What Makes Thai Herbs Amazing?

There are many things that are characteristics of Thailand, and have made a brand name for Thailand. These are Thai boxing, Thai dance, Thai silk, Thai rice, Thai fruits and of course, Thai food. The ingredients that make Thai food amazing are Thai 'herbs', which, together with 'spices', have been ingeniously blended in Thai cuisine. The recipes of Thai food have as their main ingredients.
Although most herbs are used are used as condiments or seasoning materials, Thai hers are somewhat different from all other herbs. They have characteristic taste and aroma that are not found in other herbs. They have characteristic taste and aroma that are not found in other herbs. For example, 'Horapha' or Thai basil (Ocimum basilicum), the same species as the well-known sweet basils, has distinct aroma and flovor from that of other sweet basils and is well suited for several Thai dishes, which cannot be replaced with other sweet basils or other herbal materials. These dishes include 'Kaeng Khieo Wan', 'Kaeng Phet', 'Phat Makheua Yao', stc.
Similarly, 'Kaphrao' or Thai holy basil (Ocimun tenuiflorum), has a distinct flavor and aroma from other holy basil (which has rarely been used as herbs as herbs in other countries); it has made Thai dishes, such as 'Kai Pat Bai Kaphrao', very well known to the Thais as well as foreigners. 'Maeng Lak' or hairy basil (Ocimum americanum) is indispensable in 'Khanom Chin Nam Ya' and 'Kaeng Riang'. 'Makrut' or kaffir lime (Citrus hvstrix) whose leaves are used in many Thai dishes, gives a unique aroma and flavorl it is a major ingredient of the world famous Thai soup, known as 'Tom Yam Kung'. Like Thai spices, Thai herbs are uniquely blended with Thai dishes such that they are inseoarable. 'Tom Yam Kung'.
For example, is world famous because it contains a blend of many herbs (and also a few spices), among them kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass stem, lime juice and chili (the last three, although not the leafy nor soft flowering parts of plant, but are treated here as herbs since they come from fleshy part of the plant). Two other related types of Thai dishes, 'Yam' and 'Phla'.
Will not taste as good without such herbs as kitchen mint, lemon grass and lime. In addition to adding flavor to the dishes, most Thai herbs also provide health benefits from their inherent medicinal properties. Thus, it is fair to say that Thai herbs. With their beautiful form with nice green color, are added as a flavoring, seasoning, or garnish, making Thai dishes both tasty and beautiful, as well as soothing the stomach with their stomach with their refreshing and medicinal properties.

A Must Read Guide to Eating Thai Food

Although popularly considered as a single cuisine, Thai food is actually better depicted as four regional cuisines relating to the four main regions of the country: Northern, North-eastern, Central and Southern. For instance Southern curries have a tendency to contain coconut milk and fresh turmeric, while north-eastern dishes often incorporate fresh lime juice. Thai cuisine has been influenced by Chinese stir fry and Indian curries while maintaining a unique taste of its own. Like Vietnamese food, Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather than dried) herbs and spices as well as fish sauce.
A few tips when dining with Thais include...
Don't wait for all of the food to be served before you start, Thai meals are leisurely affairs and the food just keeps on coming.
Don't use your fork to put food in your mouth, use it to push your food onto your spoon.
Never order one dish that you aim to eat by yourself Thai meals are always communal, allow other to tuck in.
Pay the bill if it comes to you; in Thai society the person who is apparently the richest pays. As a foreigner nine times out of ten this will be you! It is not common to "split the bill".
But by the same token don't try to donate if someone else is paying the bill, it takes away from their status and is considered a "loss of face".
Never leave your chopsticks in the bowl, it denotes death and is very bad luck!
If you are travelling to Thailand and have read this and decided it might be easier not to bother to join a group of Thai people for dinner, please do, you will find Thai people to be kind hearted and generous. Explain that you are unfamiliar with their culture and they will not take offense at any faux par.....in fact if you explain the situation they will most likely ignore or make a joke of any mistake and no offence will be taken!

Introduction to Thai Food - Khao Soy

When you talk with anyone who has taken a holiday in Thailand, it takes no time at all for the conversation to turn to the great foods that are a "must try." For the adventurous traveler who wants more than just the beaches of the south or the Bangkok mega-city experience, the choice is Chiang Mai in the northern mountains and the "must try" food is Khao Soy.
Every region has local specialty dishes but when you say Khao Soy you are talking about Chiang Mai and the old Lanna Kingdom. It's not surprising that this noodle and curry soup dish may be the most delicious food of your stay in Thailand. What is surprising is that it will usually be the least expensive food on the menu.
I remember a travel writer describing the dish as Thailand's answer to fettuccine Alfredo but I think of it as the world's best chicken noodle soup. It's rich and creamy but not at all heavy, spicy but not hot. The soft texture of the flat egg noodles and stewed chicken is contrasted by the crispy fried noodles and crunchy vegetables garnishing the top. The pale orange/yellow color from the curry base is pleasing and the addition of some standard condiments can give a slightly sour or salty or acidic bite as preferred.
Khao soy was invented hundreds of years ago when Chiang Mai was a wealthy capital city and well placed to be a crossroads for trading. The noodles came with the traders' mule caravans from Yunnan, China in the north. Curry is believed to have come from India and across Burma to the west. Limes, shallots, lightly pickled cabbage, the richness of coconut milk and the talent for making deliciously balanced tastes were the local additions. The descendants of the Yunnanese traders still make some of the best Khao Soi in Chiang Mai ( especially on the small streets near the Ban Haw Mosque and across the Ping River next to Wat Faham) but it is also available in just about every other restaurant in the city with a Thai menu.
Like any food that's been around for centuries there are lots of variations in the preparation and closely guarded family recipes. Some can be complicated but the ones that always taste the best to me are the simple and quickly prepared home cooking style dishes. The ingredients are basic, it's the proportions that are the secret. In all of the methods, chicken cut into reasonable sized pieces is boiled in enough water to make a good stock. In a separate pot, fresh wide egg noodles are boiled for a very short time, drained and placed in a bowl. A thinner noodle has been fried crispy and set aside for garnish.
The soup begins with a prepared red curry paste that is heated in a pan until the paste begins to separate and become fragrant. As the pan heats, chopped garlic is thrown in and sauteed in the oil from the curry paste. When the garlic is cooked soft, coconut milk is added and stirred until the spices are fully dissolved. As the coconut milk becomes fully heated, pour in the stock from the boiled chicken to thin the soup to the desired consistency. At this point you can serve or hold everything at temperature until needed. When ready, pour enough of the hot soup to cover the noodles in a bowl and add pieces of chicken for a small serving. Garnish the top with the crispy noodles.
If you are faithful to the original, there are required condiments for individual use. Small wedges of fresh lime that can be squeezed into the soup are a must. Also standard are small amounts of coarsely chopped shallots and small pieces of cabbage that has been lightly pickled in sugar and salt. Although used very sparingly, Thais usually expect the table to have a bottle of fermented fish sauce, dark soy sauce and a chili sauce. Begin slowly and savor the richness, don't over use any of the sauces. They can add a little extra individual taste but they just aren't needed.
Robert Orson writes for: Easy Chiang Mai

The Scent Of Thai Food

Thai food is globally popular due to its tasty combination of sweet, sour and saltiness, appetizingly enhanced by tanginess from an assortment of chilies used in typical dishes. This flavorful blend which has become characteristic of traditional Thai food remains distinctive in local fare until present days.
Thai food combines the best of several Eastern cuisines: the oriental bite of Szechwan Chinese, the tropical flavour of Malaysian, the creamy coconut sauces of Southern Indian and the aromatic spices of Arabian food. Thais then add an abundance of fresh ingredients, coriander plants, chilies and pepper. The result is like a cuisine minceur' of the Orient, with small portions of lean meat, poultry and seafood, and plenty of fresh vegetables and salads.
Thai food is lightly cooked so it's crisp, colourful, sharply flavoured and nutritious. The distinctive taste comes from a handful of fundamental ingredients, all widely available at Asian foodstores. Ingredients that are essential in Thai cooking are spices and herbs, which, beside their aromatic quality, are known to have diverse health benefits. The essence of many types of herbs can aid in regularizing the circulatory system of the body. The knowledge of using herbs in Thai cooking, derived from traditional Thai medicine, makes Thai food a healthy choice in a real sense.
A Thai meal normally consists of a variety of dishes such as a curry, a soup, a stir-fry and a dipping sauce or salad. There is normally a balance of spicy and mild dishes with at least one mild dish to counter the spicy dishes.
Thai cooking is not difficult. Once you are familiar with the main ingredients and we can guarantee that you will amaze yourself with the delicious food that you can cook. The Thai way of life is laid back and this translates into their cooking too, so do not worry too much, relax, keep a smile on your face and enjoy!

Introduction to Thai Food - Somtam

Being married to a Thai for the last few years has meant learning a fair amount about Thai food. This isn't such a great accomplishment because it's usually the main topic of our conversations.
My wife once told me that a Thai would be most happy if she could eat seven times a day and I think she is pretty close to that mark. Any time she's not actually eating she can be counted on to be thinking of what or where to eat next.
There's obviously some kind of health secret here. If she's carrying two pounds extra, I have no idea where she's hiding it. If I ate like she did, it would take a crane to get me out of bed in the mornings. The answer must be that what she's eating must be healthy as well as delicious. Her number one favorite meal, snack, between meal pick-me-up, comfort food and health potion is ... somtam.
I confess that I had been thinking of somtam as a low class street vender food until I read a newspaper review of a local restaurant in Chiang Mai (Huen Phen) that quoted world class chef and author, Anthony Bourdain as saying that "their papaya salad is in fact the best salad he has ever eaten." Interesting.
Since then I've eaten it there, ordered it in other restaurants and stood beside street vendors in back alleys as they made some for me. It's always very good and I'm reminded of the great line that David Mamet wrote in Wag the Dog,"There are two things I know to be true. There's no difference between good flan and bad flan, and there is no war in Albania." My wife tells me that all somtam is good but there are some she likes more than others.
Regardless of where you get your somtam in Thailand, what I like is that it is always prepared fresh and usually in the front section of the restaurant (or behind the small glass booth perched on the street cart.)
The essentials are basic: a sharp knife, a spoon and a morter and pestle. The preparation is a blur of culinary poetry.
Throw a handful of chilies into the morter and give a good pound or two with the pestle to release the heat. In quick succession add some coarsely chopped tomato, a dash of sugar, a good splash of fish sauce (available now in most oriental markets,) a small spoon of lemon juice, a clove or two of garlic and (usually) some MSG.
The sauce is finished with the addition of a few tiny, whole crabs (poo) and some salted, fermented fish (balak.)
Pound and stir to bruise and mix the sauce then quickly julienne a firm green papaya and add the spaghetti sized pieces to the brew.
Pound and stir one last time to wilt the green fruit in the sauce. Spoon the salad to a plate or bowl and it will invariably look naturally elegant.
Now for the vocabulary to make sure it's done to your taste. Order Somtam Lao if you want the pungent, sour taste of the balak (fermented fish.) Somtam Thai omits the balak and adds peanuts, which I prefer.
"Mai Sai Poo" means hold the crab. "Mai Pom Chulot" is "no MSG." The somtam beginner should say, " mai phet" meaning "not spicy." I like to order "phet mai mak" or "not too spicy." Only a serious masochist should say "phet gadai" and should not then whine about the fiery pain that the true somtam addict craves.
Hot or not, somtam blends soft with crisp and has an intense but surprisingly balanced flavor that is sweet, salty, sour and bitter in every bite.

Top 10 Must-Not-Miss Thai Food

Thai cuisine is one of the best gourmets in the world. It is well known for the diversity of ingredients, outstanding spiciness and ample medicinal properties. Most of Thai food is cooked and refined with more than two types of herbs or spices which are beneficial to health.
The (mostly unconscious) principle Thai food is the balance of five flavors which are spicy, salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The one indispensable ingredient which is generally used in seasoning a majority of Thai cuisine is fish sauce. Thai food is eaten either as a single dish or with rice. Steamed rice is the staple food although sticky rice is more popular in the north and northeast of Thailand.
Thai food is one of many things that you should not miss while you are traveling in this beautiful "Land of Smiles". Since there are numberless delectable Thai dishes, I am writing this guideline for you to select the most distinctive and authentic ones out of the plethora of Thai signature dishes.
The following list is a top 10 rank of Thai food that you must not miss. The consideration and ranking is based on the popularity, uniqueness and authenticity of the delicacies. Here are the winners.
10. Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan (Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts)
Even though Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan does not represent the overview of Thai food but it is a very nice treat to your bland taste buds. Since it is by no means spicy or hot, this slightly sweet and salty chicken fried with crunchy cashew nuts is aptly satiating for children or beginners who are not used to spices.
9. Por Pia Tord (Fried Spring Roll)
Fried spring roll is one of the most popular appetizers among foreigners because it is not spicy and comes with sweet and sour dip. Spring rolls are crispy pastries with fried vegetable fillings. Though spring rolls are commonplace in many Southeast Asian countries, Thai Por Pia is different in flavors with a special dip prepared from Japanese apricot.
8. Panaeng (Meat in Spicy Coconut Cream)
Panaeng can be cooked using either pork, chicken or beef. Panaeng tastes like Thai red curry but the coconut milk sauce is relatively thicker and richer. Compared to Thai red curry, Panaeng is mildly spicy and sweet. Paneang is best served with warm steamed rice. There is nothing to dislike about Panaeng expect the fact that it can be too greasy or fleshy for some people.
7. Som Tam (Spicy Papaya Salad)
Som Tam is one of the most popular foods among Thai people for its fiercely spicy and sour flavors. Som Tam, which literally means "Sour Pounded", is a spicy salad made from a mix of fresh vegetables including shredded unripened papaya, yardlong beans and tomato. Som Tam is unique that the spicy dressing and salad vegetables are pounded and mixed in the mortar using a pestle. Somtam is usually served with grilled chicken and sticky rice. Som Tam is good for your health that it contains no fat, low calorie and high vitamins. This is a truly authentic Thai dish that will make a great impression. The only reason why I'm ranking Som Tam at No.7 (though it deserves higher rank) is its strong spiciness that might leave your tongue burned and swollen. Just say "Mai phed" (not spicy) to your waiter if you really want to try.
6. Moo Sa-Te (Grilled Pork Sticks with Turmeric)
This tantalizing sweet-flavored grilled pork sticks are refined with rich, juicy sauce made of turmeric and curry powder. Moo Sa-Te makes a savory hors d'oeuvres that will appease any taste buds. These juicy grilled pork sticks are usually served with two saucy dips - one is a mildly spicy thick sauce with ground peanuts, coconut milk and curry powder and another one is a sweet and sour vinegar sauce with chopped shallot, pepper and cucumber to mitigate its oiliness.
5. Tom Yam Kai (Spicy Chicken Soup)
Chicken soup is very good to eat when you have a cold but Tom Yam Kai or spicy chicken soup is a yummy treat that you will fall in love with just in a first sip. Tom Yam Kai is a clear chicken soup seasoned with a blend of chili, lime and fish sauce. The broth is simmered with Thai herbs as lemon grass, shallot and galangal which give it a unique and satiating aroma. My foreign friends order this tasty soup anywhere they go so you should not miss it by any means!
4. Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup)
Although Tom Kha Kai is another variation of chicken soup, it deserves the No.4 because of its unparalleled taste and popularity. Similar to Tom Yam Kai, the broth is prepared with many types of Thai herbs with the special addition of coconut milk that makes this soup unique. Though the soup is seasoned with chili, lime and fish sauce just like Tom Kha Kai, thanks to the coconut milk, the broth is milder and less spicy. This is probably more liked by non-spicy eaters.
3. Kang Keaw Wan Kai (Green Chicken Curry)
Since we are having three dishes in a row made of "Kai", you would have guessed that it is chicken in English. Not that chicken is particularly popular in Thai cuisine; it is usually used in most curry and soup. Kang Kiew Wan, literally translated as "Sweet Green Curry", is nicely sweet and slightly spicy and tastes very delightful with a proper blend of the spiciness from green curry chili paste, blandness from coconut milk, sweetness of sugar and saltiness of fish sauce. It is usually eaten with steamed rice or served as a sauce to rice noodle known as "Kanom Jeen" likewise to how you eat Spaghetti.
2. Pad Thai (Fried Noodle)
This national dish prides itself for its long history traced back in previous centuries. Pad Thai flaunts the authenticity of Thai culinary arts in using only fresh and best ingredients and the well-balancing of the five fundamental flavors. The stir-fried noodle becomes popular because it tastes yummy and comes with a choice to add in a set of seasonings to suit your appetites. Through history, Pad Thai has evolved into two different styles: the classic and the variation. The classic Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chili pepper plus bean sprouts, shrimp and tofu and garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander while another style is relatively dry and lightly-flavored. The latter is easily found in street vendors and dominant in Thai restaurants in the West but the having classic Pad Thai freshly cooked in its original country is a way to go.
1. Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)
No other dishes can defeat this renowned Tom Yam Goong as the optimal representative of Thai gourmet. Tom Yam Goong is truly one of a kind with its fierce spiciness and sourness and a blatant use of fragrant herbs including galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, tamarind and chili pepper. There are two styles of Tom Yam; the clear spicy soup and thick spicy soup. The latter is cooked by adding coconut milk or milk to the broth in order to thicken the stock and give the dish a milder flavor. Tom Yam is very versatile and can be made with prawns, chicken, fish and mix of seafood, and mushroom. Tom Yam Goong is the most popular variety of Tom Yam since Spicy Shrimp Soup is the original. Though not very surprising, Tom Yam Goong is definitely a signature dish of Thailand.
Even though it is commonly known that Thai food utilizes many health herbs and spices, there have always been debates whether Thai food is really good for health since they tend to be somewhat greasy. It is important to note that it depends on each dish; some can be highly caloric but many dishes make a good use of herbs. Garlic, for example, is very good healthwise because it can prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cancer.
No matter what the food is, the same old concept of moderate intake comes into play. From Mcdonald's burger to Japanese Sushi, a key to optimal fitness is to avoid overconsumption. Thus, a claim that Thai food is mainly coconut-based and fattening should never be an adequate reason for you to still order a Big Mac. Ravish your taste buds with Thai food - tasty and healthy!

Thai Food and Great Dishes to Prepare

Do you love authentic Thai dishes as well as American Thai combos? If you do and you love to eat such food, you are not alone, in fact these types of foods are amongst my favorites too. So, let me recommend a most excellent cookbook for you, one I am sure you will enjoy and thank me for later. The cookbook to which I refer is:
"Tommy Tang's Modern Thai Cuisine" by Tommy Tang; Double Day Publishing, New York, NY; 1991.
Tommy Tang is a master chef and owner of fine Thai Restaurants in Los Angeles and New York. This book has over 90 Thai Recipes in it, much more than his menu and many of these recipes are illustrated. This cookbook is unique in that it has a glossary of all the ingredients in the front and if you buy all those for your kitchen you will be able to prepare any of the fine dishes in the book. This sure makes it easy to make great Thai food at home.
I think you will enjoy the Thai Chili Fish and Thai Pasta, of course, for me it is hard to decide which is better Tommy's Duck recipe or his special sushi. Tommy dedicated this book to his mom with a great poem and judging by his generosity in sharing all this with the world, I'd say Tommy is the real deal and I'll be happy to eat in any of his restaurants, if I do not cook his delicious dishes in my own custom kitchen. This book is a must for those who wish to cook Thai food at home.
Tommy has a unique way of mixing and matching cultures to find the best of everything, some of the dishes are pure Thai and others are modified to fit nearly anyone's taste buds. The juries in; Tommy Rocks.