Thai food is famous all over the world. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively bland, harmony and contrast are the guiding principles behind each dish. Thai cuisine is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai. Characteristics of Thai food depend on who cooks it, for whom it is cooked, for what occasion, and where it is cooked. Dishes can be refined and adjusted to suit all tastes. The 'Tai' people migrated from valley settlements in the mountainous region of Southwest China (now Yunnan province) between the sixth and thirteenth centuries, into what is now known as Thailand, Laos, the Shan States of upper Burma, and northwest Vietnam. Influenced by Chinese cooking techniques, Thai cuisine flourished with the rich biodiversity of the Thai peninsula. As a result, Thai dishes today have some similarities to Szechwan Chinese dishes.
Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a waterborne lifestyle. Aquatic animals, plant and herbs were major ingredients. 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 blended 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 techniques. Chillies 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 adapting foreign cooking methods, and substituting ingredients. The ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut milk substituted for other dairy products. Overpowering pure spices were toned down and enhanced by fresh herbs such as lemon grass and galanga. 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 diners to enjoy complementory combinations of different tastes.
Bookmarks
Popular Posts
-
Ginger Drink น้ำขิง Peel matured ginger. Rinse and crush lightly. Boil crushed ginger for two-five minutes and drain. Ad...
-
Krachai(กระชาย) This erect annual plant with aromatic rhizomes and yellow-brown roots, is used as a flavouring. The rhizomes contain approxi...
-
ต้มแซ่บซี่โครงหมู Ingredient: 300 grams of ribs 1 liter pork broth Straw mushrooms 4-5 shallots Galangal Lemon grass Coriander 5 chili peppe...
-
ห่อหมกทะเลมะพร้าวอ่อน Prepare: Group1 Paste 2 lemongrass (sliced) 2 pieces galangal (cut finely) 2 red onions 1 clove garlic 2 tsp. shrimp p...
-
บัวหลวง In Thailand, there are two variations of royal lily, namely white and pink. They both have the botanical features sha...
-
ขนมจีบ Ingredients 3 dried Chinese black or Shiitake mushrooms 6 ounces peeled deveined large shrimp 1 green onion 1 teaspoon minced ginger ...
-
by www.panix.com Servings: About 1 1/4 cups Serve as a dip with raw vegetables or as a condiment. If the chilies are very hot, you may want ...
-
When you eat noodles in Thailand, it is usually eaten dry or with a clear soup to which you add your own condiments. However, there is anoth...
-
Water Chestnuts (Haew) are very crunchy and delicious. They're used in many different dishes. Taro Root (Pueak) is primarily used in mak...
-
Ingredients 2 Eggs 100 gms Soya Beansprouts 5 Prawns 3 Garlic Cloves 2 Tablespoons Maggi Sauce Oil for frying Preparation 1. Clean the shrim...
Labels
- About Thai food (20)
- Appetizer - Snack (3)
- Appetizers (1)
- beef (5)
- Chicken (4)
- Cooking Articles (8)
- Curry Recipes (9)
- Desserts (30)
- E-sarn food (5)
- EGG (9)
- Equipment (1)
- Fish (11)
- Noodles (4)
- pork (8)
- Rice (3)
- Salad (15)
- Seafood (12)
- Shrim-Prawns (13)
- Soup (9)
- Stir-Fried (18)
- Thai cooking Tips (8)
- Thai Herbal Drinks (3)
- Thai Hot Spicy (6)
- Thai Pizza (2)
- Thai spices (9)
- Thailand Fruits (9)
- Vegetarian (7)
Archive
-
▼
2007
(135)
-
▼
August
(14)
- Thai spices for cooking
- KANOM MOR KAENG( Thai taro custard )
- THONG YOT(Golden drops)
- PAD KA-PHRAO
- Panang Curry
- Hot And Spicy - Is That What Thai Food All About?
- Miang Kum
- Thai Hom Mali Rice : The Rice of Choice Around the...
- Khao Chae - Essential of Thai Summer Dishes
- Influences in Thai Cuisine
- Introduction To Thai Food - Thai Curry, Pad Thai A...
- Life Secrets From Thai Food
- Thai Food For Health
- The History of Thai Food
-
▼
August
(14)
Total Pageviews
Followers
8/24/2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment