The foundation of Thai cuisine is the art of five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy.
The Thai people today have preserved some of the most hospitable traditions in the world. When they see each other, after greeting they invariably ask, "Have you eaten yet?" Thais are amazing cooks who value the art of cooking and tirelessly experiment.
The increased interest of foreigners in the secrets of Thai cuisine can be easily explained by its amazing flavors and extraordinary health benefits. Thais use the most beneficial products for cooking – all spices and herbs have medicinal properties: some have a beneficial effect on the digestive system, others stabilize blood pressure, still others can cure colds. At the same time, note that any Thai dish has an exquisite taste.
Tourists often wonder why a Thai soup that has a familiar European appearance and color can be a combination of polar opposite taste sensations. Any European culinary master could envy the deep knowledge of Thais in the proportional use of various spices and herbs. Favorite spices and accompaniments to dishes in Thailand are curry, ginger, palm sugar, combinations of coconut and peanuts, and others.
Historically, Thais do not use complex tools for preparing even elaborate dishes. They mainly use a knife and a mortar for grinding spices.
To better understand the specifics of Thai cuisine, it is necessary to know one of its main differences from European culinary practices. In the West, dishes are eaten with bread, but in this country, only with rice. Even in public places, communal dining in the literal sense is common – from one large dish shared by all, where each person takes their food. There is no portion division of dishes: they are passed from hand to hand, and each takes as much as they wish. Pleasant national music is a mandatory soft accompaniment to meals for Thais.
Any tourist, finding themselves in a Thai restaurant for the first time, will get a lot of pleasure both from the appetizing and healthy food and from the pleasant homey atmosphere.