The flavor base of authentic Thai dishes consists of mixtures of various spices.
The Thai are only part of a huge Asian family of peoples whose main food product, the basis of life, is rice. The flavor base of authentic Thai dishes consists of mixtures of various spices, which include chili peppers pounded in a mortar, garlic, coriander and other spices, as well as crab paste in various combinations. Along with this, much attention is paid to various sauces, among which it is necessary to mention first of all fish sauce («nam pla»), which is served with many dishes and replaces salt. Often, coconut milk and peanuts are added to sauces.
The main food product – rice – is called «kao» here. Most often it is served boiled, but also fried in fat («kao pat»), or in soup («kao tom»). The names of meat or fish are simply added after this word: «gai» – chicken, «bpla» – fish, «bpu» – crayfish or lobsters, «gung» – crabs. Thus, if you want to get fried rice with chicken, you ask: «kao pat gai».
When composing a lunch menu, pay attention to the main principle of Thai cuisine: each spicy dish is served with something with a mild taste that can soften the spiciness of the first.
Those who prefer non-spicy, dietary food can turn to Chinese cuisine. Thanks to Chinese immigrants, it has become widespread here, although in terms of taste it has partially come under the influence of Thai cuisine.
Thai dishes are eaten with a spoon held in the right hand and a fork in the left. Chopsticks are usually served with noodle soup and Chinese dishes.
At open street kitchens you can buy salapao – a kind of yeast dough bun with filling, for example of sweet pork, or kanom jeeb, which is filled with minced crab or meat and dipped in soy sauce just before eating.
Also very popular is the dish kao man gai: steamed chicken is served together with a delicious chicken broth and rice cooked in coconut milk. All this is drizzled with sauce before serving.
Ped deng – is duck roasted with a crispy skin with ginger and rice. The delicacy borrowed from the Japanese, suki yaki thai (meat and fish of various types, dipped in egg, with the addition of vegetables and noodles) is cooked in a fireproof pot right on your table.
We also recommend following the example of the Thais and during the day buying from various street stalls and markets a variety of dishes prepared deep-fried and grilled, fruits (only if you will peel them yourself!), sweets, fried bananas and other light snacks.
At the market you will find many exotic fruits. Along with pineapples, bananas and tangerines, you will see, depending on the season, green durian with a prickly skin and a surprisingly strong smell; oval ripe mangoes with a soft pulp; purple mangosteens the size of an apple and small white longans, which, like red rambutans, are sold in bunches. By the way, about how and with what to eat exotic fruits, read on the website «Gid Gourmana»: http://www.gid-appetit.ru/news.php?idart=200
The most popular alcoholic drink is Thai whiskey (primarily «Mekong»), which is usually diluted with soda or Coca-Cola. There is also good beer in the country. But when tasting alcoholic drinks in tropical heat, you must always be careful.
We recommend avoiding drinks using crushed ice (this does not apply to cylindrical ice cubes). Water should only be drunk boiled or from bottles. One of the most popular drinks in Thailand is tea. Hot tea is called «cha», tea with condensed milk – «cha rorn», cold tea with ice and milk – «cha yen», and without milk – «cha dam yen». Oliang – is iced coffee.