| When we think of Asian cuisine, many of us think of Chinese food. However, there is a whole other take on Asian food that many of us haven't even tried. Thai food is among the healthiest in the world since most of the food is low fat and heavy on fresh ingredients. Flavors in Thai cuisine are influenced by its neighbors: China, India and Malaysia. The idea of balancing five flavors, bitter, salt, sour, hot and sweet comes from the Chinese. India contributed to Thai cooking through its curries. Both Indian and Thais use coconut to dilute the spiciness of chiles. As in Malaysia, durian fruit is very popular with the Thai people and pops up in all sorts of dishes, not just desserts.
Popular Thai food recipes and dishes include the following:
- Tom Yum is a spicy soup that is a staple.
- A Pad Thai recipe is made of thin noodles fried with egg, bean sprouts, tofu and sprinkled with peanuts.
- Sticky rice accompanies almost every meal.
- A Thai chicken recipe is Mee Krob which is crisp fried noodles with chicken, pork and vegetables.
Spices are the foundation of any Thai dish. Here are some of the most important ones used in Thai cooking:
- Basil - used as a vegetable and for flavoring.
- Cinnamon - used in meat dishes and particularly in massaman curry as a garnish.
- Chili peppers - for flavoring.
- Cumin - used in Thai cooking mainly in the making of curry pastes.
- Garlic, whole cloves, smashed garlic and garlic oil are used in almost every Thai dish.
- Ginger - eaten raw or cooked and is used widely. Young ginger pounded with a little salt, pepper and garlic is good too marinate for chicken or beef.
- Limes - used to enhance the flavor of chili-hot condiments, as well as create some salads and desserts and adorn most dishes as a condiment.
- Lemongrass - indispensable for tom yam.
- Mint - as a vegetable and a flavouring.
- Shallots - an essential ingredient in many Thai dishes because of their taste and appearance.
- Spring onions - for garnishing soups and salads and as vegetables.
When you’re looking for an Eastern flavor, but have tired of Chinese cuisine, it’s easy to whip up a fresh and delicious Thai dish in no time. The best part is many of the dishes are healthy and provide nutrients that you may not get in American food.
|
