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 One of the greatest joys
of Thailand, and especially Samui, is the superb cuisine. Abundant
and, combined with a growing number of European and Asian
restaurants, the choice is immense. It is easy to eat sumptuously
for little more than 200 Baht per person. The
Traditional way to eat Thai food is to share several different
dishes at same time, enabling each dinner to discover al many
different flavors as possible. One spoonful of one dish at a time,
ladled onto a plate of steaming fragrant rice (Khao Plow), helps to
keep the flavors distinct, while a sip of Chinese tea (Cha Jin) in
between mouthfuls helps to prepare the taste buds for the next
exhilarating experience.
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 Thai food |
Thai food is
internationally famous. Whether chili-hot or comparatively bland,
harmony is the guiding principle behind each dish. Thai cuisine is
essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western
influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai. The
characteristics of Thai food depend on who cooks it, for whom it is
cooked, for what occasion, and where it is cooked to suit all
palates. Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a
waterborne lifestyle. Aquatic animals, plants and herbs were major
ingredients. Large chunks of meat were eschewed. Subsequent
influences introduced the use of sizeable chunks to Thai cooking.
With their Buddhist background, Thais shunned the use of large
animals in big chunks. Big cuts of meat were shredded and laced with
herbs and spices. Traditional Thai cooking methods were stewing and
baking, or grilling. Chinese influences saw the introduction of
frying, stir frying and deep-frying. Culinary influences from the
17th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch, French and
Japanese. Chilies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late
1600s by Portuguese missionaries who had acquired a taste for them
while serving in South America.
Thais were very adapt at 'Siamese-icing' foreign cooking methods,
and substituting ingredients. The ghee used in Indian cooking was
replaced by coconut oil, and coconut milk substituted for other
daily products. Overpowering pure spices were toned down and
enhanced by fresh herbs such as lemon grass and galangal.
Eventually, fewer and less spices were used in Thai curries, while
the use of fresh herbs increased. It is generally acknowledged that
Thai curries burn intensely, but briefly, whereas other curries,
with strong spices, burn for longer periods. Instead of serving
dishes in courses, a Thai meal is served all at once, permitting
dinners to enjoy complementary combinations of different tastes.
A proper Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with
condiments, a dip with accompanying fish and vegetables. A spiced
salad may replace the curry dish. The soup can also be spicy, but
the curry should be replaced by non spiced items. There must be a
harmony of tastes and textures within individual dishes and the
entire meal.
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Thai Fruits |
 Thailand's rich soil
yields an extraordinary variety of fruits including more than two
dozen kinds of bananas and of course the pungent durian! No matter
when you come to Thailand, or whatever part of the country you
visit, you'll find fresh fruit vendors on every street and the wide
choice of fruits available is sure to be a memorable part of your
experience.
Some examples are shown here. |
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Thai Herbs |
 Almost all Thai food is
cooked with herbs and usually spicy. Mainly used are garlic, chili,
lemon grass and coriander -or basil leafs. And of course plenty of
lime juice and fish sauce. Many herbs and spices used in Thai
cuisine have beneficial medicinal properties.
Some examples are shown here. |
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Thai Desserts |
 Thai desserts are totally
different to western desserts. Also they are sweet but made mainly
from fruits or rice with a flowery taste. Some examples are shown
here. |
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