5 Reasons Why Londoners Are Going All Out and Ordering from Food Kingdom

Londoners are true-blue foodies. There is not one person in London who resist a tasty bite if they could get their hands on something delicious! Right now the big rage in London, particularly in South London and East London is to order online food. There are several food companies have started online services of late, among them, the people of London are really going all out to feed Kingdom, which has repeatedly been ranked as the best of the lot. United Food Service in areas such as Bermondsey, Surrey Quays, Rotherhithe, Deptford, New Cross, Peckham, all in south London. Here are five reasons why people of London and even people from other parts of Britain simply can not get enough food kingdom. 1.The first thing is very tasty menu. Just take a look at their website on http://www.foodkingdom.co.uk/ and see what we mean. The food here is sumptuous dishes and even a little exotic with offers delectable Chinese cuisine, Indian, Thai, Japanese cuisine and, of course, local cuisine British. Dishes not found in restaurants can be found here. In fact, the site is linked to hundreds of different restaurants that dot the various areas of East and South London and, therefore, it becomes very easy to get exactly the kind of food you are looking for in a moment given. 2. The other big advantage is convenience. All have to do is register on their site and then to immediately their menu online. You d

Thai Cooking 101

Influenced by Chinese stir fries and Indian curries, Thai cuisine is a hodgepodge style of cooking that encourages experimentation, which will come in handy if you have trouble finding some of its more obscure ingredients.Unfamiliarity with these foreign flavors, let alone figuring out how they relate to each other, is a common beginners' obstacle, but don't let that discourage you! We promise this will be quick and relatively painless, and the reward-exposure to a new world of flavors-is well worth the effort.So the next time you're planning a meal, resist your hankering for a quick take-out fix; check out our beginners' guide to Thai cuisine below instead, and find out how a little culinary background info and an adventurous palate can make cooking something you actually look forward to, and healthy! We've also compiled a list of several traditional Thai ingredients along with everything you'll need to know to about them, from cooking techniques to health benefits to tips on where to get them. So get psyched for...Thai Cooking 101Unlike westerners who generally eat in several courses, a typical Thai meal has just one and is laid out all at once. Steamed rice is a constant at mealtimes, and is accompanied by a number of (typically wok-fried) dishes-approximately one per guest. Eating together is a communal activity, and all the dishes are shared around the table according to custom.There is generally a balance between sour, salty, sweet and spicy flavors in a dish or across a meal, and it is believed to restore harmony between the body's Yin and Yang forces. The Yin represents cold, or soothing energy, e.g. coconut milk, and the Yang represents hot energy that increases the pulse rate, e.g. chili peppers.This theory has been passed down from generation to generation, and while many swear by it, we encourage you to find out for yourself.Jasmine RiceThe highly-prized and aromatic jasmine rice is almost exclusively native to Thailand, making it one of the less accessible fundamentals of Thai cuisine  Don't panic just yet, jasmine rice lovers: more health food and specialty stores are stocking jasmine rice in their packaged grain section, and Asian groceries/marketplaces are even more likely to carry it. Another popular Thai rice is short-grain sticky rice which is easier to find at similar markets, and can be substituted by sushi rice if unavailable.Tip: Store dry Jasmine rice in a cool area away from moisture and open air; cooked rice can be refrigerated for up to seven days, or stored in the freezer for six months. LemongrassAn essential ingredient in Thai dishes, Lemongrass is an aromatic (some say minty) herb with a lemony flavor.  It grows in long fibrous stalks of which only the juicy white-yellow bulbs are used, and it is customary to bruise them with a knife before cutting and cooking to help bring out their aroma and flavor in a dish.Lemongrass can be finely minced and added to curries and pastes, but it's most often used like cinnamon or bay leaves, which are typically removed before serving.Lemongrass has been used since ancient times to relieve fevers, abdominal pain and cold symptoms. It is slowly becoming a more common sight in health food stores and can almost always be found at Asian groceries. If you're not lucky enough to have one in your area, a mix of lemon zest (rind) with a small amount of ginger is a common substitute for lemongrass, and lemon leaves are sometimes also used. If fresh lemongrass is unavailable, there are dried and powdered varieties. Two tablespoons of powdered spice is equal to about one fresh stalk, and use an extra 2-3 pieces if cooking with dried lemongrass (when seasoning, bear in mind that dried lemongrass is already salted). If you want the freshest lemongrass possible, you can grow it yourself, but keep it indoors during the colder months if you live in a cooler climate. Seeds can be bought online or at specialty seed stores, or you can just germinate a bulb from another stalk in a jar of water until it roots, and then transfer it to its own pot.Tip: Basil is another garden-friendly component of Thai cuisine that flourishes in many climates. Coconut MilkA ubiquitous staple in Thai food, Coconut milk is the rich base for many curries, sauces, drinks and sweet dishes and is often used to balance out hot or spicy elements. It can be found in most supermarkets or even made at home!To prepare coconut milk, mix the grated meat of a ripe coconut with warm water and then squeeze out the juice, but unless you can find fresh coconuts, you're better off using the canned stuff.A layer of fat at the top is normal (like with real milk), and this fat lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) while promoting good cholesterol. Coconut milk also boosts immunity and provides valuable fatty acids, putting it at the top of the list of healthy Thai ingredients.Palm SugarPalm sugar is made from the sap of the palm tree and can be found at Asian or Indian specialty food stores. Since it stores well, ordering online is also entirely acceptable. Aside from sweets and desserts, palm sugar can also be used in savory dishes, like fish, to play against their saltiness. The sugar is a golden brown paste, and can be light-colored or dark and gooey. If you can't get your hands on any, you can substitute with brown sugar.Fish SaucePerhaps the most widespread taste in Thai food is fish sauce, sometimes called the soy sauce of Southeast Asia.The best fish sauces are usually thin and virtually clear with a salty taste derived from fermented fish (anchovies are the most common).It has a very pungent aroma and is said to be an acquired taste, but it's practically used as a salt substitute in many parts of the world. Sugar is sometimes added to highlight its saltiness.Fish sauce can virtually always be found at an Asian marketplace/grocery near you and is also becoming a regular in the aisles of many specialty-foods store.ChiliesGenerally speaking, the smaller the pepper the hotter it is, and the prik kee noo, the smallest and most popular of the Thai chilies, is no exception. Recent studies show that eating hot red peppers like these can help you fight fat all in itself! Chilies can be served in countless forms, from dried pieces (which are hotter than fresh ones) to minced in a sauce.The pri kee noo is rated the second hottest pepper in the scoville scale, an index of hot peppers, and the seeds are the hottest part. Many cookbooks recommend preparing them with gloves to avoid skin irritation and not to touch your eyes before washing your hands.If you can't find Thai peppers, try dried whole Mexican chilies and soften them with a soak in hot water.Tip: Don't drink water to relieve chili heat-rice, beer or milk drinks do a better job. Congratulations! You've passed the course and learned the basics of Thai cooking. Hopefully this guideline has made you feel more comfortable about experimenting with eastern cuisine and armed you with all the facts you need to prepare mouthwatering nutritious meals. For healthiest results, use small amounts of oil and opt for steaming instead of frying whenever possible. Now go have some fun, and don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients and combinations. Variety really is the spice of life, and it's also one of the best ways to get your family excited about eating healthy.  

Exciting Facts About Thai Dishes

If you have not at all eaten it beforehand, you may think that Thai preparations taste greatly like other Asian recipes. Although it does exhibit the influence of both Chinese and East Indian flavors, it also posseses it's own identity that separates it to a great extent from the foods made in adjoining places. The four regional cuisines from the Thailand itself forms the entire Thai cuisine that has an assortment of fresh pungent spices and herbs. Thai herbs and spices are the most essential ingredients for making appetizing Thai recipes.The herbs used in Thai foods are usually used for flavoring reasons, but they are distinctive from herbs used in other cuisines. These herbs have a magnificent smell that makes them different from other herbs. Not just Thai spices, but Thai herbs are also uniquely combined with Thai recipes such that they are always together. 'Tom Yam Kung', As an example, is world famed since it contains a mixture of many herbs (and also a few spices), including kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass stem, limejuice and chili. Another popular Thai dishes are 'Yam' and 'Phla'.Thai preparations are not only delectable but also wholesome and nutritious due to the medicinal properties of Thai herbs. So we can say that Thai herbs, with their beautiful form with nice green color, are added as a flavoring or garnish, making Thai recipes both delicious and delightful, as well as comforting the stomach with their refreshing and medicinal properties.Chili is also used to make the curry hot. They are used to make more than a few kinds of curry, such as, green, red, yellow, massaman, and penang curries.The gastronomic delights of Thai cuisine are world famous. By discussing the Thai cuisine, we are now aware of the main ingredients used in Thai recipes. Online cooking websites are also an option to collect some of the most popular Thai recipes. So simply browse the net and savor the true flavor of Thai recipes.

Seafood With The Local Thais

Tourists are always overcharged in developing and underdeveloped countries for many items. This is the way it is, probably the way it always has been, and there is really nothing you as a tourist can do about it. Blatantly, the admission to the Emerald Buddha in Thailand has two separate prices: one for Thais and a more expensive one for foreigners. I refused to go.
Sometimes, off the beaten track, you'll get what to you seem like ridiculously low prices in out of the way countries. But you're still being overcharged! That is nothing to be indignant of course, but rather to be thankful that tourism hasn't invaded yet.
In Koh Samui, Thailand, there is (or at least there was) an out of the way seafood restaurant set on the top of a cliff with gorgeous views. No farang (foreigners) knew about it and only well off locals and mainland guests dined there.
I had spent enough time in Koh Samui by then (1990) to have made some connections. One was an older gentleman who only dressed in sarong and owned a coconut plantation as well as a cheap bungalow. Between his hundred words of English and my twenty words of Thai we somehow managed to communicate on many topics.
One day he told me about the seafood restaurant and we went that night. We also gave him a bottle of scotch that we had bought at the duty free shop and that he graciously served to all the guests (mostly his family) during the meal. The restaurant had huge tanks full of every name of fish, shellfish, and crustacean. I pointed randomly at anything and everything. Plates began arriving at the table and every single morsel was sumptuous and perfectly seasoned. We ate and ate.
Amazingly, the bill was $50 U.S.! That was the local price.     

Thai Food Newbie Get The Fundamentals Here

If you eat Thai food, it is easy to see the reason why people call it a food that's the ideal blend of cultures and tastes. You'll find the blending of Mexican and Chinese food found in the Thai cuisine. It takes the very best aspects of both. You will also see a blend of different tastes in Thai food - sweet, salty, sour, hot and bitter.Something that appears to be distinctive to Thai food is it's versatility. Some of this flexibility comes through the food grown in the country and the various growing seasons. Thailand has two to three growing seasons every calendar year. Because of this, there are always different kinds of foods available. Many dishes are made with what's most available.When it is your desire to start cooking Thai food, it's going to be crucial for you to have most of the basics stocked up in your kitchen pantry. Items which are considered staples are often the core of Thai food preparation. Additional ingredients from the recipe are sometimes adjusted according to taste. This group of staples involves food like rice, limes, chili pepper, lemongrass, coconuts, coriander, galangal and garlic.Rice is naturally a part of several Thai dishes, in many respects it is a "super food". It might be utilized in different recipies and be used in a lot of different ways. Some recipes call for rice to be utilized as a primary dish, other times it is just like a salad. There's also times that it is used as a component of dessert.Normally, Thai dishes are thought to to fall into one of four different groups.1 - Salads that are hot, sour or sweet and usually include some form of meat.2 - Hot dishes that can be found in the form of salads or light foods that are fried.3 - Dishes that have a principal emphasis of different fresh vegetables.4 - Assorted dishes which are not steamed or hot and spicy.Thai soup is not a pre-meal condiment just like other cuisines. It is part of the primary meal and will likely be served right beside it. Most generally, people will eat part of the primary course then have a couple of spoons of soup to clear their palate before consuming another thing. Many restaurants will serve the soup along with the main meal. If you have a preference to eat it before the primary meal just like you're accustomed to, you need to special order it.Lots of people are shocked when they find out that Thai food is not usually served with chopsticks. It's served with forks. Another intriguing fact is that knives will not be normally a part of the place setting. Because there is so much chopping done to prepare the food for cooking, knives are never really needed to cut up the food.

Cooking Thai Food - Masaman Curry

This dish, favoured by the muslim people of the south of Thailand, is unique amongst the usual variation of Thai curries as it is more like an Indian curry and it uses mostly dried spices rather than fresh.It is usually made with chicken but works well with beef as well. It is generally not a particularly hot (spicy) curry because it does not usually contain fresh chillies and the spices are cooled by the coconut milk, potatoes and peanuts. In the West it would make a good hearty meal in the winter and could be served with a loaf of bread and a glass of Bordeaux wine.Ingredients (to serve 4 people):ยฝ lb of beef (stew beef is fine)3 tbsp peanuts4 cups of water1 potato, cubed1 tbsp cooking oil (soybean or peanut is best, corn also works)3-4 tbsp Massaman curry paste2 cups coconut milk6 Thai cardamom seeds (cracked and dry roasted)1 inch cinnamon stick (dry roasted)2 tbsp Thai fish sauce1 tbsp palm sugar2 tbsp tamarind pasteยผ of a large onion, cut into piecesFirst, open the can of coconut milk (without shaking) and remove the top layer of thick cream. Set this aside for later.Then add the water, beef and peanuts to a large pan and bring it to the boil, skimming off the layer of scum from the surface. Boil for about 5 minutes, then turn the heat right down and simmer, uncovered, for about an hour. Turn off the heat and set aside.While this is simmering, you can cook the potatoes separately. Boil them in water for about 20 minutes then drain and set aside.Next, heat the oil in a large wok or big pan over a medium heat and add the curry paste. Cook for a couple of minutes until it smells fragrant then add the cream from the top of the can, stirring all the time. Then add the beef and peanuts from the first pan, including all the broth, plus the rest of the coconut milk. Also add the fish sauce, sugar, tamarind, cinnamon, potatoes and onion. Bring this to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes. Now is the time to taste and adjust to suit your requirements, using the fish sauce, sugar and tamarind. You can also add salt or more coconut milk if you want. This curry should be slightly sweet, with a slightly sour taste from the tamarind, and not very spicy.Serve with rice and pickled cucumber as a condiment.1. heat to low and cook 10 minutes.2. Adjust seasoning with fish sauce, palm sugar and tamarind water to taste. Massaman curry should be slightly sweet with a very subtle sour note from the tamarind. Serve with pickled ginger or cucumber relish as condiments.Serves 4. This curry is even better the next day, reheated, so make double portion and freeze any left-overs.
               

               

Knowing Ways To Cook With Clay Pots Is Very Important If You Are Preparing Thai Food

Many of the techniques and tools used to cook Thai food in your personal cooking area are not familiar for many people who start cooking. One of those techniques is utilizing a clay pot. Cooking with clay pots really offers a number of advantages. In addition to being really quick, you will save on electricity. It's also really handy because the pot does everything. It is possible to prepare the meal in the pot, put it on the kitchen table as a serving dish and it can go straight into the refrigerator with the leftovers.If you are new to the clay pot world, you will need to go out and purchase one to begin. Make sure you steer clear of the special cooking retailers because you'll pay way too much for it. You should go to a Thai retailer or market to get the very best deal on your pot.You need to keep the pot on low heat for the initial few minutes the first time you bring it home and use it. And then you should slowly but surely raise the cooking temp to medium/low and cook for an additional fifteen minutes. If required by the recipe you are preparing, it is possible to turn the heat up from then on. After the pot has been used a couple of times, it's safe to begin at the medium-high temperature setting.When it is time to start preparing the food, add the food and liquid you're preparing to the clay pot. It's important to leave empty area of no less than 1-2 inches at the top so the bubbles do not run over the top of the pot.The heat setting should be set at medium-high until the fluid starts to bubble. After the liquid begins to boil, you need to reduce the heat as instructed in the recipe to simmer. Make use of the lid while the pot is simmering.Fish and veggies generally cook in only ten minutes after the fluid starts bubbling. The exact preparing time is going to rely on the cut and thickness of the meat, but those dishes generally take 30-60 minutes.You will need to remember that the handles on the pot will get quite hot any time it cooks. You will need to utilize potholders any time you move the dish to the table and you'll need to be careful not to touch the dish.Something else to be careful of is the warm-up. If the pot was in the refrigerator with leftovers, you will need to warm it little by little. If you take it from the freezer or fridge and put it on medium-high heat without warming it up, it can crack.