The History Of Thai Food And Its Many Influences

Whether you like your food spicy, sweet, sour, or salty, Thai food has all these flavors and more. Unique in nature because it appeals to everyone’s food instincts, Thai cuisine is not just bursting with flavor, but every mouthful of it creates an explosive sensation in the mouth, whether it’s a stir-fry dish, a noodle/rice dish, or a curry. Undoubtedly, it’s this explosion of taste that is pushing Thai food on the list of most popular cuisines in the world as well as in North America. So who or what gets the credit of having developed such a fantastic blend of flavors that appeal to everyone’s taste buds? What factors inspired the Thai people to create such fantastic gourmet combinations and the seamless blend of flavors, tastes, and aromas? Why wait; let’s find out!

The culinary culture of this royal country boasts of a rich and ancient history. History has it that Thais had already begun to enjoy the Siamese cuisine during the 13th century. Siamese cuisine consisted of servings of seafood and meat dishes along with fresh local vegetables, spices and herbs such as pepper and garlic, on a bed of rice. Due to open borders with neighboring countries, Thailand’s style of cooking started absorbing influences from India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, and China. Thai food began being cooked with spices, ingredients, and even cookware from these countries. For example, the Thais learned to use, now their most important culinary tool - the steel wok as well as learnt how to create noodles. India contributed in the form of turmeric, chillies, cumin, coriander, and many other Indian spices. However, in addition to adapting the best cooking styles from others, Thais didn’t forgo their styles completely. Instead they combined the best of both worlds and created Thai food as we know of it today. An example of this fact is that though Thai food uses noodles in the dishes, these noodles are made from rice and not wheat or egg as with Chinese or Italian dishes.


Other important influences that contributed to the growth and taste of Thai food include spicy flavors of Burmese sambals or red chilly sauces; exotic rice dishes inspired by Indonesian cuisine, and Malaysian curries. In fact, interestingly, one of the most well-known Thai Red Curry dishes is called “Penang’ after the Malaysian state!

Food, as with life, adapts, develops, and enhances itself with time and cultural influences. With the sharing of knowledge, ingredients, and interaction, cuisines mature just like Thai cuisine has.

For more such interesting information on Thai food history and other interesting facts visit our Thai Food website- http://www.templeofthai.com/

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Sawasdee Krub Welcome To Thailand

Plenty of curious tourists, make Bangkok the right place for adventure, culture and entertainment, everything together in a city that could be described as a 'beautiful chaos'.

The first place that should visited in Bangkok, not only because it is very interesting but, because it is considered as the starting point for exploring the entire country, is Khao San road, once you get there it is inevitable to be contagious of the relaxed atmosphere created by tourists dressed in sandals, shorts and t-shirts, surrounded with peddlers who make a perfect fusion of color, art, music and street commerce, that would be difficult to find in another place in the world.

Getting around the city is quite easy, several options of transportation are available as; the traditional Tuk Tuks, which are colorful three wheels mini taxis, the regular taxis, most of them with AC, and the famous Bangkok Sky Train (Metro), that has lines that take you to the most popular places of the city and also, offers a spectacular night view of the city that you don't want to miss. Another interesting way of getting around in the city, is taking a boat across the Chow Phraya River, which gives you the opportunity to appreciate the famous floating markets, a spectacle of colors that offers you, a nice view of the traditional Thai lifestyle, along with a different perspective of the city.

Treasures of great historical value like the Grand Palace, can be found in a common street in a city as diverse as Bangkok. This majestic palace, which is considered to be the most famous tourist attraction in Thailand, consists of a complex of beautiful architectural pieces inspired by the Buddhism of the 18th century. On its murals, it is possible to appreciate historical episodes of several centuries behind, as well as, the notable Hindu influence in the Thai Buddhism. The most prominent part of this complex is the temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew), which houses a tiny Buddha image made of green jade, which is known as most sacred icon of Thai Buddhism.

Right next to the Grand Palace, Wat pho is located. This Buddhist temple, known as the largest and oldest in Bangkok, is worldwide famous because it shelters the Reclined Buddha, which is a Buddha's giant golden sculpture that is going to amazed you , not just for its magnificence, but for the curious artistic details on its feet, which make this sculpture something really sublime. The Reclined Buddha is such a big and beautiful sculpture, that you will want to have a bigger camera to photograph it all.

When the night comes, it is possible to enjoy a Thai boxing match (Muay Thai), one of the most traditional sports of the country. The best places to watch it are Lumpini and Ratchadamnoen stadiums, Although, it is better to be prepared for a huge hustle of the people cheering up their favorite fighter along with live traditional music that makes you feel like you are part of an ancient carnival.

At the end of the day, it is impossible to refuse to a Thai massage session, in which, with almost acrobatic movements, the masseuse will help you stretching your body, not only to loose it, but also, to energize it with ancient techniques that have been practiced over the centuries as a form of healing.

Right after the Thai massage, you will surely feel relaxed, energized and very hungry, so, it is the perfect time to delight yourself, with the world's famous Thai cuisine. So, do not hesitate to taste the delicious and traditional Phad Thai as well as the Tom Yam Goong soup, which will make you, tremble with its indescribable combination of exquisite flavors. Then, it is a good idea to go back to khao San Road and try the traditional Thai bucket, consisting of Thai whiskey, red bull and coke, which will give you enough energy to party till the dawn.

Bangkok is a dynamic city with unlimited places to explore, just let your senses lead you, and you will be surprised of how exciting, wild and exotic it could be.


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Dining in Phuket, Thailand. Don’t Miss Out on the Best Phuket Has to Offer

Thailand is a culinary treat, it's famous for its delicious and spicy menu. Dishes typically use lemongrass, coriander, garlic, chili and lime juice to flavor their meals.

Seafood lovers will feel that they have arrived in paradise, rock lobsters, squid, large prawns, oysters, muscles, fresh crabs and fish are available in Phuket. Thai Pork is tender, tasty, and juicy, often better than the chicken that can sometimes be overcooked, and you should order imported steak unless you need to exercise your jaw.

Eating out in Phuket is a pleasure, and relatively inexpensive. There are some charming garden-style restaurants such as Nok & Jo's, and of course those that cater for you on the beach front enjoying the view of the Andaman Sea. Most restaurants in Phuket offer International cuisine which consists of a Thai menu and a western style menu; plenty of pastas, pizzas, BBQ's, Tex-Mex, hamburgers and sandwiches. There are also some fusion style restaurants serving dishes from all around Asia including Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and India.

Thai waiters are happy to play and entertain your children so that you can enjoy your food peacefully. Thai people are smiley and friendly, often supplying mosquito coils and happy to explain or even show you various Thai dishes that you may be unfamiliar with.

There are a number of bakeries, delis and cafe's on the island serving fresh bread and pastries. Paula's Cafe Retro, Surin, lets you start the day with Eggs Benedict and smoked salmon, or a breakfast burrito and good coffee. They also have an interesting lunch menu and specials board.

If you prefer fine dining, this is usually found in a high-class air-conditioned restaurant, and there are many good chefs in Phuket. You could try Weaves, part of ManaThai hotel which has a stunning interior, beautiful flower arrangements, and interesting articles from around Thailand. This restaurant has character, history, and friendly, attentive staff. Wines from around the world are available in these types of restaurants, but do expect to pay a premium because of import duties.

If you would like to try some gourmet Western cuisine try Les Anges run by chef Peter Webber. It is a café, deli, bakery (with the most divine cakes, pastries and home-made chocolates on Phuket,). It is also a restaurant and bar. It can be found on the East Coast of Phuket at the Royal Phuket Marina along with Limoncello, a fine Italian restaurant and Skippers bar and restaurant.

If there is one thing that the Thai's adore it's rice. Local Thai people will eat rice three times a day and it forms the basis of most meals. The best type of rice in Phuket is the Jasmine rice, grown only in Thailand; you could try red, purple or even black rice. There are also rice noodles, and egg-noodles in various sizes.

'Phad Thai' is Thailand's signature dish, noodles fried with garlic, small pieces of tofu, egg, and either shrimps or chicken, sprinkled with peanuts, and maybe some chill-powder and lemon on the side. This is a great lunch time dish, and popular with children as it closely resembles pasta.

There are some other great dishes that you must try whilst you are in Phuket, such as 'Tom Yam Kung' spicy sour prawn soup, or red, yellow, and green Thai curries made with coconut milk, spicy salads, and minced chicken fried with basil are all delicious. You could try Lemongrass Restaurant, on Suirn beach road, which serves good Thai food.

Fresh fruits and ice-creams form the basis of most Thai desserts, look out for 'Dragon Fruit' named because of it's amazing pink and green colour, or the juicy mangos which are often served with sweet sticky rice.

Whatever you choice, from 'Phad Thai' noodles to Italian pizza the tropical island of Phuket offers great food for everyone at a range of prices, there are many restaurants to choose from. We hope that you enjoy your stay in beautiful Thailand.

For more information on shopping, restaurants and things to do in Phuket, Thailand see our websites:
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A Simply Irresistible Wine to Pair With Three Food & Wine Magazine Hits - Delicious!

By Suzanne De Cornelia
Remember the hit song Simply Irresistible? It's one of those songs that you experience and don't forget. A fine Voignier has the same effect.

The Voignier (vee-ohn-yay) grape goes back to ancient Roman times. With ideal conditions and artful winemaking it produces a golden, rich, silky wine with floral and fruit aromas. Honeysuckle, honey, pear and peach are typical.

For centuries, the Rhone Valley Voigniers from southern France set the standard. But that changed in the 1990s as vineyards in California's Central Coast started producing and then exceeded the once unattainable French standard.

Next time instead of reaching for a Chardonnay, try a Voignier paired with spicy Thai, Vietnamese, shellfish, sushi or bold cheese instead. Here are three quick and delicious Food and Wine staff and reader favorites; a suggested Voignier follows.

Four Cheese Panini:

1/2 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (1 ounce)
1/2 cup shredded provolone cheese (3 ounces)

4 ciabatta rolls, halved lengthwise, or 8 slices firm white sandwich bread

8 arugula leaves

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the cheeses. Spread the cheese on the bottoms of the ciabatta rolls, top with 2 arugula leaves and close the panini.

Set a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over moderately high heat. Arrange the panini in the skillet and weight them down with a smaller pan. Cook the panini until the outside is crisp and the cheese is melted, 3 minutes per side. Cut the panini in half and serve at once.

Delicious Spicy Thai Shrimp and Basil with Jasmine Rice:

This is quick, healthy and easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon white peppercorns
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 or 2 fresh Thai or serrano chiles, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound medium or large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup holy basil leaves, or 1/2 cup torn Italian basil leaves plus 1/2 cup torn mint leaves

Directions:

1. In a small dry skillet, toast the peppercorns over moderate heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to a mortar and coarsely crush. Add the garlic, cilantro, ginger, chiles, lime zest and salt and pound to a coarse paste.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the paste and stir-fry over high heat for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until opaque throughout, about 2 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce. Transfer to a bowl, add the basil and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Grilled Mango Chicken Skewers with Red-Curry Peanut Glaze:

Have friends over for a Netflex movie night and wow them with this tasty pre-film grilled meal.

Ingredients:

1 large mango, peeled and cut into 2-inch squares, about 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups Red Curry-Peanut Sauce [recipe below]
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

Light a grill. In a bowl, toss the mango with the chicken and 3 tablespoons of the peanut sauce and season lightly with salt and pepper. Loosely thread the mango and chicken onto 8 skewers, alternating the pieces. Brush the skewers with oil and grill over high heat, turning occasionally, until the chicken is lightly charred in spots and nearly cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Brush 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce on the skewers and grill, turning, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick to brush, thin it slightly with water. Serve the chicken-and-mango skewers with lime wedges and pass the remaining peanut sauce at the table.

Red-Curry Peanut Sauce:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened peanut butter
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce

Directions:

You can make this sauce ahead and refrigerate it for up to 1 week.
Serve it with grilled beef, chicken, spareribs, shrimp or pork or with crudités for dipping, or mix it into rice noodles or stir-fries:

In a medium saucepan, heat the peanut oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the curry paste and whisk for 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and cook until melted. Whisk in the peanut butter, then slowly whisk in the coconut milk. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lime juice and fish sauce. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Wine suggestion: From the Signature Series of the Gold Medal winning Tamayo Family Vineyards, Serve the luscious and fruity Bailey 2008 Viognier. Named for the Tamayo's granddaughter, they hope it will become your family's 'darling' too. Click on: http://tamayofamilyvineyards.com/tamayo/index.jsp

Bon appetit!
(C) 2008-2012-Suzanne de Cornelia. All worldwide rights apply. This article may be reprinted on websites as long as the entire article, including website link and resource box below are included and unchanged. Suzanne is a freelance writer and Web 2.0 expert. Her novel "French Heart" will be released in Summer 2009.Contact Suzanne on Facebook or on her site: http://web.mac.com/myfrenchheart

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suzanne_De_Cornelia

ORIGINAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS: Formulation and evaluation of supplementary foods for Thai pregnant women

K Tontisirin, U Booranasubkajorn, A Hongsumarn and D Thewtong

To improve maternal nutritional status and to ameliorate protein-energy malnutrition in pregnant women and infants, supplementary foods for rural pregnant women were formulated and evaluated. Six formulas with protein and energy contents of 16-22 g and 350-500 kcal/100 g food, respectively, were developed from locally available raw materials. A field evaluation of formulas I and V was conducted at the regional MCH Center at Rajchaburi, about 120 km from Bangkok. Formulas providing 13 g protein and 350 kcal per day were given to two groups of mothers in the first or second pregnancy, starting at 28 +/- 2 wk of gestation. A third group, unsupplemented, served as controls. Maternal weight gain and left mid-arm circumference were measured every 2 wk. Birth weight, length, head and chest circumferences of newborns, and placental weight were significantly higher in both supplemented groups. These findings suggest that among undernourished mothers, supplementation of as little as 13 g protein and 350 kcal daily during the last trimester can significantly improve maternal weight gain and birth weight of newborns.

China Vacations Information - Thai Restaurants In Beijing

This article is about the China vacations and Beijing travel. You can find some useful information in it if you are planning your Beijing travel now.

The Thai food is lots of people's favourite food and you can find many good Thai restaurants in Beijing. If you are not very familiar with the menus in Thai restaurants, you can try the house specails. They are the dishes recommended by the Thai chef and you will not be disappointed with them.

1. Red Basil Thai Restaurant:
Address: 8 Xinyuanli Nanxiaojiejia Street, Beijing.
How to get here: Take the Line 403, 302 or 300 city bus to the station named "Niuwangmiao".
Capacity: 100 people.
House specials: Thai fried prawn cutlets (60 rmb), Thai hot and sour soup (40 rmb), Thai fried fish cutlets (60 rmb), Thai ginger flavor chicken soup ( 40 rmb ).
Some comments: One of my friends said that the Red Basil Thai Restaurant is the best Thai restaurant in Beijing. In my point of view, this restaurant is not a bad choice for a Thai food fan but it is a little bit expensive. This restaurant has been in good business for a long time now. It is close to the Nanyin Mansion and Yansha Mansion. The good location helps it to attracts more and more customers.

2. Water Lily (Hehua) Thai Restaurant:
Address: Guomao Center West SB124A, Beijing.
Tel: 65055386.
Capacity: 50 people.
House specials: Curry dishes (48 rmb), Thai hot and sour shrimp soup (66 rmb).
Some comments: You can find the native Thai food here and the delivery service is also available here (with reasonable price).

3. Saigon Inn:
Address: Gloria Plaza Hotel, Chaoyang districe, Beijing.
Capacity: 108 people.
House specials: Red Lion-head with Single Narial Bouquet (48 rmb), The peacock spreads its tail feathers (298 rmb), Sixiwanzi (98 rmb).

4. Asian Star Restaurant:
Address: 26 Dongsanhuanbeilu Street, Chaoyang district, Beijing.
Capacity: 150 people.
House specials: Kashao Tofu (28 rmb), Indian Ka Chicken (35 rmb), Masalaka (35 rmb). ( more info about the China vacations, Beijing flights and Lhasa travel at Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM )

5. Panqumei Thai Restaurant (South-east Asian Dishes, sea food):
Address: 25 Xiaoyunlu Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing.
How to get here: Take the Line 300 city bus to the station named "Jingxin Mansion".
Capacity: 40 - 50 people.

6. Changtaiyuan Thai Restaurant (South-east Asian Dishes):
Address: 8 Fangzhuanglu Street, Fengtai District, Beijing.
How to get here: Take the Line 63, 12, 112, 52 to the station named "Fangzhuang".
Capacity: 120 people.
House specials: Curry Chicken (30 rmb for the small dish and 40 rmb for the big dish), Xianglanye Fried Chicken (38 - 48 rmb), Hot and sour shrimp soup (68 - 88 rmb), Thaizhishadie (39 - 45 rmb).
Comments: The food here is the native Thai food and all the spices are from Thailand. The chef here is one of the top 10 Thai food chefs in Thailand. This place is your good choice if you wanna have some real Thai food in Beijing. ( Useful info for your China vacations if you are a Thai food fan. :-) )

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NOTE: Permission is granted by the copyright owner to disseminate this article in whole or in part provided credit is given to the author (with a link to the article's source URL Travel2ChinaInfo Dot COM ) and this NOTE is not removed.


About the author: Shane Lee. Copyright belongs to Lhasa travel, Beijing flights and China vacations . Source of this article: China vacations,Beijing Thai food . You can also find china vacations attractions (shaolin monks and kung fu) at: China vacations attractions.

In Thai Cooking Herbs and Spices Used

Horapha. Kaphrao and maenglak are varieties of sweet basil, annuals growing about 40 cm high. Horapha seems to be the nearest to the sweet basil used in European tomato dishes and Italian pesto. a sauce eaten by the Genoese with pasta and also used as a flavouring for soups for help visit www.bread-bakers-assistant.com. Horapha is used here as a vegetable and for flavouring. Kaphrao leaves are narrower and often tinged with reddish purple. It releases its aroma and flavour only when cooked and is used with fish, beef and chicken. Maenglak leaves are slightly hairy and paler green than horapha. It is sometimes called lemon-scented basil but definitely has a peppery taste when chewed; it is very similar to Italian dwarf basil and is used as a vegetable and for flavouring. The seeds (luk maenglak) are used in desserts, becoming gelatinous when soaked in water for a few minutes. In countries where these sweet basils are not available fresh, you should grow them yourself since dried ones are useless and all three are easy to grow from seed. In temperate climates they may be grown outdoor in summer in full sun or in pots in the kitchen window the rest of the year

Mint; bai saranae; Mentha arvensis. this mint is similar to the mint used for mint sauce in England and is used here as a vegetable and for flavouring.

Pepper; Phrik thai; Piper nigrum. Black pepper is milder but more aromatic than white pepper. Fresh green peppercorns are delicious with a special aromatic taste of their own and are available all year round but are best towards the end of the rainy season.

Chillis; phrik: Capsicum spp. Scientists believe that chillis are native to Central America and that they were brought to India and the Far East by the Portuguese in the 16th Century. They are called "ship pepper" in India to distinguish them from the native pepper, Piper nigrum or phrik thai. This means that Thai food has been chilli-hot for only the last 400 years. Many Thais, including one of our foremost botanies, are reluctant to believe this, arguing that chillis may have been brought to Asia across the Pacific or even that chillis originated in Central Asia and were taken by Mongoloid people to the New World for help visit www.bread-machine-cookbook.com. They also argue that chillis have been known and used for centuries as a medicine as well as a condiment, to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Whatever the arguments, there are over ten kinds of chillis in local markets varying in size and pepperiness. The smallest and hottest is phrik khi nu of which the kind called phrik khi nu suan is the hottest. Phrik chi fa are finger size and may be red. green or yellow. Both these chillis are Capsicum frutescens. A larger one. Capsicum annum, phrik yuak, is pale green and used for stuffing. Another variety popular in Chiang Mai is phrik num. The bell or sweet peppers are not used in Thai cooking but may be used as substitutes. In recent years a new chilli has been imported from Mexico called phrik khi nu Kaset which has a longer pod than our native phrik khi nu.

Garlic; krathiani: Allium sativum. Garlic can he bought in quantity and should be hung by its stalks. It is easier to peel garlic after smashing the cloves with the side of a knife. To make garlic oil. chop a handful of garlic, and fry it in plenty of hot oil until golden. The oil and the fried garlic can be stored in a jar for garnishing kaeng child and for tossing with noodles and rice. Pickled garlic: krathiam dang; pickled in vincai flavoured with a little sugar, may be bought at almost .any market.


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Food For Health - Thai Food

There are no less than 200-300 Thai dishes. Each has its own characteristics in flavor and feature.

It is not difficult to cook in the pre-historic era. Humans began their eating with raw trees: flowers, leaves, roots and bulbs. After having tasted the vagetables?bland flavor, they added some sour ones to make tastier, or mixed variety of vegetables. Later, they knew how to make simple cooking, for example, burning vegetables or putting rice into roasted bamboo (which was called ?kaawlaam? or a glutinous rice with coconut cream topping stuffed in a bamboo section and roasted). As the time passed by, they knew how to cook in various ways: frying, making soup or curry, steaming, making yam (salad) and preserving.

Food cooking is both science and art. Some foods need time, man power and delicacy in cooking, including an artistic decoration. Cooperation in cooking helps create unity and warmth among family members.

The process of Thai cuisine explains Thai life: its tradition, custom and culture as well as confirms that Thai family is a big one in which its members live together with warm relationship. In cooking Thai food, family members have their share of helping, as a teamwork. Either the grown ups or the young ones, males or females, can participate. In some old families, the elders knew how to manage the young off springs giving their hands in cooking. Small kids could help with light works, e.g., nipping off miniature egg plants, or sweet basils from the stem; whereas the bigger ones could peel onions, garlics, pluck off vegetables, squeeze coconut meat, and pound chillies and spices, for example.

Accordingly, it is clearly seen that food cooking creates closeness among family members in talking and chatting to one another. Young kids knew how to help, and to cook as well as to be trained to have responsibility and discipline in working. The whole family, then, has a warm relationship and in turn produces worthy people for society in general.

Names:

Thai food always has its meaningful names which indicate its features or methods of cooking. Khanom Pui Fai is light, soft and yellowish white like cotton wool. Mi Krop (Crispy noodles) must be crispy. In the old days, most Thai people usually had a sense of humour and they often named foods, poetically, to stimulate the appetite. Among those foods are Jorka Lonson (Black bean in coconut milk), Naree Jaamseen (Banana in coconut milk) Ho Mujcha Chailai (Steamed curried fish), Paad Paakdong Fong Raga (Pickled vegetable fried with egg)

The Flavor of Thai food:
Regional Dishes :

The North: The food of the North has its light flavor, with a little spices, not very hot with chillies, not salty and without sugar, except in Phak Jo, Kaeng Kae, Kaeng Oom Moo, Sai Uaa, etc.

The North-East:The North-Eastern food has a strong flavor with chillies, salt, herbs and spices. Examples are Lap Pradook, Som Tom, Oomsab Tomsab, etc.

The Centre:The Central food has a moderate flavor with herbs and sugar. Kaeng Khieo Wan, Kaeng Som, Tom Yam, Tom Khaa Kai, Phanaeng, Choochee, are examples.

The South:The South has a very strong flavor of food with spicy herbs. Examples are fried or grilled tumeric-powdered fish, Kaeng Lyan, Tom Som, Pla Krabok and Kaeng Taipla.

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An Introduction to Thai Food - A Guide for the Gastronomically Timid British Newbie

A surprising number of us Brits are still very wary of "foreign food". Despite claims that curry is now as much an English national dish as roast beef or fish and chips, there are still many people who are missing out on flavours they never dreamed existed. Whether we like it or not, the British palate is not renowned for its sense of adventure. Our indigenous cuisine is universally regarded as bland and, apart from the odd dash of mustard or horseradish sauce, hot and spicy are not qualities easily found in a traditional British meal.

Indian and Chinese foods have gained wide acceptance as recent generations have grown up with their presence. Other spicy foods that have long been popular in the USA, such as Mexican and Thai, have taken longer to become established in the UK. Mexican cuisine is still something of a novelty, but Thai food has enjoyed a veritable explosion of popularity in the last decade.

It is, perhaps, the universal presence of rice that misleads the uninitiated Brit into assuming that all South East Asian food is much the same. This misconception, although typical of the British indifference to, and ignorance of, exotic cultures, could not be further from the truth. The four regional styles that comprise Thai cuisine contain a range of unique and spectacular dishes. While the influence of Thailand?s Asian neighbours, particularly China, is present in some recipes, the richly structured native Thai cuisine evolved from a fusion of many influences. Trade routes brought input from Europe as well as other pats of Asia.

Thai cuisine has elements in common with both Indian and Chinese food, but offers advantages over both. The aromatic flavours are more prominent and varied than in Chinese food, and the majority of dishes are lighter and less fatty than Indian foods.

Rice, vegetables, fish and fresh herbs and spices are essential elements. Some common Thai ingredients, such as turmeric, which has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, are often included in lists of so-called "super foods". When one also considers the relatively small amount of red meat used in Thai recipes, it is not surprising that it is regarded as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.

But, health considerations aside, the best reason for the timid British diner to try Thai food is its impressive range of flavours. To get the full benefit of the experience, it is a good idea to partake of a meal served in the traditional manner. The company of two or three people is so much nicer than dining alone, so a Thai meal should be a communal occasion. In general, the more people present, the more dishes will be ordered, and the more different things may be tried. As a rough guide, it might be expected that two people would order three dishes in addition to their rice. Three diners might order four, or maybe five, dishes.

When the food arrives, each dinner guest will receive an individual plate of rice, which forms the base upon which she may construct a meal according to taste from the dishes that have been ordered. Each will choose whatever she fancies from the shared dishes and add it to her plate of rice. While eating the meal, soup may be enjoyed as an accompaniment and does not have to be taken as a separate course. This sometimes surprises first-time diners.

Thai food is usually eaten with a fork and spoon; something which greatly reassures those who might have expected to have to master the unfamiliar technique of chopsticks. Chopsticks are actually used rarely, generally only for eating some noodle dishes. As all elements of a Thai meal are usually served in nice, bite-sized pieces, it is easy to eat one?s dinner with dignity.

In some part of Thailand, as in many parts of the world, it is common to eat food directly with the right hand instead of using cutlery. Practicality, and the sometimes rather rigid British sense of propriety make this an uncommon technique to use in restaurants, and it probably goes without saying that the spoon and fork option will be seen as preferable by all present!

Amongst the fare, one might find various snacks and side dishes such as rice cakes, satay (a kebab-like meat snack, skewered with bamboo and often served with a peanut sauce) and spring rolls. General dishes might include omelettes and stir fried or sweet and sour dishes. Soups, curries and various dips are all likely to make an appearance, as is a salad. The Thai salad is, however, often a little different from its conventional British counterpart in the use of sweet, sour and salty flavours along with the spiciness of chillies.

Like many Asian cuisines, Thai restaurant cookery has made the occasional adaptation to take advantage of ingredients local to the country in which it operates. Broccoli, for example, is used in many British Thai restaurants, but it is rarely used in Thailand itself.

It is beyond the scope of this article to describe in detail the flavours of individual Thai dishes. Suffice it to say that there is something to suit every palate. Thai cuisine specialises in balancing spicy, sweet, sour, salt and bitter flavours, and as fresh herbs generally take precedence over strong spices, those flavours are perhaps less daunting than those in some of the fierce curries to be found in Indian food. That is not to say that Thai curries lack fire, but the spice-heat is perhaps more fleeting than that from Indian foods, and thus the palate is more quickly free to enjoy the flavours of other dishes. The meal is usually rounded off with a welcome sweet or fruit desert to contrast with the spices and herbs of the main meal.

A Thai meal is a visual experience as well as an olfactory one. The presentation of many dishes is colourful and rich in varied textures. The attractiveness of the food

A Taste Of Galicia - Gazpacho De Esparragos Con Huevo Pochado

Quite often when you research information into the various cultures and cuisines that make up countries it is quite possible to find a common theme common name for the food of that country. Such as Chinese Food, Thai Food etc but to be honest it could be argued that with regards to Spain there is no such thing as “Spanish” food as with the make up and historical heritage of Spain it is not quite that simple.

The Political and historical make up of Spain with the unification of its particular regions and collective cultural identities make it perfectly reasonable and logical to argue that there is no such thing really as overall Spanish cooking. These autonomous regions have been slowly amalgamated through a number of different processes throughout history but have all kept their own distinctive features.
The relative number of autonomous regions that combine to form modern day Spain is 17 and in the main, they all have their own language variants (if not separate languages) and entire cultural heritages. One of the more interesting and culturally diverse regions is that of Galicia which is situated in the North Western corner of mainland Spain.

Galicia is surrounded on two sides by the Atlantic Ocean and it is pretty understandable to think that for a region that has such an involvement with the sea, its cuisine would also be heavily influenced by the sea. Nothing in fact could be further than the truth and there are a whole host of interesting and delicious recipes based upon the agriculture and viniculture of the region.

The time for talk is over and let’s gets on with the serious business of cooking!

For this delicious Gazpacho recipe we are looking to take enough ingredients to serve four people and us such we would need the following:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small leaks, white parts and then chopped.
600 ml of water
1 potato peeled and diced
450 grams of fresh asparagus with the tougher parts of the stalks trimmed and chopped.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 media makes
1 teaspoon vinegar
A pinch of sea salt flake's
A few drops of truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil

Take the olive oil in a heat the oil in a saucepan and then add the leaks and stew slowly until the leaks are nice and soft.

Next add the water a little salt and pepper and potato if you are going to be using one. The reason for including a potato in anything like this is that it will slightly thicken the soup making the whole dish a lot more substantial.

However, if you are going to include potato in this recipe then you have to remember that the soup will need to cook for about 10 minutes longer than normal until the potato has softened. The next thing is to add the asparagus and boil for five minutes. Be careful at this stage because if you boil the asparagus for too long you lose the colour from the asparagus and the whole soup will lose a bit of the visual impact.

Take the soup and then purée the soup in whatever blender or food processor that you have and when the soup has been puréed, push the soup through a sieve. The reason for this is that you want to try and make the soup as much of a consommé as possible.

Let the finished soup cool and then keep the soup cool until you are ready to serve. When you're almost ready to serve the soup poured into some nice wide rimmed bowls.

Now for the second stage of the recipe, the warm poached eggs.

Take a saucepan and add some water. Add the vinegar and bring the water to a simmer rather than a boil. Take the eggs and gently crack them and gently lower them into the water. Simmer a couple of the eggs at a time for about three minutes or until the white of the egg is set.

Remove the eggs and leave them to drain. If at this particular point in time you want to be totally obsessed with the display and appearance of the soup you could always try and trim the whites of the egg either with a knife or scissors. Take the poached egg and place one in the centre of each bowl of soup and sprinkle on top of the egg some flakes of your sea salt and add a couple of drops off the truffle oil. Be careful with the truffle oil in that the actual case can be extremely overpowering and is not necessary to everybody's taste.

Then serve sit back and wait for the complements!

By: stephenmorgan

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Stephen Morgan writes about a great many Internet Travel based issues and more on the above can be found at Accommodation in Galicia . For a more complete overlook at Tourism in Galicia try www.turgalicia.es

Thai Dishes, Central Part And South

By: Manora
The Central Part
Tamlyn (a kind of creeping plant of which its green leaves and tops are edible) is the vegetable Queen of the central region. The cool flavor of the Tamlyn’s leaves and creeping stems cooked as food help relieve heat in the summer time.
1. Nam Prig Maakhaan Sod (Fresh Tamarind Chilli Paste )
Vegetables to be taken with:
Parboied vegetables are Tamlyn, the tops of Maafaak Kaew(a kind of green melon), Maa Kwaeng ji, grilled young Paekaa pods (Kinds of pods from the Paekaa tree of Oroxylums indicum family )and the tops of Faak Khaw (a kind of fruit from the Faak Khaw creepting plant) Fresh vegetables are Thua pu, Phaak Hin, Phaak Poom Pla (a kind of short- life circle plant with its tender stem) and the tops of wild olive leaves.
Medicinal value: Fresh Tamarind Chilli Paste helps get rid of phlegm in the intestines, releases the bowel movement, improves women’s blood circulation and stimulates the appetite.
2. Nam Prig Maengda (Chilli Sause with Water bug)
Medicinal Value : Nam Prig Maengda helps stimulate the appetite, gets rid of chest and stomach discomfort, and nourishes the body’s wind element
3. Nam Prig Plaa Too with Tamlyn’s (Shrimp Paste Dip)
Medicinal Value: Plaa Too(Mackerel) provides proteins; Vegetables give vitamins and minerals. Tamlyn has its value reducing sugar in blood and getting rid of internal heat.
4. Tom Yam Kung (Sour Prawn Soup)
Medicinal value: Tom Yam Kung helps get rid of sweat, relieves discomfort and stimulates appetite.
5. Kuai Tieo Phad Thai (Thai Fried Noodles)
The South
Phaak Mhieng is the Southern Queen of vegetables. With its sweet, creamy flavor, this vegetable gives a high quality of nutrition, causing the body’s strength. Chewing the fresh and young Phaak Mieng leaves helps reduce the thirstiness.
1. Phaad Phaak Mhiendg Sai Kung Haeng (Fried Phaak Mhieng with Dried Shrimp)
2. Kaeng Lyang (Southern Style Soups
Medicinal value: This Southern Style Soup helps get rid of stipulation, stomach discomfort and body nourishment. Fishes cooked in the soup give proteins.
3. Kaeng Taai plaa (Fish Kidney Soup)
This Soutern Style Soup gets rid of sweat, and wind; helps digestion and bowel movement.
4. Phaad Saator Sai Kapi (Fried Saator’s seeds with Shrimp Paste)
Medicinal value: Food cooked with saator seeds helps stimulate appetite.
5. Kaaw Yam (Rice Mixed with Various Kinds of Herbs in Southern Style)
Medicinal value: The Southern-Style mixed rice is a kind of medicinal food to improve the body’s chemical elements. Khaaw Yam consists of many flavors: creamy flavor of coconut meat, sour flavor of raw mangoes and lime, and salty and sweet from the “boodoo” sauce (a kind of sauce taken with Khaaw Yam ) along with the hot flavor from powdered chillies.


 

Thai/Lao Classic Hot Sauce

Author: Manivan Larprom
Recipe for the Classic Thai / Lao Hot Sauce:
Ingredients: 1 garlic clove; 1 Red Chili; 1 Green Chili; 1 tablespoon squeezed Lime; 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
Instructions: In a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and chilies until they are in small pieces. Add squeezed lime and fish sauce and mix. Pour the Classic Thai / Lao Hot Sauce into a small dipping bowl for serving. The above ingredients can be multiplied to suit the number of servings.
You can substitute soy sauce for fish sauce but it would not be authentic nor classic.
Pour this sauce over rice or dip the sauce with sticky rice and grilled meat.
The basic ingredients that are used in Thailand and Laos include: garlic, chilies, fish or soy sauce, lime or rice vinegar, and sugar. However, the proportion of each ingredient varies depending on the dish and the cook. With the exception of dessert dishes, these ingredients are in most Thai and Lao dishes. Every dish has a unique balance of these basic ingredients.
For a gourmet flavour: grill the garlic, chilies, one or two cherry tomotoes, and one quartre grilled onion bulb. Crush them in a mortar and pestle. Mix two tablespoons each of fish sauce and fresh squeezed lime. Serve this at a barbeque gathering.
A Thai or Lao home is not complete without a mortar and pestle. The mortar is usually made from clay and pestle from wood. For the authentic taste and texture of Thai and Lao food, you need to invest in a mortar and pestle. For now, use a food processor until you get one.
Visit my blog at http://www.thai-laos-food.blogspot.com/ to view the instructional video on how the sauce is made by using the traditional method of a mortar and pestle.

About the Author

A Thai / Laos girl who has a mission to teach others on how to cook Thai and Lao food. Her blog at http://www.thai-laos-food.blogspot.com/ lists many recipes. As well, there are some instructional videos that show the traditional cooking methods that are used today in Thailand and Laos.

Getting Introduced to Thai Food

Author: Napatr Lindsley
Are you having a standard American dinner tonight? Bored with chicken, potatoes, salad and pasta? Thinking of Thai food but nah it seems hard to cook? Well, Thai food should be easy and quick to prepare. In Thailand, street food or food vendors are everywhere in a city or small town. There are all kinds of street food, appetizers, noodle soup, curry, desserts, fruits, etc. I would say this is our way of life in Thailand. It is common to find a very good food vendor, even better than a restaurant. Most street vendors in Thailand did not go to a culinary school. How do they make such yummy food? Mostly it is from helping in a kitchen.
As I mentioned, Thai food is prepared easily and quickly. Thai food is all about putting the right ingredients together. In America, finding a restaurant that serves authentic Thai food can be somewhat challenge especially if you are not living in a big city. I have been to many Thai restaurants in Oregon, and most of them offer Thai food that is very Americanized. Some dishes are way too far from the original Thai food except the name of the dish.
If you have not been to a Thai restaurant or eaten much Thai food before, going to your local Thai restaurant is an option to get acquainted with Thai dishes. Go with your friends so that you can try a variety of dishes. Also, using the Internet, you can find authentic Thai recipes. You might ask what kinds of elements define an authentic Thai recipe.
Ingredients make a difference. If a recipe requires lots of standard American vegetables, it is not likely to be a real Thai recipe. If you find a recipe that has lots of unrecognized names or something that is uncommon to find in the local grocery store, that might be it. For example, in Thailand, a green curry dish has four main vegetables: Thai eggplants, pea eggplants, kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil. Americanized green curry might have green beans, carrots, eggplants, or perhaps tomatoes.
If this is your first time to make a Thai dish, plan ahead. Find the dish you like on the Internet or in a Thai cookbook. Learn about the ingredients and visit either a local or online Asian grocery store. Templeofthai.com and importfood.com are popular websites specializing in authentic Thai ingredients and products. They carry almost everything from flour, sauces, curry paste, noodles, cookware, fresh produce and vegetables.
Don’t be discouraged. Really, making Thai food is not too complicated. It is easy once you have and know your ingredients.
Another component is having the right cooking equipment. Many people say having a wok is a minimum requirement, but I would say it depends. It is a nice thing to have. If you have an electric stove, using a wok is not going to do much for some dishes. But if you have a gas stove, adding a wok in your kitchen could spice up your meals because of how gas stoves distribute heat. I have a wok at home but also an electric stove. So I do not really use my wok that much at all because with the electric stove, it does not distribute heat evenly to the side of the wok. Mortar and pestle are needed if you like to make your own paste. Many people find ways to use a food processor instead. It is certainly a substitute, but in my opinion, it does not deliver the same texture of paste.
When you are ready to cook, following your recipe directions is a good start. However, when it comes to taste, follow your own preference, given that taste varies from person to person. You will need to find your own balance for seasoning your dish. If the recipe tells you to add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, add 1 tablespoon first. Taste it and see how you like it. If you would like more, then add more. As my mom always told me, “it is easier to fix the taste if you add little at the beginning. If you add too much at first, you might not be able to fix it.”
Thai cuisine is versatile and offers a range of flavors and textural variety. It is aesthetically pleasing, and there are many ways to make Thai cuisine part of an enjoyable culture experience. Cheers to Thai food!

About the Author

Learn Authentic Thai Cooking at http://thaicookinghouse.com

Food For Health - Thai Food

Author: Manora
There are no less than 200-300 Thai dishes. Each has its own characteristics in flavor and feature.
It is not difficult to cook in the pre-historic era. Humans began their eating with raw trees: flowers, leaves, roots and bulbs. After having tasted the vagetables’bland flavor, they added some sour ones to make tastier, or mixed variety of vegetables. Later, they knew how to make simple cooking, for example, burning vegetables or putting rice into roasted bamboo (which was called “kaawlaam” or a glutinous rice with coconut cream topping stuffed in a bamboo section and roasted). As the time passed by, they knew how to cook in various ways: frying, making soup or curry, steaming, making yam (salad) and preserving.
Food cooking is both science and art. Some foods need time, man power and delicacy in cooking, including an artistic decoration. Cooperation in cooking helps create unity and warmth among family members.
The process of Thai cuisine explains Thai life: its tradition, custom and culture as well as confirms that Thai family is a big one in which its members live together with warm relationship. In cooking Thai food, family members have their share of helping, as a teamwork. Either the grown ups or the young ones, males or females, can participate. In some old families, the elders knew how to manage the young off springs giving their hands in cooking. Small kids could help with light works, e.g., nipping off miniature egg plants, or sweet basils from the stem; whereas the bigger ones could peel onions, garlics, pluck off vegetables, squeeze coconut meat, and pound chillies and spices, for example.
Accordingly, it is clearly seen that food cooking creates closeness among family members in talking and chatting to one another. Young kids knew how to help, and to cook as well as to be trained to have responsibility and discipline in working. The whole family, then, has a warm relationship and in turn produces worthy people for society in general.
Names:
Thai food always has its meaningful names which indicate its features or methods of cooking. Khanom Pui Fai is light, soft and yellowish white like cotton wool. Mi Krop (Crispy noodles) must be crispy. In the old days, most Thai people usually had a sense of humour and they often named foods, poetically, to stimulate the appetite. Among those foods are Jorka Lonson (Black bean in coconut milk), Naree Jaamseen (Banana in coconut milk) Ho Mujcha Chailai (Steamed curried fish), Paad Paakdong Fong Raga (Pickled vegetable fried with egg)
The Flavor of Thai food:
Regional Dishes :
The North: The food of the North has its light flavor, with a little spices, not very hot with chillies, not salty and without sugar, except in Phak Jo, Kaeng Kae, Kaeng Oom Moo, Sai Uaa, etc.
The North-East:The North-Eastern food has a strong flavor with chillies, salt, herbs and spices. Examples are Lap Pradook, Som Tom, Oomsab Tomsab, etc.
The Centre:The Central food has a moderate flavor with herbs and sugar. Kaeng Khieo Wan, Kaeng Som, Tom Yam, Tom Khaa Kai, Phanaeng, Choochee, are examples.
The South:The South has a very strong flavor of food with spicy herbs. Examples are fried or grilled tumeric-powdered fish, Kaeng Lyan, Tom Som, Pla Krabok and Kaeng Taipla.

Nam-Ob Thai In The Thai New Year

Author: Saronkorn Seuyouyong

Nam-Ob Thai

Nam- Ob Thai is one of Krueng Pratin, featuring clear, perfumed water in light yellow colour. Its name derives from a major peocess of making “Ob” (vapouring). The Nam-Ob could be made with or without fresh flowers.

Applications of the Nam-Ob Thai

1. Directly apply on face and body to relieve skin from hot temperature and reduce sweat odour.

2. Mix with Pang-Rum before applying on face or body for beauty and reduce skin irritation.

3. Sprinkle on clothes.

4. Mix with powdered Kamin an rub on body skin before raking a bath. It is a traditional, beautifying therapy for Thai women in the past.

5. Mix with powdered rice grain. This could reduce skin irritation and rashes caused by dust allergies.

6. Mix with Pang Krajae to remark objects in blessing ceremonies.

7. Being an offering in some rituals such as the Rice Goddess’s

8. Bathe the Buddha’s image, monks or the elderly in special festivals such as Songkran’s festival.

9. Mix with fresh or dry potpourri.

10. Bathe the pass-away’s body in general bathe people’s funeral. The King may allow a royal Nam-Ob Thai bathe for high-ranking’s funerals.

The Thai New Year (Thai: สงกรานต์ Songkran) is celebrated every year on April 13 to April 15. It is also celebrated in Laos (called Songkan in Lao), Myanmar (Burma where it is called Thingyan), and by ethnic Dai in Yunnan, China. Sri Lanka also celebrates a similar festival called Sinhalese and Tamil new year on the same dates.

The date of the festival was originally set by astrological calculation, but it is now fixed . If these days fall on a weekend, the missed days off will be taken on the days immediately following (But Sri Lanka still uses an astrological calculation to set the dates and times based on the sun's positional change and those dates and times are used to start the festival events). Songkran falls in the hottest time of the year in Thailand, at the end of the dry season. Until 1888 the Thai New Year was the beginning of the year in Thailand; thereafter April 1 was used until 1940. January 1 is now the beginning of the year. The traditional Thai New Year has been a national holiday since then.

Tags: Nam-Ob

Noodles and More at Noodle Bar - Restaurants in Hyderabad

By Shah Barkha

What you see - Simple yet elegant, and small yet big, the Noodle Bar at Hyderabad Central offers a lot more besides loads of noodle delights. Now it seems to be a modestly sized restaurant from the foyer but the saying, 'Looks can be deceptive' turns out to be dead right with this one! Because very soon you will learn that the three juxtaposed restaurants - Bombay Blue, Noodle Bar and Copper Chimney - are owned by a single family and come under the Blue Foods banner.

Enter into any of these three restaurants where glass acts as a dividing wall, and you, by all means will get a feel of being present in one huge restaurant. Though the kitchens are separate since they serve different cuisines, the bar is common for all the three. The bar serves cocktails, mocktails and alcohol.

What you get - Basically serving lunch and dinner, the menu at the Noodle Bar features Thai, Japanese, Chinese and other types of Oriental cuisine and is quite vast with both the starters as well as the main course. One good thing about the menu is that it is self-explanatory. If the quaint names of some of the dishes make you wonder, then the accompanying description give you a lucid account of what to expect.

Try their special Tom Yam Thai (Thai soup with noodles, veggies and wantons) and dim sums for starters. Another specialty of the place is the Teppanyaki sizzlers. Try these out if you would like to get an idea of the Japanese style of cooking. These are available in both the vegetarian and the non-vegetarian variety.

If you, however, are of the kinds who prefers to stick to what you usually eat then go ahead and get your own choice of tossed noodles made. The servings here are (more than) sufficient for one person. Otherwise the Noodle Bar Signature - a combo of rice and noodles with vegetables - can stand as a meal in itself. By the way, there is no better way of ending it than with the sizzling brownie here. A scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with heavenly hot chocolate fudge is how we would define it.

The verdict - If your craving for a perfect Chinese luncheon has remained unfulfilled of late, then Noodle Bar is a good and a gratifying option. Veggies have enough to choose from over here even though it serves non-vegetarian food as well. You need not wait long for your meal to arrive here. Hospitality, in fact, may just become another reason for you to step in again. All in all, a great way to end your shopping endeavor at Hyderabad Central.

Hyderabad Restaurants has been written by Shah Barkha for MetroMela Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shah_Barkha

Tags: Restaurants

Thai Recipes And Cuisine

By Sunil Tanna

Thai food offers many delicious dishes flavored with spices, lemon-grass or coconut - although different regions of Thailand, each tend to have their own preferred ingredients - for example, coconut milk and tumeric in the South, and lime juice in the Northeast. No matter what part of the country a dish is from, all Thai dishes or meals aim to achieve a balance between fundamental flavors common to the cuisine: spicy hot, sour, sweet and salty, as well as optionally bitter.

Rice forms an important and fundamental part of Thai food, and jasmine rice (which is native to Thailand) is used in many dishes as well as being served plain. Some other popular Thai dishes include:

- Pad Thai - Fried rice noodles with fish sauce, sugar, lime or tamarind, peanuts and egg, mixed with chicken, tofu or seafood.

- Pad see ew - noodles stir-fried with thinly sliced pork or chicken, and flavored with fish sauce.

- Green curry - A curry flavored with coconut, green chillies, and Thai basil, containing vegetables and chicken or fish.

- Red curry - A very hot curry made with plenty of red chillies.

- Yellow curry - A curry that is colored using fresh tumeric (hence its yellow color), and also containing black mustard seeds, cumin, nutmeg, brown sugar, kaffir lime leaves, lime juice, coconut milk and fish sauce.

- Gai pad khing - Fried chicken with vegetables and sliced ginger.

- Tom yam - A hot and sour soup made with seafood (often shrimp) or chicken.

- Som tam - Grated papaya salad. There are several variations: the salad can be served with salted black crab, with peanuts, shrimps and palm sugar, or with salted fish, eggplant, and long beans.

- Satay - Originally from Indonesia, Satay has also become a popular dish in Thailand. Satay is grilled meat (usually chicken or pork), usually on skewers, served with cucumber salad and a peanut sauce.

Originally published at http://www.recipesmaniac.com/cook_thai.php - visit this site for more information, photographs and Thai cook books.

Discover more about recipes and cooking at http://www.recipesmaniac.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sunil_Tanna

Tags: history thai food, Thai Recipes

What Makes Thai Herbs Amazing?

By Saras Jantarateptawan
here are many things that are characteristics of Thailand, and have made a brand name for Thailand. These are Thai boxing, Thai dance, Thai silk, Thai rice, Thai fruits and of course, Thai food. The ingredients that make Thai food amazing are Thai 'herbs', which, together with 'spices', have been ingeniously blended in Thai cuisine. The recipes of Thai food have as their main ingredients.

Although most herbs are used are used as condiments or seasoning materials, Thai hers are somewhat different from all other herbs. They have characteristic taste and aroma that are not found in other herbs. They have characteristic taste and aroma that are not found in other herbs. For example, 'Horapha' or Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum), the same species as the well-known sweet basils, has distinct aroma and flovor from that of other sweet basils and is well suited for several Thai dishes, which cannot be replaced with other sweet basils or other herbal materials. These dishes include 'Kaeng Khieo Wan', 'Kaeng Phet', 'Phat Makheua Yao', stc.

Similarly, 'Kaphrao' or Thai holy basil (Ocimun tenuiflorum), has a distinct flavor and aroma from other holy basil (which has rarely been used as herbs as herbs in other countries); it has made Thai dishes, such as 'Kai Pat Bai Kaphrao', very well known to the Thais as well as foreigners. 'Maeng Lak' or hairy basil (Ocimum americanum) is indispensable in 'Khanom Chin Nam Ya' and 'Kaeng Riang'. 'Makrut' or kaffir lime (Citrus hvstrix) whose leaves are used in many Thai dishes, gives a unique aroma and flavorl it is a major ingredient of the world famous Thai soup, known as 'Tom Yam Kung'. Like Thai spices, Thai herbs are uniquely blended with Thai dishes such that they are inseoarable. 'Tom Yam Kung'.

For example, is world famous because it contains a blend of many herbs (and also a few spices), among them kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass stem, lime juice and chili (the last three, although not the leafy nor soft flowering parts of plant, but are treated here as herbs since they come from fleshy part of the plant). Two other related types of Thai dishes, 'Yam' and 'Phla'.

Will not taste as good without such herbs as kitchen mint, lemon grass and lime.
In addition to adding flavor to the dishes, most Thai herbs also provide health benefits from their inherent medicinal properties. Thus, it is fair to say that Thai herbs. With their beautiful form with nice green color, are added as a flavoring, seasoning, or garnish, making Thai dishes both tasty and beautiful, as well as soothing the stomach with their stomach with their refreshing and medicinal properties.

http://www.shineherbgroup.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Saras_Jantarateptawan

Tags: healthy thai food, Tom Yam, history thai food

Favorite Laotian Authentic Dish

By Dee S

Foods in America have been a delight and crave for many Americans who love to eat. There are all kinds of different kinds of foods almost in every city. Ethnic food has been around sometime Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese. Then you have all time Americans favorite Italian, then French, Greek and many more.

They are right Americans do love to eat, but they are also countries that also have good food but very few restaurants are open that serve their food like Lao food. Lao people live in Laos its country borders Thailand and Cambodia. Many people compare Lao food to Thai food, because of its similarity. But there are many dishes that Thai people or any westerners have not tried before.

Lao food can be extremely spicy and very flavorful here is a few dishes that are most common in Thai restaurants som tum (papaya salad) it's a salad made of shredded unripe papaya mix with crab paste, fish sauce, peppers, garlic, sugar, lime or tamarind, a spicy and sour dish. Larb dish (meat salad dish) it is also found in a lot of Thai Restaurant, the dish is actually a Lao national dish.

When made Laotian style the meat is chop finely and then lightly cooked in hot water, then mix with fresh herbs, spices, and squirt of lime juice despite it is healthy very intense flavor. Here is the real Lao food you have been waiting for, Sean Hang a Lao beef jerky that is hanged and dried then deep fried best eaten with sticky rice and chili sauce.

Kaeng Nor Mai, A Spicy and Sour Bamboo soup with chicken very spicy soup. Mok gai, steam chicken in vermicelli noodles, spices and herbs wrapped in banana leaf. Ow is like a curry, but made from all natural ingredients, it is meat that is boiled with an eggplant and other Asian vegetables until thicken. You will not find this at a Thai restaurant or even lao restaurant because it is a dish that you just eat at home. If you ever like to try real authentic lao food there is a place you can check out in Renton, WA or you can visit there website for more info. http://www.kafedelaos.com.

Owner/Chef Dee Simongkhonh http://kafedelaos.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dee_S

Tags: Thai Food, thai food menu, Trevel in Thailand

Thailand Tour 2008 Day 1

By Hoo Don

Hello and welcome from the Land of Smiles. Arrived on time, well fed and refreshed. Thank you Bangkok for your smoking rooms. Went straight through immigration and customs no problem and was met by my girlfriend the Wonderful Wi. Stepping outside the terminal we dropped straight inside the giant wok that is Thailand. Red hot and full of spice.We headed straight for the taxi rank and were greeted by a just landed American gentleman.

Chat, chat, spiel and he then says to me "London, heathrow, did you fly from that goddamn terminal 5." Couldn't resist it, tapped my suitcase and answered "still got this so I don't think so". The taxi pulled up and it was your stereotyped blacker than black sunglasses taxi man. You just had to hope behind the glasses sat whiter than white clear brown eyes and not the man who had lost his only girlfriend to his elder brother and they were now married with two children. In Thailand 99.9% of men faced with a steering wheel turn into a gung ho go kart racer, slap on some taxi stickers, a meter and a sign on top and you quickly accelerate into the final minute of grand Prix qualifying.

In this situation you hope he's not colour blind, the severely frayed seat belts are part of the design and the air bag is not at that minute being expertly withdrawn from a corpse in some Bangkok morgue. I spun life's coin and lost. Excuse the pun but we arrived in Hua Hin quicker than expected. The fare was settled, I gave a monetary tip and added one from life, "If you ever take up hot air ballooning fill the basket full with sand". He didn't understand and I didn't care. He screamed away from the starting grid with me praying to my new found god that I would never be crossing the lights he was approaching on the day his elder brother had won the national lottery.We entered the hotel lobby very nervously and I was surprised to see the the floor wasn't coated in eggshells but an old style Thai brown floor tile.

The Araya hotel appears to be a cozy I guess family run hotel situated 70 metres from the beach. Absolutely perfect.We showered and then entered the cocktail of bars and restaurants that form the pulse we are now within. The highlight of our day was a shared 4 course meal, eaten overlooking the beach. Tom yum kung (spicy prawn soup), beef and vegetables surfacing on top of a rich sweet sauce, deep fried battered prawns and then my favourite, rice fried with coconut, sultanas and prawns, served in a pineapple boat. Washed down with a beer and water melon juice the bill huffed and puffed but couldn't quite reach 15 euros. Amazing Thailand. We spent the evening at a night market, Wi shopping, me drinking, the way I like it. Don't know what time it is where you are but its 12-02 here, gotta go, first day, very tired. Good luck and god bless the mess you may be in.

Feel free to visit my website Beyond The Mango Juice at http://www.thaisabai.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hoo_Don

Tags: Trevel in Thailand, Thai Food, thai food menu, history thai food

A Tantalising Thai Dinner Party

By Randa Magdi

I'm not sure about where you live but here in Sydney, Thai food is so popular that most suburbs have at least one Thai restaurant if not 20! This may be a bit of an exaggeration but you get the drift - it's capital "P" for popular!

So, when you're planning a dinner party at home it makes sense to serve your guests a type of food that people seem to love. Thai food is your perfect option. It's exotic, clean and light and best of all, delicious!

Thai cuisine is known for its balance of five fundamental flavors. Most Thai dishes tend to incorporate all of these flavors if not most. These flavors are:

- hot (spicy - chili)

- sour (vinegar, lime juice, tamarind)

- sweet (soft brown sugar, fruits, sweet peppers)

- salty (soy sauce, fish sauce)

- bitter (which is optional)

The great thing with Thai food is that instead of dried herbs they use a lot of fresh herbs and spices and fish sauce. The aromas are sensational.

Since 95% of Thais are Buddhists, they leave religious offerings of fruit at the base of a Buddha statue with burning candles, incense and the like in restaurants. There is a peacefulness that this brings as you lay witness to the scene. You will also often find photos of their much loved and long serving King.

You could re-create a Thai space in your dining room by adding the smell of a subtle incense and making the lighting softer than usual. If you don't have a light dimmer try lighting the dining room with some candles or lamps to create a lovely ambiance.

If you can get hold of some Thai classical music this would be lovely for background sound - or at else some other oriental-inspired music.

Thais don't generally use chop sticks to eat - rather a fork and a dessert-like spoon but if you want the Asian touch (Thailand is in South-East Asia) feel free to provide each guest with a pair of chopsticks. Consider a wooden or bamboo place mat at each guest's place.

As a centerpiece to your table you could fill a long shallow bowl with water and place floating candles atop. You could also try to purchase some exotic looking flowers. On my trips to Thailand, orchids and the like have adorned the table settings. The whole experience of eating is pure pleasure.

For starters you could serve one of their delicious soups like a hot and spicy Tom Yum Goong (spicy and sour prawn soup) or a Tom Yum Kai which is similar but with chicken.

You could also serve Thai fish cakes, spring rolls in rice paper, curry puffs, satay chicken or deep fried chicken wings - with dipping sauce of course.

For main - stir fries, whole fish, Thai curries (green, red, yellow, Masaman, etc) or the ever popular noodle dishes like Pad Thai or Pad See Yu. Don't forget the steamed rice served in a covered rice bowl in a central position on your table, so people can help themselves.

A platter of fresh exotic fruit or a mango sticky rice dish is wonderful for dessert.

You see, there are just so many recipe choices for your Thai meal. I would suggest checking the Internet for free recipes or getting hold of an easy Thai recipe book.

Most of the ingredients you will need are easily available at your local Asian specialty food store.

For more dinner party ideas feel free to visit my http://www.dinnerpartyideas.blogspot.com

I love good food and good wine and I love to socialize. Dinner parties give me the opportunity to indulge both my passions. I love dinner parties so much that I host a blog which provides ideas for your next dinner party. They provide such a great way to catch up with the important people in your life.

People love to be invited to dinner parties because they can enjoy an excellent event of great food and company and all it costs usually is a bottle of wine - and maybe a taxi fare home. But it's not about the money - it's just great to be spoiled by your hosts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Randa_Magdi

Tags: Trevel in Thailand, Thai Food, history thai food

Nairobi Kenya Restaurants - Chinese, Japanese & Thai Restaurants Kenya

By Robert Muhoho

Nairobi has plenty of Chinese restaurants but they aren’t a cheap option. Almost all offer ‘large’ (good for two people) and ‘small’ portions (enough for one). Food is generally excellent, but all these places add 16% VAT to the bill, so prices can soon mount up.

Chinese & Thai Nairobi Restaurants

Panda Chinese Restaurant
Fedha towers, Kaunda St; mains kshs380-1480)

A spacious very classy Asian restaurant hidden away on Kaunda St. The staffs are attentive to the point of overzealousness, especially when its quiet and the food is the best Chinese chow I have seen in Nairobi. Lovers of Muzak will also be at their element here.

Hong Kong Restaurant
(College House, Koinange St; Mains Kshs 300-600)

A bright red restaurant with good food and not too much clichéd décor. It’s the cheapest proper Chinese in town and is accordingly popular.

Bangkok Chinese restaurant
(Rank Xerox House, Parklands Rd, Westlands; Mains Kshs290-890)

The Bangkok has been in business for a number of years but was clearly named by someone with no grasp of geography, as there’s virtually nothing Thai on the menu at all. If the disappointment gets too much you can always crack open a bottle of Moet (Kshs 8990)

Tanager Bar & Restaurant
(Rehema House, Kaunda St. mains Kshs 280-350)

A cheap and simple Chinese African eatery right in the city centre.

China Jiangsu Restaurant
(Westlands Rd mains Kshs 200-600)

A stylish rooftop restaurant above Soin arcade shopping centre. Prices are very reasonable considering the classy balcony setting, and the food’s not to be sniffed at either.

Siam Thai
(Unga House, Muthithi Rd, Westlands, mains Kshs 250-680)

This attractive restaurant has an extensive menu of actual Thai food and a very good reputation. Unga House can be reached from either Woodvale grove or Muthithi Rd.

Japanese Nairobi Kenya Restaurants

Restaurant Akasaka
(Standard St, mains Kshs 450-800)

A wonderful Japanese restaurant next to the six eighty Hotel. It’s always a little quiet, but this fits the stylish Japanese décor and the food is very authentic. There’s even a tatami room (reserve in advance) where you can eat at traditional low tables. Akasaka runs the full gamut of Japanese cuisine including udon noodles, sushi sets, tempura, teriyaki, and sukiyaki as well as great miso soup. Good value set lunches is also available.

Furasato Japanese Restaurant
(Karuna Rd, Westlands; set meals Kshs 700-1500)

Behind the sarit centre, this is a very stylish place with seductive set Japanese meals including sushi, teppanyaki and tempura. The sushi and sashimi are delicious. Reservations are recommended.

There are many other Asian restaurants in Nairobi including some in leafy suburbs that may cost even twice as much as the ones included here. Depending on your taste you can enquire of the Chinese and Japanese restaurants in such areas.

Remember here that at this level of class, what your bill not only includes the food mass but also the dining ambience-something you are unlikely to take home in your tummy though.

All in all you are most likely going to find a restaurant, if not two that suits your tastes and pocket size. There is simply no lack in Asian restaurants here.

Robert is a travel expert in Kenya east Africa and tour consultant with Landmark Safaris. Make a free enquiry on best Kenya Japanese & Chinese restaurants and other Nairobi eating places here. http://www.landmarksafaris.com/planner/?refferer=ezinearticles

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Muhoho

Tags: Thai Restaurants

Travel & Enjoy The Cuisine In Asia (Thailand)

Travel & Enjoy The Cuisine In Asia (Thailand) by james@holiday-velvet.com

Thai food has become the world’s most popular cuisines. It is highly regarded as culinary forms throughout the world. Influenced by Indian and Chinese cookery skills, Thai cuisine has combined those arts and created the uniqueness of its own. Like all local and national foods, the Thai cuisine exposes a great deal about the country.

Thai cuisine is known for its spicy, sour, sweet, salty and bitter flavors. Thai food is popular in many Western countries especially in Australia, New Zealand, some European countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Each Thai restaurant has its own specialties.

Some of the most-preferred dishes of Thailand are Kai Ho Bai Toei, Thotman Plakrai or Thotman Kung, Fish or shrimp fritters; Yam or Thai salad, Tomyam (hot and sour soup); curry and namprik with fish vegetables the sweets famous in Thailand are salim, thapthim krop, lotchunng, khanom chan, coconut-cream gelatine, thong yot, foi thong etc.

Thai Curry – There are four main curries in Thai cuisine including green, red, yellow and massaman. The curry pastes made from herbs and spices are the heart of all Thai curries. Its main ingredients are chili, garlic, shallot, galangal, coriander root and krachai.
Titbits – These can be appetizers, accompaniments, side dishes or snacks. They comprise satay, spring rolls, puffed rice cakes with herbed topping.
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. Some of the popular Thai noodle dishes are Pad See-U, Land-Da Noodle, Pad Thai, Pad Woon Sen, and Pad Kee-Mow.

Salads – Thai salads are an important part of Thailand’s foods. Thai salads are sour, sweet and salty. It is prepared from fish sauce, lime juice and a dash of sugar. Fresh herbs like marsh mint, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and cilantro are used for garnishing. Enjoy different salads varieties in Thailand including Som tam, Larb, Namtok, Yam, Thai Grilled Chicken Salad, Rose Petal Salad, Tossed Green Salad with Cashews, Pineapple Salad with Cucumber, Peanuts, & Fresh Herbs and much more.

Thai Meat Dishes – Thai cuisine is incomplete without having Thai meat dishes. Some of the popular meat dishes are Chicken Curry, Gaeng Gari Gai, Green Bean Curry, Masaman Curry with Beef, Pineapple Prawn Curry, Ginger Chicken, Laab Gai, Spicy Chicken with Thai Basil etc.

Thai Soups – These are really tangy. Some of the best varieties of Thai soups are Tom Yum Gung, Tom Kha Gai, Authentic Thai Coconut Soup, Cindy's Thai Hot and Sour Soup, Duck Legs in Green Curry, Spicy Chicken Thai Noodle Soup and Hot-and-Sour Prawn Soup with Lemon Grass.


Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing listings for apartments, bed and breakfasts, Bangkok vacation apartments, hotels and Bangkok holiday accommodation.



Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Travel-&-Enjoy-The-Cuisine-In-Asia-(Thailand)/253241

Tags: Trevel in Thailand, Thai Food

Thai Dinner For Two

By Napatr Lindsley
Do you have an anniversary, birthday, or other special day with your significant other coming up? Try a romantic Thai dinner, either dining out or cooking and dining in. There are many delicious and interesting meals to enjoy! Sometimes it is quite a challenge to come up with great menu selections. One might spend lots of time looking up or researching all the Thai dishes. There are really more than enough to choose from, and many great combinations, so don't beat yourself up trying to plan. This article outlines some choices for each part of the dinner.

Appetizers

Choosing a start up dish sometimes can be challenging. Try to choose a dish that is not too heavy. Choose a light dish but yet one that teases you to want more. My first choice would be "Kra Thong Thong", golden pastry cups with minced chicken and chopped vegetables. This appetizer is a cute little cup that will definitely impress him or her. The next choice is "Miang Kam", leaf-wrapped tidbits. This can be a fun thing to do and create nice start up conversations. It involves wrapping several kinds of little tiny items in a leaf, along with a sweet-and-salty sauce. The items include shredded roasted coconut, peanuts, diced lime, diced ginger, diced shallots and chilies. Third choice is "Po Pia Tod", deep-fried spring rolls.

Main course

Whether you are vegetarian or a seafood or chicken lover, don't worry, there is always plenty to choose from. Let's start with how many dishes to order or make. For 2 people, I would say 2-4 dishes. If you are dining out, two dishes are enough for two but might not have variety. Three to four dishes will definitely leave some leftovers for later days. However, if you are planning to cook them yourself, you can make a smaller amount of each dish. This way you can have more dishes for variety. Here are some different combinations of dishes.

* Combination 1: for those who like things just a little bit spicy
o Khao Ob Subparod: fried rice with meat, pineapple, onions and cashew nuts, baked in a pineapple
o Kaeng Kiaw Waan: a slightly sweet green curry with meat and vegetables
o Gai Pad Med Ma Muang Him Ma Paan: stir-fried chicken and cashew nuts
o Chu Chi: stir-fried fish (or shrimp) with kaffir lime leaves, Thai sweet basil (Bai Ho Ra Pha) and chu chi chili paste

* Combination 2: for those who like medium spicy food
o Khao Pad Poo: fried rice with crab meat, eggs, tomatoes, onion and cilantro
o Phanaeng: Thai southern style dry curry with meat, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk
o Gai Ho Bai Toey: fried chicken wrapped in pandanus leaf
o Ho Mok Ta Le: steamed seafood custard
* Combination 3: for those who love spicy food
o Tom Yum Moo Pa: hot and sour soup with wild boar, mushrooms, cilantro, lemongrass, nam prik pao paste and chilies
o Kaeng Leung: a hot yellow curry, most common meat used is fish. Other ingredients are winter melon, chilies, garlic, turmeric, lemon grass, shallots and shrimp paste
o Poo Jaa: steamed crab with pork
o Pad Ped Tua Fak Yao Moo: stir-fried long beans and pork with red curry paste
* Combination 4: for seafood lovers

o Goong Pad Yod Ma Proaw: stir-fried prawns with heart of palm
o Poo Kan Chiang Nueng: steamed crab sculls
o Hoi Lai Pad Ped: stir-fried clams with Thai sweet basil (Bai Ho Ra Pha) and roasted chili paste
o Hoi Nang Rom Sod: fresh oysters with chilies and garlic dipping sauce

Desserts

To end your meal, it is great to aim for the right dessert that will perfect the dinner. After a non-spicy or spicy main course, something light is always a good choice. Some may already have an idea for dessert, Khao Niaw Ma Muang (mango with sticky rice). For a romantic dinner, I personally would choose something else. This is because sticky rice can be a bit too heavy as a dessert choice. You can be too full to eat but feel you should eat. So I would go with something nice and cold like Thai coconut Ice cream with ground peanuts sprinkled on top. Just a scoop or two would be enough. My second choice would be "Nam Kang Sai." This dessert is a combination of 2-3 items of assorted fruits, beans or sticky rice with shaved ice on top.

As you choose your dishes, consider how the taste, color and presentation go together. In doing so, you might find ways to improve the combinations. For example, to get you started, it is generally better not to choose food all of one color, or all chicken dishes or all spicy dishes. Try to balance one dish with another and create a harmony of dishes. This can help give you different tastes of sweet, salty, sour, bitter or spicy, and make the experience all the more enjoyable. Take these recommendations and run with them! The best part comes from your familiarity with what you and your significant other like, so have fun customizing. Bon appetit and have a nice dinner!

Napatr Lindsley

Get authentic Thai recipes at http://thaicookinghouse.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Napatr_Lindsley

Tags: Thai Food, thai food menu, history thai food, Trevel in Thailand

Budget Dining In Orlando Florida

Who says that you have to spend big bucks to get a good meal? If you are vacationing in Orlando you can try out a number of local restaurants that serve good food at prices that won’t break your budget. Here is an introduction to some of my favorite budget restaurants in the Orlando area.

Bennigan's Grill & Tavern
(Many Locations)


Bennnigan’s boasts of offering 100 types of beer and other drinks as well, making its alcoholic menu greater than its food menu. The food is served in a loud, lively atmosphere. Some specialties include the fire-roasted salsa shrimp, charbroiled and basted in a smoky sauce, the Monte Cristo, combining ham, turkey, and Swiss and American cheeses on wheat bread that has been dipped in batter and deep fried. If you are watching your weight there are several healthy, low calorie "Health Club" dishes.

Bubbalou's Bodacious Bar-B-Cue
5818 Conroy Rd.
Orlando, FL 32819

Bubbalou's is considered by local residents to be one of the best rib restaurants in the area. You can order at the counter, get a drink and then sit down at a picnic table. You can try the chopped pork sandwiches and the "Texas caviar," cold black-eyed peas in a spicy vinaigrette. In addition to the ribs you can choose from the chicken, lamb and smoked turkey. All of these cooked over an open-pit fire. Be careful for their "killer" sauce, it can destroy your taste-buds! The restaurant has been voted Central Florida and Orlando's Favorite BBQ Restaurant and BBQ Catering Service by the readers of the Orlando Sentinel

IHOP
(Many Locations)

This chain has been serving mouth watering breakfasts for over 40 years. They've got a wide variety of pancakes to choose from, including Chocolate Chip Pancakes, Banana Nut Pancakes, Buttermilk Pancakes, Country Griddle CakesSM, and fruit-topped pancakes. They also serve a selection of Crepe Style International Pancakes and French Toast.

Thai Thani

This restaurant is known for its authentic Thai cuisine and the Thai Thani Restaurant is a must-visit destination for lovers of Thai food. In addition to the authentic food, it has a décor to match. Thai artwork and furniture contribute to an ambience that makes you feel like you are dining at a palace in Bangkok.

Hard Rock Cafe Orlando

Located at Universal Studios Orlando in the CityWalk entertainment complex, this Hard Rock Cafe is the biggest HRC in the world and boasts more pieces of rock 'n' roll memorabilia than any other location.

These are just some of the places in Orlando where you can eat to your heart’s content and still stay within your budget. Try them out when you come to Orlando.

By:

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Mark Whichard and his wife Susan are experts in the field of Orlando vacation rentals with experience dating to 1998. Visit their website: www.orlandodisneyvillas.com/ for more information about renting villas or homes in Orlando.

Tags: history thai food, Thai Recipes, Thai Food

Bamboo

Bamboo’s inventive pan-Asian menu roams far beyond sushi, shumai dumplings, and satay skewers. And its knockout modern space makes diners forget they are eating in a mall anchored by a CVS and an Applebee’s.

Owner Daniel Chong is equally adept at cuisine and ambience. He’s the guy dressed like Che Guevara—with a cotton beret and cargo pants— lounging around the front sushi bar every night. By day Chong runs his own construction company. He envisioned Bamboo’s unlikely but harmonious aesthetic: a high ceiling crisscrossed by silvery ventilation ducts, walls inset with bamboo stalks, and a slate floor with a walking path paved with sole-tickling round river stones.


“Restaurants are in my blood,” says Chong, 38, who grew up “chopping veggies and shelling shrimp” in a traditional Japanese eatery his mother owned in Wilmington, Delaware. Chong ran a pair of Manhattan sushi bars. When he tired of commuting to the city from his home in Englewood Cliffs, he brought pan-Asian chow to the northern reaches of Bergen County in the form of Bamboo, which opened in February.

With a Korean father and a Japanese mother, Chong jokes that he himself is pan-Asian. So for Bamboo he hired a pair of chefs—Hong Lee Kim from Seoul and Sura Sak Chatsawang from Bangkok, whom Chong calls Tony—to cook their native dishes. Kim is also a master of Japanese cooking. Bamboo’s sushi rolls—with hits of mango and jalapeño, and dipping sauces such as wasabi aioli—are Chong’s doing. His menu tends toward sushi and Thai food, with a few Korean dishes, including beef short ribs.

Bamboo’s sushi rolls are made with softer-than-usual rice and are best eaten with the hands (standard procedure in Japan). I especially liked the tropical roll (tuna, salmon, avocado, and mango), the spider roll (soft-shell crab tempura and avocado), and the eel trio (lots of broiled eel and eel sauce). Kim’s beef ribs were tender and tasty. However, the walnut-crusted salmon entrée would have been more accurately described as walnut-sprinkled. The sesame-crusted seared tuna, while beautifully pink, proved bland.

It is the unconventional main courses that fuel the excitement at Bamboo. For pure palate pleasure, consult chef Chatsawang’s Thai menu. Tom yum kung lemongrass soup is piquant with cilantro and loaded with shrimp. Tom kha kai, Thailand’s classic coconut-chicken soup, is velvety and subtly sweet, not cloying. The Thai noodles, curries, and stir-fries are almost up to this standard; I would prefer more chili spicing and less green and bell pepper in these dishes.

Still, pad thai is fun to eat, laden with savory chunks, rather than ground bits, of shrimp, scrambled egg, and peanut. Chatsawang prepares his satisfying curries in three regional varieties: green curry, with a basil note; red, with a kiss of coconut; and royal massaman, with potato and sweet onion. Flat-noodle dishes balance tender meat and crunchy vegetables well, and are tossed either with Thai chili-basil sauce or Chinese brown sauce.

Desserts are all over the map: uninspiring bistro-esque chocolate lava cake; so-so crème brûlée; Japanese red bean and green tea ice cream. None of Bamboo’s sweets transported me. But it didn’t matter, because I was already in Thai heaven.

By: Christopher Cartre

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Click here to read the rest of Bamboo. If you enjoyed this article, you also might like our other stories that talk about NJ Restaurants.

Tags: Thai Food, Thai Recipes, healthy thai food, history thai food

Travel & Enjoy The Cuisine In Asia (Thailand)

Travel & Enjoy The Cuisine In Asia (Thailand) by james@holiday-velvet.com

Thai food has become the world’s most popular cuisines. It is highly regarded as culinary forms throughout the world. Influenced by Indian and Chinese cookery skills, Thai cuisine has combined those arts and created the uniqueness of its own. Like all local and national foods, the Thai cuisine exposes a great deal about the country.

Thai cuisine is known for its spicy, sour, sweet, salty and bitter flavors. Thai food is popular in many Western countries especially in Australia, New Zealand, some European countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Each Thai restaurant has its own specialties.

Some of the most-preferred dishes of Thailand are Kai Ho Bai Toei, Thotman Plakrai or Thotman Kung, Fish or shrimp fritters; Yam or Thai salad, Tomyam (hot and sour soup); curry and namprik with fish vegetables the sweets famous in Thailand are salim, thapthim krop, lotchunng, khanom chan, coconut-cream gelatine, thong yot, foi thong etc.

Thai Curry – There are four main curries in Thai cuisine including green, red, yellow and massaman. The curry pastes made from herbs and spices are the heart of all Thai curries. Its main ingredients are chili, garlic, shallot, galangal, coriander root and krachai.
Titbits – These can be appetizers, accompaniments, side dishes or snacks. They comprise satay, spring rolls, puffed rice cakes with herbed topping.
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. Some of the popular Thai noodle dishes are Pad See-U, Land-Da Noodle, Pad Thai, Pad Woon Sen, and Pad Kee-Mow.

Salads – Thai salads are an important part of Thailand’s foods. Thai salads are sour, sweet and salty. It is prepared from fish sauce, lime juice and a dash of sugar. Fresh herbs like marsh mint, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and cilantro are used for garnishing. Enjoy different salads varieties in Thailand including Som tam, Larb, Namtok, Yam, Thai Grilled Chicken Salad, Rose Petal Salad, Tossed Green Salad with Cashews, Pineapple Salad with Cucumber, Peanuts, & Fresh Herbs and much more.

Thai Meat Dishes – Thai cuisine is incomplete without having Thai meat dishes. Some of the popular meat dishes are Chicken Curry, Gaeng Gari Gai, Green Bean Curry, Masaman Curry with Beef, Pineapple Prawn Curry, Ginger Chicken, Laab Gai, Spicy Chicken with Thai Basil etc.

Thai Soups – These are really tangy. Some of the best varieties of Thai soups are Tom Yum Gung, Tom Kha Gai, Authentic Thai Coconut Soup, Cindy's Thai Hot and Sour Soup, Duck Legs in Green Curry, Spicy Chicken Thai Noodle Soup and Hot-and-Sour Prawn Soup with Lemon Grass.


Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing listings for apartments, bed and breakfasts, Bangkok vacation apartments, hotels and Bangkok holiday accommodation.



Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Travel-&-Enjoy-The-Cuisine-In-Asia-(Thailand)/253241

Tags: Trevel in Thailand, history thai food