Thailand is not just known for its colorful history, beautiful beaches, and rich culture; it’s also popular for its rather unique and exquisite cuisine. Aside from your favorite tom yum soup and pad Thai noodles, there’s a whole lot more Thai recipes that will surely make your mouth water.
What makes people love these Thai recipes is their exotic and distinct taste. Thai cuisine is often put in the category of oriental dishes but its unique set of flavors sets it apart from the typical Japanese, Chinese, and Korean dishes.
Thai cuisine is basically summed up as a juxtaposition of sour, sweet, salty, and hot flavors that are blended perfectly in one dish. The harmony of all the ingredients in one serving bowl is the mystery that makes you want to keep on eating more.
Many foreign travelers and tourists enjoy the impressive delicacies that aren’t usually available in other places besides Thailand. Some of these recipes include…
Tom Yam Kai
Everyone loves soup especially on rainy days or when the weather is cold; but you don’t need a reason to have this soup served on your table except for the fact that you crave it and you can’t get enough of it.
Tom yam kai, or spicy chicken soup, is a Thai specialty that will give you not just a taste of Thailand’s colourful history but a glimpse of how complex yet candid their culture is. This silky and aromatic soup made of chicken, ginger, lime, mushrooms, fish sauce, coconut milk, and exquisite herbs is something that will surely make you forget about your diet.
Khao Phat
You don’t have to be Asian to understand how vital rice is to their meals. This is why every region in the far east has its own version of rice recipes. Thailand, for example, has Khao phat or khao pad. There are so many variations of this dish.
Sometimes it’s cooked with crab meat; sometimes it’s cooked with pineapples. The best variety of rice to use for this recipe is jasmine rice, which is very abundant in Thailand. Not a single soul who has tried Thai food would miss the opportunity to try at least one version of khao phat.
Phat Kaphrao
Foreigners who’ve tasted some of Thailand’s finest delicacies would agree that this stir-fried meat dish called phat kaphrao is one of the best they’ve ever tasted. It’s actually a simple dish made of minced meat, seasoned with soy sauce and fish sauce.
What makes it so rich with flavour and aroma is the spices added to it like holy basil and chili. Classic phat kaphrao also needs garlic, shallots and lime leaf.
One rather popular version of this dish is kai pad med mamuang himmapan which is stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts. It is usually milder and less spicy than the typical phat kaphrao so it’s good for people who aren’t that into spicy food.
Kang Kew Wan Kai
People who are familiar with Thai cuisine know that spicy food is almost essential to their culture. About 80% of their dishes involve chili and spicy herbs. But there are other dishes that are made for those who can’t tolerate the effect of their native chili.
Thai green chicken curry, for example, is a dish that people who doesn’t like spicy stuff will surely enjoy. Curry is almost exclusive to Indian culture but this particular dish has a distinct Thai touch to it.
It has the perfect harmony of flavors brought together by chicken meat, green curry chili paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar.
Conclusion
A lot of things speak for a country’s culture and in Thailand, their food can tell you a lot about their history and traditions. Another thing that you will find interesting about how they prepare their food is the kitchen equipment they use.
They have special serving bowls for pad thai and steamed rice, and they even cook their barbecues on the table while dining. To know more about Thai cuisine and cooking equipment, here’s a review that you will definitely find helpful.
