft, coconut milk is added and stirred until the spices are fully dissolved. As the coconut milk becomes fully heated, pour in the stock from the boiled chicken to thin the soup to the desired consistency. At this point you can serve or hold everything at temperature until needed. When ready, pour enough of the hot soup to cover the noodles in a bowl and add pieces of chicken for a small serving. Garnish the top with the crispy noodles.
If you are faithful to the original, there are required condiments for individual use. Small wedges of fresh lime that can be squeezed into the soup are a must. Also standard are small amounts of coarsely chopped shallots and small pieces of cabbage that has been lightly pickled in sugar and salt. Although used very sparingly, Thais usually expect the table to have a bottle of fermented fish sauce, dark soy sauce and a chili sauce. Begin slowly and savor the richness, don't over use any of the sauces. They can add a little extra individual taste but they just aren't needed.Robert Orson writes for: Easy Chiang Mai
http://www.easy-chiangmai.com

Thai Rice - The Common Names And Cooking Tips

By Michael Moran
Shopping for rice these days can be as complicated as shopping for clothes: there are so many different types and colors available, it's hard to know what to choose. But if you've ever sampled the various types of rice on the market-from Chinese short grain to Indian Basmati, Italian Arborio (used for "Risotto"), or even the Native North American Wild Rice-you would have to agree that Thai Jasmine Rice is one of the best-tasting, not to mention one of the most nutritional of all types of rice.
Thai rice is often sold in our local grocery stores or Asian stores as "Fragrant Rice", "Jasmine Rice", or "Scented Rice". In Thailand, Thai rice is known as "Kao Hom Mali" (Jasmine-scented Rice), because of its naturally fragrant properties. With jasmine rice's good-taste and high-quality, it's no wonder that Thailand is the number one rice exporter in the world. In fact, if you were to venture via river boat out of Bangkok toward the Central Plains, you would see nothing but rice paddies for miles and miles, and the vibrant bright green of rice shoots growing.
For those who prefer an even healthier variety of rice, another option is "Thai Brown Rice" or "Thai Whole-grain Rice". This is the same jasmine-scented rice, except that the bran covering has been left on the rice kernel, giving it extra fiber plus valuable vitamins that are normally lost in the milling process. Sometimes this type of rice is also sold under the name, "Cargo Rice".Common Rice Names
Thai Sweet Rice
Thai Sticky Rice
Jasmine Rice
Cargo Rice
Whole-grain Rice
Fragrant Rice
Scented Rice
Cooking Tips
By far the easiest way to cook Thai rice is with a rice cooker. Just follow the instructions that come with the cooker to make perfect rice every time. Or go by the ratio of 2 cups water to every 1 cup of rice. Then simply turn the rice cooker on and wait until the rice is done.
To cook brown rice, double the amount of water you would normally use for white rice (also double the cooking time). Then follow the same instructions (as written above) for white rice.Michael Moran is the founder of http://www.CurrySimple.com Thai food products. With sauces made in Thailand, CurrySimple allows the average person the ability to cook a restaurant quality Thai meal at home. The concept evolved after spending years working in Thai restaurants while listening to his customer's conversations about the difficulty and complexity of cooking Thai food. Now with the development of the sauces (the hard part in Thai cooking), enjoying the taste and health benefits of Thai food is easy.Visit http://www.CurrySimple.com for more product information and recipes.

Tasty Thai Food - Spicy, Salty, and Sour

By Andy Maingam
Food is like a drug. How true is that? This is especially true for me when it comes to Thai food. Once I get started on any Thai dish, I get addicted to more of the same. But hey, there has to be worse addictions that good food right? Some culinary writers describe Thai food as being similar to Chinese food but with a sting. Well, as someone who has lived in Thailand for a number of years now, I think the aromatic, delicious, hot, spicy Thai food is in a class of it’s own, and there is nothing to compare it’s uniqueness with.
Another fascinating fact with Thai food is the variety. If I lived here for a 100 years and tried a different dish everyday day, I don’t believe I would have time to sample it all. The county is split into 5 regions; North, Northeast, East, Central, and South and each region, province, and sub province, all have their own unique dishes and foodstuffs.
Thai food should not just be categorised as being hot and spicy though, as there are many herbs and spices which are also combined to give the individual dishes their distinctive tastes and aromas.
Ever heard of Thai food described using the 3 S’s of flavor? Spicy, Salty, and Sour. It’s the harmonious blend of these 3 that contribute to this gorgeous gastronomy. Let me break this down a little for you.
Spicy – Chili (Prik)
There’s a whole history on how the chili became a part of Thai cooking and I’ll save that for another article, but basically the Europeans, (Spanish or Portuguese) introduced the Chili into the old Siam in the 16th century, and it’s been and integral part of Thai cooking ever since. People who try Thai food for the first time should do so with extreme caution, as there are some dishes that burn your throat so hard that it’s painful to the inexperienced pallet.
Fish Sauce - Salty
Fish sauce is simply called "Nam pla” which when translated means water fish. In Thai cooking this us the second most important ingredient. Fish sauce is made by brewing fish or shrimp mixed with salt and decanting the fermented result into bottles. On its own it smells quite unpleasant but when added to the cooking or sprinkled over rice, it really does contribute to the exotic flavors of Thai food.
Lime - Sour
The lime known in Thai language as "Manao”, is used at every opportunity in a whole variety of Thai dishes. The main role of the lime is to repress the salty taste and strong odor of fish sauce.
Bon appetite!Andy Maingam is a proficient writer and webmaster for Look at Food dot com where he writes on such issues as Living Longer and Healthier lives, plus useful Diet Information. He also has many other food and healthy eating related pieces on the site.

Thai Cooking and Good Health

By Saichon Plumlee
Good health often comes from good food. If you are like I was, you simply eat what is fast and easy, stopping into the drive thru on your way to work or for a fast lunch. After work stopping off for more fast food on your way to drop the kids off at soccer or maybe swim lessons. Our days are so busy we never have the time to prepare foods for ourselves. A poor diet will make you sick. There are healthy alternatives. Some of them are also fast and simple to prepare!
I am from Thailand so my favorite foods are Thai food. There are many delicious kinds of Thai food that you can prepare very fast and have a healthy meal on the table in minutes that your family will really love.
Thai food is so healthy for you because the ingredients are so good for you. Many of the vegetables that I use I grow myself while it is summer, in the winter I buy at the local market. I am now trying to buy mostly organic vegetables since I also make my own baby food as much as possible. Some of the vegetables that are used in Thai food you will be familiar with others will be completely new to you. For instance, bamboo shoots are used in may ways for Thai food. Bamboo is used in salads, stir fried, mixed with curry and many other recipes as well. Another vegetable that I love is Thai eggplant, it is small, round, and green. Not your standard eggplant, but filled with a mellow flavor. In Thai cooking we also use many type of squash, gourds, and different types of pumpkins. Many of the recipes where I call for pumpkin you will be looking for is actually a Kabocha squash in the US and Europe. IT is also known as Japanese squash.
Thai recipes also call for a lot of herbs such as lemon grass, many types of basil, cilantro and coriander and of course Chili. Thai people eat more chili per person than any place else in the world. If you like your food hot add a little more of the Thai chili peppers. With all of the herbs that are in Thai food you will get a lot of flavor and not need to add so much salt and sugar and other flavorings that are bad for your diet. I think that this may be part of the reason that there is so few cases of things like diabetes and other diet related diseases in Thailand.
Now I offer a lot of recipes on my site and I will soon begin to post some video cooking lessons as well. So please come by and check out the recipes that I have to offer for your health and for the great taste also. Your body, your family and all of your friends will thank you when they taste the delicious foods that you can now cook!I love to cook any kind of food and try new recipes that I see. I often change them to fit my style of cooking or to use what I have available when I can not get all of the ingredients. Of course since I am from Thailand My favorite food is Thai food and that is what most of the recipes you will find on my site are. So please come on by and tell me how you like my recipes at http://www.cookingwithsaichon.com

What Is The First Thing You Should Have When Cooking Thai Food?

By Joe Sitthiosoth
Today is a first lesson. Oh! I do not want to call it a lesson because it sounds too formal. It is our first chat about Thai cooking. My friends always keep asking me if they want to cook Thai food, what is the first thing they should have? That is my topic today. When you see my question above. What is your answer ? you might think about something like cooking skills, inspiration, creative idea or any other big words. No! it is not what I mean. Actually, I just want to ask you what you should have (in the kitchen) when cooking Thai food. Basically, there are 5 things that you should have in your kitchen when cooking Thai food. These are:
1. Fish sauce
2. Light soy sauce
3. Dark soy sauce
4. Oyster sauce
5. Garlic
That is it. I think 90% of Thai food will use 2-3 of those stuffs when cooking. So now you know what you should have in your kitchen if you want to cook Thai food. Do not waste your time. Go buy it now.You can buy those 5 stuffs from any supermarket near you. The total price should not be more than $10.00 and you can use it for a year.
Okay, that is all for today. Next time we will start cooking Thai food. Do not worry. As I told you my blog will teach you how to cook Thai food with easy step by step. You can cook it like a pro for sure. I guarantee !
See you next time.Joe Sitthiosoth is an average Joe who is passion for Thai food and Thai cooking. He travels the world, makes new friend and shows them how wonderful Thai food is. His article comes from his real experience. You can read more from here http://EasyThaiCookingByJoe.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Sitthiosoth

Introduction To Thai Food - Thai Curry, Pad Thai And Stir-Fry

By Michael Moran
Think of the worst food you've ever tasted. Soggy, boiled vegetables springs to mind-the kind with all the taste and nutrition leached out of them. No spice or texture, no freshness or goodness. Now think of the opposite, and you have heavenly Thai food. Fresh, spicy, salty, sweet and sour, with a variety of textures and temperatures (crispy and soft, hot and cold), Thai food is a taste explosion in every bite. Once you've tried it, you'll never go back to plain old meat-and-potatoes cooking again.
Another way to describe Thai food? Imagine Chinese food, but with more intensity. With more flavors, more aroma, spices, and textures. If you like Chinese food, you're going to fall head-over-heels-in-love with Thai food!
Thai CurryThe roots of Thai cuisine can be found both in regional tastes and flavors as well as in the influence of cooking styles from nearby cultures. Despite the fact that Thailand is at least partially separated from its neighbors by water, it has never isolated itself from other nations. Indian and Malaysian spices and dishes (such as curries) were brought with travel and trade, and the Thais were quick to add these wonderful flavors to their own unique version of curry.
Today there are four main curries in Thai cuisine: GreenRedYellowMassaman

Thai curry dishes start with a very intense and fragrant curry paste or sauce, usually made by hand with pestle & mortar. Once the paste/sauce is made, Thai curry is extremely easy to create, simply by adding any variety of meat, seafood, vegetables, or tofu and cooking it in the oven (like a casserole).
Thai Noodles
Thailand is also famous for its fragrant stir-fried noodle dishes. Most Thai noodle recipes call for rice noodles rather than those made with wheat or egg, although these can also be found in Thai cooking. Noodles were first brought to Thailand by the Chinese, many of whom remained in Thailand and integrated with the local society. For this reason, Chinese cooking has been a major influence in Thai cuisine, including cooking styles (the Chinese introduced the wok) and key cooking ingredients, such as soy sauce. Names of popular Noodle Dishes:Pad Thai
Land-Da Noodle
Pad Woon Sen
Pad See-U
Pad Kee-Mow (Drunken Noodle)

Thai Stir-Fry

From stir-fried local vegetables to dishes that combine meat, vegetables, tofu, or noodles, stir-fries are a common part of everyday Thai cooking. When creating stir-fry sauces, Thai chefs seek a balance of flavors-spicy, salty, sour, and sweet-by using ingredients like fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, lemongrass, fresh chilli (or chilli sauce), and a little sugar. Achieving this balance is not difficult, but it does take practice.
Names of popular Thai Stir-Fry dishes:GingerSpicy Basil LeavesPad PrikPrik KingSpicy GarlicCashew NutBroccoliMichael Moran is the founder of CurrySimple Thai food products. With sauces made in Thailand, CurrySimple allows the average person the ability to cook a restaurant quality Thai meal at home. The concept evolved after spending years working in Thai restaurants while listening to his customer's conversations about the difficulty and complexity of cooking Thai food. Now with the development of the sauces (the hard part in Thai cooking), enjoying the taste and health benefits of Thai food is easy.Visit CurrySimple for more product information and recipes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Moran

Introduction to Thai Food - Somtam

By Robert Orson
Being married to a Thai for the last few years has meant learning a fair amount about Thai food. This isn't such a great accomplishment because it's usually the main topic of our conversations.
My wife once told me that a Thai would be most happy if she could eat seven times a day and I think she is pretty close to that mark. Any time she's not actually eating she can be counted on to be thinking of what or where to eat next.
There's obviously some kind of health secret here. If she's carrying two pounds extra, I have no idea where she's hiding it. If I ate like she did, it would take a crane to get me out of bed in the mornings. The answer must be that what she's eating must be healthy as well as delicious. Her number one favorite meal, snack, between meal pick-me-up, comfort food and health potion is ... somtam.
I confess that I had been thinking of somtam as a low class street vender food until I read a newspaper review of a local restaurant in Chiang Mai (Huen Phen) that quoted world class chef and author, Anthony Bourdain as saying that "their papaya salad is in fact the best salad he has ever eaten." Interesting.
Since then I've eaten it there, ordered it in other restaurants and stood beside street vendors in back alleys as they made some for me. It's always very good and I'm reminded of the great line that David Mamet wrote in Wag the Dog,"There are two things I know to be true. There's no difference between good flan and bad flan, and there is no war in Albania." My wife tells me that all somtam is good but there are some she likes more than others.
Regardless of where you get your somtam in Thailand, what I like is that it is always prepared fresh and usually in the front section of the restaurant (or behind the small glass booth perched on the street cart.)
The essentials are basic: a sharp knife, a spoon and a morter and pestle. The preparation is a blur of culinary poetry.
Throw a handful of chilies into the morter and give a good pound or two with the pestle to release the heat. In quick succession add some coarsely chopped tomato, a dash of sugar, a good splash of fish sauce (available now in most oriental markets,) a small spoon of lemon juice, a clove or two of garlic and (usually) some MSG.
The sauce is finished with the addition of a few tiny, whole crabs (poo) and some salted, fermented fish (balak.)
Pound and stir to bruise and mix the sauce then quickly julienne a firm green papaya and add the spaghetti sized pieces to the brew.
Pound and stir one last time to wilt the green fruit in the sauce. Spoon the salad to a plate or bowl and it will invariably look naturally elegant.
Now for the vocabulary to make sure it's done to your taste. Order Somtam Lao if you want the pungent, sour taste of the balak (fermented fish.) Somtam Thai omits the balak and adds peanuts, which I prefer.
"Mai Sai Poo" means hold the crab. "Mai Pom Chulot" is "no MSG." The somtam beginner should say, " mai phet" meaning "not spicy." I like to order "phet mai mak" or "not too spicy." Only a serious masochist should say "phet gadai" and should not then whine about the fiery pain that the true somtam addict craves.
Hot or not, somtam blends soft with crisp and has an intense but surprisingly balanced flavor that is sweet, salty, sour and bitter in every bite.Robert Orson writes for: Easy Chiang Maihttp://www.easy-chiangmai.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Orson

Fayetteville Restaurants

By Sam Huntington
Just about every Fayetteville restaurant has something unique on their menu to tempt your palate. No matter what cuisine you desire, you can find it in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
For some fantastic Thai food, check out the Thai Pepper Restaurant. Here you can get exotic, Thai food at a reasonable price in the heart of a charming, southern community. The Thai Pepper Restaurant is located on North Reilly Road and has a very extensive menu, including vegetarian fare. In addition to such Thai favorites as Mee Grob and Pad See Ew, which are Thai noodle dishes, you can also enjoy some Chinese favorites such as Sweet and Sour Shrimp, Beef and Broccoli and Moo Goo Gai Pan. The menu is so extensive at this restaurant that you will have a difficult time making up your mind on what to eat.
The Barn is considered one of Fayetteville's leading restaurants. This historical landmark offers charming atmosphere and fine food. For starters, try some delicious Calamari served with marinara or sauce or Mushrooms stuffed with delicious, fresh crab stuffing and topped with mozzarella cheese.
Seafood is very fresh in Fayetteville, North Carolina and many restaurants have a large selection of tasty seafood entrees. The Blackened Salmon at The Barn is something you truly have to taste to believe. Another excellent seafood dish at this restaurant is Blackened Grouper. The Grouper is served with shrimp and large scallops and is simply delightful.
If you like steak, you can enjoy Filet, Prime Rib or Ribeye steaks, cooked to perfection at The Barn. The service at this restaurant is excellent and they also have a full service bar where you can have sip cocktails before or after your meal.
Those of you not familiar with East coast fare will want to try Baldinos Giant Jersey Subs and Salads. This is an excellent lunch spot and there are several locations throughout Fayetteville, North Carolina. Try a pepper steak and cheese sandwich to really tempt your taste buds. Steak and Cheese sub sandwiches are famous throughout the East coast and I was glad to see that this restaurant offered the authentic version of these delicious sandwiches.
Another fun lunch or dinner spot and one of my favorite restaurants is Docks at the Capital, located in downtown Fayetteville on Hay Street. Docks is a fun place to take the entire family and they have a kids menu available for anyone 12 and under. There is live entertainment daily at Docks and a very extensive menu.
I recommend that everyone who visits this restaurant try the Fish and Chips. Those of us who live in the Midwest or other parts of the country seldom get good fish and chips, but those at Docks are absolutely delicious. The fish is battered grouper which has been deep fried and the chips are French fries that are served with a side of vinegar. I also enjoy the crab cake dinner made with fresh, succulent crab.
In addition to delicious seafood, Docks also offers a large choice of steaks done to perfection. The appetizer menu is larger than most dinner menus in restaurants and has just about everything you can imagine, I recommend the Coconut prawns or Roasted Corn Chowder. Both of these dishes, as well as most of the food at Docks, are fantastic. The service is quick and friendly in this wonderful restaurant.
No matter what kind of cuisine you are looking for, you can find a Fayetteville restaurant that will satisfy your craving. Fayetteville restaurants are located throughout the downtown and surrounding areas and are reasonable and offer hospitable, southern service.Sam Huntington lives in North Carolina and frequently writes about various North Carolina locales, particularly about all things Fayetteville NC. For more great Fayetteville information visit http://www.visitfayettevillenc.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Huntington

Thai Herb - Chili, Coriander, Cumin and Galangal in Thai Food

By Wevangti Vangra
Chili
The popular species of chili used for cooking are hot chili, red, green and yellow chili, sweet pepper, etc. which are different in the levels of its spicy tastes. Chili can be used both fresh and dried or pickling in vinegar and to every dish that requires hot and spicy tastes. Some are used for smelling and reducing savory and as well to color the decoration.
Benefit
- Digestive
- To protect cancer
- Carminative
- Expectorant
- Relief pain
- Relief sickness
Chili Use in Thai Food
- Tom Yum Kung
- Tom Kha Kai
- Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
- Beef Masaman
- Kaeng Liang
- Kai Phad Phed
- Phanaeng Kai
- Som Tum
- Phad Thai
- Khao Phad Kra Prao
- Nam Ya Pla
________________________________________________________
Coriander
This plant can be used by every part; plant, root, leaves and fruits. Normally, the coriander leaves are sprinkled to season the food, while the coriander fruits are mixed in the soup and curry for good smell and its root is used together with garlic in soup and some kind of snacks and desserts.
Benefit
- Carminative
- Diuretic
Coriander Use in Thai Food
- Tom Kha Kai
- Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
- Kai Phad Phed
- Phanaeng Kai
__________________________________________________________
Cumin
Cumin is roasted and pounded to make chili paste in some curries, Kaeng Phed and Kaeng Khiao Wan.
Benefit
- Carminative
- Expectorant
Use in Thai Food Cumin
- Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
- Beef Masaman
- Phanaeng Kai
___________________________________________________________
Galangal
Galangal is used both its flowers as vegetables and fresh and hard rhizomes. The hard rhizome is very spicy and good to season many recipes of chili pastes; the fresh rhizome is found good in Tom Kha Kai.
Benefit
- Carminative
- Stops the growth of cancer
- Antifungal, bacterial and yeast
Galangal Use in Thai Food
- Tom Yum Kung
- Tom Kha Kai
- Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai
- Beef Masaman
- Kai Phad Phed
- Phanaeng Kai
- Khao Phad Kra Prao
- Nam Ya PlaThai FoodMagnetic Resonance WaterWevangti
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wevangti_Vangra

Thai Food - Phad Thai and Tom Yum Kung Recipe

By Wevangti Vangra
Phad Thai
Ingredients
Narrow rice noodles 400 g.
Water 400 g.
Phad Thai sauce 320 g.
Dried shrimp 60 g.
Chopped Salted white radish 40 g.
Yellow soybean curd 160 g.
Bean sprouts 400 g.
Chinese leek leaves 60 g.
Egg 4 Vegetable oil 120 g.
Ground peanut 40 g.
Chinese leek leaves 60 g.
Egg 4 Vegetable oil 120 g.
Ground peanut 40 g.
How to Cook
- Fry noodles with water until soft
- Add sauce and mix thoroughly
- Add dried shrimp, Chopped Salted white radish and soybean curd
- Add oil around the pan, break eggs and fry until done
- Add bean sprouts, Chinese leek leaves and fry and serve warmly
Phad Thai Sauce Ingredients
Shallot 50 g.
Garlic 25 g.
Palm sugar 125 g.
Sugar 10 g.
Fish sauce 50 g.
Tamarind juice 25 g.
Vinegar 33 g.
Salt 1 g.
Ground dried chili 1 g.
Oil 40 g.
Vinegar 33 g.
Salt 1 g.
Ground dried chili 1 g.
Oil 40 g.
Note: The sauce recipe makes 2 kg.
How to cook
- Pound shallot ingredients in a pot. Heat the ingredients until melted.
- Bring to boil and then add the sautéed shallots and garlic.
- Mix them together and pack in plastic bags, 80 grams each.
- Scramble egg and mix with the seasoning noodles. When the noodles look dry, add bean sprouts and Chinese chives.
- Stir them together with noodles until cooked. Then remove from the heat.
Strong point of Phad Thai: High calories, protein, fibers, calcium and phosphorus.
Tom Yum Kung
Main Ingredients
Shrimp 500 g.
Rice straw mushroom 600 g.
Chili paste 150 g.
Soup stock 2,500 g.
Citric acid 10 g. Salt 15 g.
Fish sauce 100 g. Sugar 20 g.
Lime juice 15 g.
Hot chili 10 g.
Dried Chili 10 g.
Lemon grass 40 g.
Shallots 40 g. Galangal 10 g.
Kaffir lime leaves 5 g.
Vegetable oil 100 g.
How to cook
1. Roast chilies, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, galangal and lemon grass and then grind them until smooth to Tom Yum paste.
2. Stir-fry the Tom Yum paste with oil. Add sliced lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves, set aside.
3. Put citric acid, salt, sugar and water into a pot. Melt it and bring to boil. Then add fish sauce and bring to boil again.
4. Add the Tom Yum paste into the pot. Stir it thoroughly and bring to boil again. Pack in plastic bags, 90 gram per bag.Thai FoodMagnetic Resonance WaterWevangti
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wevangti_Vangra

Thai Food - Lake Mary, FL - Take A Date To Your Local Thai Restaurant

By Joseph Celestine
Did you know that there are several Thai restaurants in Lake Mary and Seminole County Fl? Looking for something a bit out of the ordinary for that special person in your life. If you are really looking for something unique and will be guaranteed to impress then you can't go wrong with a Thai restaurant.
The foods of Thailand are a unique delicacy that should be enjoyed by anyone that tries it. Thai food can be quite spicy so it is probably a good idea to find out how your date feels about spicy foods. How badly will your date go if you find out after the fact that he or she simply cannot tolerate spicy? It can set the tone for the whole evening. If your date is not opposed to spicy foods then by all means bring them to a Thai restaurant. If your date has never had Thai food it will be interesting for you to see how this person reacts to something a bit out of the ordinary. Do you really want to continue dating someone who is not willing to try new things? Of course you don't.
A Thai restaurant is not your typical fare and you will be going a long way to impressing your date with your diverse tastes. Just as you are interested in a person who is up for new things you can show your date that you are willing to try new things as well. And isn't that the purpose of a date, to show the person what you are like and to learn what they are like.
Take your time in a Thai restaurant to enjoy each others company and have a great time trying new dishes that you have never tried before. It can be quite fun for a couple to sample each other's dishes and see what the other likes and does not like. It might be that you both don't like Thai food, or that you both do. Or maybe there is a difference of opinion on Thai food. Whatever the outcome of your experience you will be going a long way to finding out how your date reacts to different situations, how they react to a difference of opinion and overall how you both like Thai food!
Taking a date to an unusual restaurant is a risky move. You are actually learning a great deal about the person you are interested in. Use this experience to decide if you want to continue dating or not. If all goes well you will have your experience in a Thai restaurant as a fond memory that you will both look back on fondly. Hopefully, you will both enjoy the food and each other's company and come away from your date having had a wonderful experience.
In our next article we will give you our recommendations on the best Thai food and restaurants in Lake Mary and Seminole County Fl. Good luck!Learn more about Thai food in Lake Mary, Thai restaurants in Lake Mary and Thai food Lake Mary and Seminole County Fl quickly and easily by visiting http://www.lakemarybusinessdirectory.com a very popular website that provides resources, articles, consumer information and business reviews
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Celestine

Creating Thai Food to Your Taste

By Napatr Lindsley
The art of Thai cooking has been developed and refined over many centuries. This art has placed emphasis on the harmonious blending of various ingredients, particularly as the individual ingredients can vary by freshness and so forth. Without harmony the taste and the dish fall short.
The art of Thai cooking not only emphasizes harmony of taste, but also places value on the use of color and texture in a dish.
Over the centuries, most Thai dishes have drawn from the realm of herbs, roots, plants, spices and seeds to perfect the flavor, texture and presentation of a dish. The five elements of taste in Thai food are: sweet, salty, sour, spicy and bitter. There are no set ground rules for characteristics of Thai food, due largely to variables such as the region, the chef, or the occasion. The brand or processing of ingredients is also sometimes a factor.
When cooking Thai dishes, one may follow a recipe, but use it as a guideline when it comes to taste. Taste varies for each individual, sometimes in response to the above variables such as ingredient quality or occasion, and thus the tastes of the recipe author may or may not reflect one's own taste.
The sweetness of a dish not only comes from the vegetable or meat, but also from the processed sugar. There are many types and brands of sugar which certainly do not provide the same sweetness. In many Thai desserts, coconut palm sugar is required. However, some recipes may suggest palm sugar as a viable substitute. Both coconut palm sugar and palm sugar come from natural sources and are interchangeable; however, they differ from each other in taste and aroma.
In Thai cooking, fish sauce is one of the most important seasoning components, and there are a wide variety of brands to choose from. One brand may be saltier than others. Adding fish sauce little by little is always a good practice. Adding lime juice to crank up the sourness is a common practice in Thai cooking. However, there are so many types of limes, such as Key Lime, Limequat, Mandarin Lime or Sweet Lime. Each lime type has some sour flavor, but some also have a flavor of sweetness in them like Limequat and Sweet Lime.
Thais love spiciness and it has even become a trademark for Thai food. There are many types of Thai chili, and in practice, use varies by dish. The two famous chili types are Prig Kee Noo (spicy) and Prig Chee Fah (not very spicy). Within the Prig Kee Noo family, there are also different types with different degrees of spiciness. In Thailand, for instance, when Thais order Som Tum (Papaya Salad), the waitress or seller will ask "how many chilies do you want?" For some, just one Prig Kee Noo can burn the mouth. Curry pastes, another example, have different degrees of spiciness with each brand.
The flavor of bitterness usually comes from vegetables, herbs, plant or spices. Bitter Melon is a well-known vegetable for its bitterness. However, it is a very common vegetable in Thailand because of its nutritious content, especially antioxidants. Proper cooking, built on adding the right amount of sauces and ingredients can definitely remove most of the bitter flavor if not all.
Also consider coconut milk, which is used widely enough that it contributes significantly to coconut being considered a kind of Thai staple food item. Canned coconut milk and fresh pressed coconut milk can make a difference in the outcome of the dish since many Thai dishes use either thick (first pressed milk) and/or thin (second or later pressed milk). Canned coconut milk is usually thicker than fresh first pressed coconut milk. Today, coconut milk powder is available in the market for making coconut milk. With coconut powder, one can make thick and thin coconut milk by simply adjusting the amount of water. Coconut milk is one other example among many of a variable ingredient which helps set the stage for harmonizing dishes.
Since herbs, roots, plants and seeds have played important roles in Thai cooking, proper cooking is critical. This is because improper cooking can destroy the nutritional value, flavor or texture of ingredients. It is also very important that dishes must be a harmony of tastes within individual dishes and the entire meal.
Following a recipe is a good idea, but when it comes to taste follow your own preference. Know your ingredients and start adding flavor items in small amounts. Most Thai dishes can be fixed to some extent. If it is too sweet, adding a little bit of fish sauce will fix the problem and vice versa. If it is too sour, add a little bit of water; sugar or fish sauce will help. The harmony of tastes is a key to Thai dishes. However, some may disagree with a philosophy of harmonious flavor because some may like to have some flavors fighting in one's mouth. It is after all very much about one's preferences and taste. While the above highlights some elements in the art of Thai cooking, there are also important contributions made to Thai cooking by a variety of creative approaches. Thai cooking is a rich and living art that can lead to many new adventures.
Napatr LindsleyLearn Authentic Thai Cooking at http://thaicookinghouse.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Napatr_Lindsley

Spicy Thai Food

By Saichon Plumlee
If you love spicy food you really owe it to yourself to try Thai food. Thai people eat more chili per person than any other country in the world! In Thailand we love our spicy foods. Many of the herbs that we use are to make the food spicy also. These herbs include lemon basil, ginger, and of course chili.
In Thailand we use many different types of chili. It depends on the dish that we are cooking and also on what region of Thailand you are in. The Thai word for chili is prik. The chili that you see the most is the standard Thai Chili. It is available almost every place you will go to in the world. There is also the same kind of chili that is often found in the southwestern US that is available mostly in Northern Thailand. It is served in lot of ways same as in the US. They use it to make pizza, sausage, eggs, and even serve it as a relish when finely chopped. Another of my favorites is prik kee nu, this is a very small, extremely spicy chili. There are often served as a condiment and used to add flavor to things like meatballs.
Chili is also used to make your curry hot. Curry is a mixture of chili and other ingredients to give the desired flavor for the type of curry. There are several varieties of curry, but we mainly use five types, green, red, yellow, massaman, and penang curries. The curry that you use depends on what you will be using with it. Different meats use different curry to get the correct flavor. If you are a vegetarian you also will want to use the right curry for tofu.
For herbs, if you have never used lemon basil in your spicy foods you are missing out! Sweet basil is what most are serving when you get basil. You already know how much flavor basil will add to you dinner. Now if you want to add flavor with a bit of spice to it try lemon basil. It looks much like the basil you normally will buy, the leaves are normally a bit smaller though. It has a great flavor and it will make your food much more spicy. It is really good when you combine with chili for extra spiciness and more heat.
Another herb that will make your food spicy is ginger. Ginger has many uses and a great flavor. You can boil it to make a tea, you can add a nice some sparkle to your grilled and baked fish and it also makes a great stir fry. There are so many uses for ginger. I recommend the fresh ginger and grind or grate it yourself. You get much more flavor than the powder that comes in the spice cans at your grocery store.
You can use all of these in your everyday cooking to give you a little spicy food any time. And if you want to try spicy Thai food you will always be using these items each time you cook!I love to cook any kind of food and try new recipes that I see. I often change them to fit my style of cooking or to use what I have available when I can not get all of the ingredients. Of course since I am from Thailand My favorite food is Thai food and that is what most of the recipes you will find on my site are. So please come on by and tell me how you like my recipes at http://www.cookingwithsaichon.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Saichon_Plumlee

A Must Read Guide to Eating Thai Food

By Nick Page
Although popularly considered as a single cuisine, Thai food is actually better depicted as four regional cuisines relating to the four main regions of the country: Northern, North-eastern, Central and Southern. For instance Southern curries have a tendency to contain coconut milk and fresh turmeric, while north-eastern dishes often incorporate fresh lime juice. Thai cuisine has been influenced by Chinese stir fry and Indian curries while maintaining a unique taste of its own. Like Vietnamese food, Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather than dried) herbs and spices as well as fish sauce.
A few tips when dining with Thais include...
Don't wait for all of the food to be served before you start, Thai meals are leisurely affairs and the food just keeps on coming.
Don't use your fork to put food in your mouth, use it to push your food onto your spoon.
Never order one dish that you aim to eat by yourself Thai meals are always communal, allow other to tuck in.
Pay the bill if it comes to you; in Thai society the person who is apparently the richest pays. As a foreigner nine times out of ten this will be you! It is not common to "split the bill".
But by the same token don't try to donate if someone else is paying the bill, it takes away from their status and is considered a "loss of face".
Never leave your chopsticks in the bowl, it denotes death and is very bad luck!
If you are travelling to Thailand and have read this and decided it might be easier not to bother to join a group of Thai people for dinner, please do, you will find Thai people to be kind hearted and generous. Explain that you are unfamiliar with their culture and they will not take offense at any faux par.....in fact if you explain the situation they will most likely ignore or make a joke of any mistake and no offence will be taken!Nick Page is the Managing Director of Oasis Travel http://www.oasistravel.com.au, a specialist boutique tailor-made travel company that has organised many trips to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Malaysia. Oasis Travel organise bespoke travel itineraries to Southeast Asia that reflect client interests and the local heritage and culture of the featured destinations. This in depth knowledge coupled with a handpicked selection of modern chic, historic, boutique and eco-friendly accommodation make Oasis Travel one of the leaders in their field.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Page

Top 10 Must-not-miss Thai Food

Author: Siwawut Chaiya
Thai cuisine is one of the best gourmets in the world. It is well known for the diversity of ingredients, outstanding spiciness and ample medicinal properties. Most of Thai food is cooked and refined with more than two types of herbs or spices which are beneficial to health.
The (mostly unconscious) principle Thai food is the balance of five flavors which are spicy, salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The one indispensible ingredient which is generally used in seasoning a majority of Thai cuisine is fish sauce. Thai food is eaten either as a single dish or with rice. Steamed rice is the staple food although sticky rice is more popular in the north and northeast of Thailand.
Thai food is one of many things that you should not miss while you are traveling in this beautiful “Land of Smiles”. Since there are numberless delectable Thai dishes, I am writing this guideline for you to select the most distinctive and authentic ones out of the plethora of Thai signature dishes.
The following list is a top 10 rank of Thai food that you must not miss. The consideration and ranking is based on the popularity, uniqueness and authenticity of the delicacies. Here are the winners.
10. Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan (Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts)Even though Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan does not represent the overview of Thai food but it is a very nice treat to your bland taste buds. Since it is by no means spicy or hot, this slightly sweet and salty chicken fried with crunchy cashew nuts is aptly satiating for children or beginners who are not used to spices.
9. Por Pia Tord (Fried Spring Roll)Fried spring roll is one of the most popular appetizers among foreigners because it is not spicy and comes with sweet and sour dip. Spring rolls are crispy pastries with fried vegetable fillings. Though spring rolls are commonplace in many Southeast Asian countries, Thai Por Pia is different in flavors with a special dip prepared from Japanese apricot.
8. Panaeng (Meat in Spicy Coconut Cream)Panaeng can be cooked using either pork, chicken or beef. Panaeng tastes like Thai red curry but the coconut milk sauce is relatively thicker and richer. Compared to Thai red curry, Panaeng is mildly spicy and sweet. Paneang is best served with warm steamed rice. There is nothing to dislike about Panaeng expect the fact that it can be too greasy or fleshy for some people.
7. Som Tam (Spicy Papaya Salad)Som Tam is one of the most popular foods among Thai people for its fiercely spicy and sour flavors. Som Tam, which literally means “Sour Pounded”, is a spicy salad made from a mix of fresh vegetables including shredded unripened papaya, yardlong beans and tomato. Som Tam is unique that the spicy dressing and salad vegetables are pounded and mixed in the mortar using a pestle. Somtam is usually served with grilled chicken and sticky rice. Som Tam is good for your health that it contains no fat, low calorie and high vitamins. This is a truly authentic Thai dish that will make a great impression. The only reason why I’m ranking Som Tam at No.7 (though it deserves higher rank) is its strong spiciness that might leave your tongue burned and swollen. Just say “Mai phed” (not spicy) to your waiter if you really want to try.
6. Moo Sa-Te (Grilled Pork Sticks with Turmeric)This tantalizing sweet-flavored grilled pork sticks are refined with rich, juicy sauce made of turmeric and curry powder. Moo Sa-Te makes a savory hors d'oeuvres that will appease any taste buds. These juicy grilled pork sticks are usually served with two saucy dips – one is a mildly spicy thick sauce with ground peanuts, coconut milk and curry powder and another one is a sweet and sour vinegar sauce with chopped shallot, pepper and cucumber to mitigate its oiliness.
5. Tom Yam Kai (Spicy Chicken Soup)Chicken soup is very good to eat when you have a cold but Tom Yam Kai or spicy chicken soup is a yummy treat that you will fall in love with just in a first sip. Tom Yam Kai is a clear chicken soup seasoned with a blend of chili, lime and fish sauce. The broth is simmered with Thai herbs as lemon grass, shallot and galangal which give it a unique and satiating aroma. My foreign friends order this tasty soup anywhere they go so you should not miss it by any means!
4. Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup)Although Tom Kha Kai is another variation of chicken soup, it deserves the No.4 because of its unparalleled taste and popularity. Similar to Tom Yam Kai, the broth is prepared with many types of Thai herbs with the special addition of coconut milk that makes this soup unique. Though the soup is seasoned with chili, lime and fish sauce just like Tom Kha Kai, thanks to the coconut milk, the broth is milder and less spicy. This is probably more liked by non-spicy eaters.
3. Kang Keaw Wan Kai (Green Chicken Curry)Since we are having three dishes in a row made of “Kai”, you would have guessed that it is chicken in English. Not that chicken is particularly popular in Thai cuisine; it is usually used in most curry and soup. Kang Kiew Wan, literally translated as “Sweet Green Curry”, is nicely sweet and slightly spicy and tastes very delightful with a proper blend of the spiciness from green curry chili paste, blandness from coconut milk, sweetness of sugar and saltiness of fish sauce. It is usually eaten with steamed rice or served as a sauce to rice noodle known as “Kanom Jeen” likewise to how you eat Spaghetti.
2. Pad Thai (Fried Noodle)This national dish prides itself for its long history traced back in previous centuries. Pad Thai flaunts the authenticity of Thai culinary arts in using only fresh and best ingredients and the well-balancing of the five fundamental flavors. The stir-fried noodle becomes popular because it tastes yummy and comes with a choice to add in a set of seasonings to suit your appetites. Through history, Pad Thai has evolved into two different styles: the classic and the variation. The classic Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chili pepper plus bean sprouts, shrimp and tofu and garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander while another style is relatively dry and lightly-flavored. The latter is easily found in street vendors and dominant in Thai restaurants in the West but the having classic Pad Thai freshly cooked in its original country is a way to go.
1. Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)No other dishes can defeat this renowned Tom Yam Goong as the optimal representative of Thai gourmet. Tom Yam Goong is truly one of a kind with its fierce spiciness and sourness and a blatant use of fragrant herbs including galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, tamarind and chili pepper. There are two styles of Tom Yam; the clear spicy soup and thick spicy soup. The latter is cooked by adding coconut milk or milk to the broth in order to thicken the stock and give the dish a milder flavor. Tom Yam is very versatile and can be made with prawns, chicken, fish and mix of seafood, and mushroom. Tom Yam Goong is the most popular variety of Tom Yam since Spicy Shrimp Soup is the original. Though not very surprising, Tom Yam Goong is definitely a signature dish of Thailand.
Even though it is commonly known that Thai food utilizes many health herbs and spices, there have always been debates whether Thai food is really good for health since they tend to be somewhat greasy. It is important to note that it depends on each dish; some can be highly caloric but many dishes make a good use of herbs. Garlic, for example, is very good healthwise because it can prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cancer.
No matter what the food is, the same old concept of moderate intake comes into play. From Mcdonald’s burger to Japanese Sushi, a key to optimal fitness is to avoid overconsumption. Thus, a claim that Thai food is mainly coconut-based and fattening should never be an adequate reason for you to still order a Big Mac. Ravish your taste buds with Thai food - tasty and healthy!