Thailand is famous as a wonderful tourist destination, the perfect place to enjoy a tropical beach holiday on a modest budget. The Thai people are welcoming and friendly, the weather is warm, and if one tires of the beach life there are mountainous national parks and spectacular ancient temples to explore. It’s a great place to visit with much to recommend, but there’s one thing in particular that every visitor raves about, and that’s the delicious food!
Thai food has become the country’s most popular export, you can now find Thai restaurants in nearly every corner of the globe! The Thais themselves are the biggest fans, they love to eat, and dining is an important part of their culture. Every year you can find a Thai trade fair in Bangkok devoted to food with its halls full of eager shoppers and entrepreneurs selling their delicious wares.
When asked what the secret of Thai food’s success is, most cooks will tell you it’s the spices and special ingredients that go into its make-up, some of which are familiar to Westerners, but many of which have a very exotic mystique! Let’s take a peek into a traditional Thai kitchen and see some of what goes into those mouthwatering dishes!
Galangal
A member of the ginger family, Galangal bears a close resemblance to its cousin ginger but has a unique taste all its own. Galangal root has been described as having a slight heat somewhat similar to horseradish but much milder, and an earthy aroma that hints at citrus and pine. The taste is pungent and spicy, with a small amount of sweetness. Galangal is never eaten on its own, but is an important ingredient in curries and soups, most famously in spicy Tom Yum soup!
Sweet Basil
The Thais call it Bai Horapa, and love to eat it in stir-fries and curries. The leaves of Thai sweet basil are flatter than its western cousin and are sturdy enough to hold up under high cooking temperatures. They have a bold flavour reminiscent of liquorice and allspice. Even though they handle the heat well, most Thai chefs throw them into the mix at the last minute to preserve their fresh taste and texture!
Kaffir Lime Leaves
Makrut as the Thais call it are used in a similar way to bay leaves in the west, adding an intense lime-like flavour to soups and curries, but are generally not eaten. The exception to this is in stir-fry dishes, the leaves are sliced into very thins slivers then fried until they become crispy and easy to eat, a delicious addition to appetizers like fried pork neck.
Chilli Peppers
It’s hard to believe that the chilli pepper has only been in Thailand for a few hundred years, they have adopted it so wholeheartedly, putting it in just about everything! Well, it’s as good as native now, and they like them hot and spicy, visitors are warned it can be enough to make you cry! The trick is to eat chilli heavy dishes with a glass of Thai ice tea, the coconut milk and tea acids help soothe the burn!
Sounds delicious? Come visit Thailand and bring your appetite!
