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 Thai food is internationally
famous. Whether chilly-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 adept at 'Siamese-ing' 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 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 dinners to enjoy complementary
combinations of different tastes.
Thai food is eaten with a fork and spoon. Even single-dish meals
such as fried rice with pork, or steamed rice topped with
roasted duck, are served in bite-sized slices or chunks
obviating need for a knife. The spoon is used to convey food to
the mouth.
The ideal Thai meal is a harmonious blend of the spicy, the
subtle, the sweet and sour and is meant to be equally satisfying
to eye, nose and palate. A typical meal might include a clear
soup (perhaps bitter melons stuffed with minced pork), a steamed
dish (mussels in curry sauce), a fried dish (fish with ginger),
a hot salad (beef slices on a bed of lettuce, onions, chilies,
mint and lemon juice) and a variety of sauces into which food is
dipped. This would be followed by sweet desserts and/or fresh
fruits such as mangoes, durian, jackfruit, papaya, grapes or
melon.
Here is a recipe of Thai Prawn Soup
Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Prawn Soup)
Ingredients (For Two Servings)
Prawns-5-7
Straw Mushrooms-120g.
Lemongrass-1-2
Kaffir lime leaves-3-4
Roasted Chilly Paste- 1 tbs.
Fish Sauce- 2 tbs.
Lime Juice- 3 tbs.
Fresh Chilies- 3-4
Water- 4 cups
Coriander leaves, red chilies and kaffir lime leaves for
garnishing.
Preparation:
1. Clean the prawns. Cut lengthwise down the center of the
prawns, but do not cut all the way through.
2. Rinse the mushrooms and trim the base off. Dry well, and cut
in halves.
3. Bring the water to a boil. Add lemongrass and kaffir lime
leaves; then add the prawns and mushrooms. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, season with roasted chili paste, fish
sauce, limejuice, and chilies.
5. Garnish with red chillies, kaffir lime leaves and coriander
leaves.
Note: Coconut milk can be substituted with milk to enrich creamy
flavor to the soup.
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