Thailand is a land with rich heritage, tradition, culture and, above all, cuisine Whether the chilli is hot or comparatively bland, harmony is an important principle in every Thai dish.
Thai cuisine is essentially a fusion of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences, harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai.
Thai cooking originally reflected the characteristics of a coastal lifestyle.
Aquatic animals, plants and herbs were major ingredients, but due to the Buddhist influence, Thais limited the use of big chunks of large animals.
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.
Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s by Portuguese missionaries who acquired a taste for them in South America.
While adapting to foreign cooking methods, Thais substituted some of the 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 mostly served all at once, permitting dinners to enjoy complementary combinations of different tastes.
A proper Thai meal normally consists of a soup, a spicy salad, a curry dish with condiments, a dip with accompanying fish and vegetables.
Like any other good meal, no Thai meal is complete without dessert.
There must be a harmony of tastes and textures within individual dishes and the entire meal.
I am always over whelmed whenever I visit the gastronomical country for the unique culinary experience, aromas, colours and intricately carved vegetables and fruits.
Before I share some exotic recipes, which I learnt on a recent trip to the exotic Bangkok, here are a few tips to prepare Thai food in your kitchen:
Titbits
A simple kind of titbit is always fun and easy to make.
You need shallots, ginger, lemon or lime, lemon grass, roasted peanuts and red Phrik khi nu chilies.
Peeled shallots and ginger should be cut into small fingertip sizes.
Diced lime and slices of lemon grass should be cut to the same size.
Roasted peanut should be left in halves.
Chilies should be thinly sliced.
Combinations of such ingredients should be wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves and laced with a sweet-salty sauce made from fish sauce, sugar, dried shrimps and lime juice.
Dips
Mixing crushed fresh chilies with fish sauce and a dash of lime juice makes a general accompanying sauce for any Thai dish.
Adding some crushed garlic and a tiny amount of roasted or raw shrimp paste transforms it into an all-purpose dip (referred as Nam Phrik in Thai).
Some pulverized dried shrimp and julienned egg-plant with sugar makes this dip more complete.
Serve it with steamed rice, an omelet and some vegetables.
Salad Dressings
Salad dressings have similar base ingredients.
Add fish sauce, lime juice and sugar to enhance saltiness, sourness and sweetness.
Crushed chilies, garlic and shallots add spiciness and herbal fragrance.
Lemon grass and galangal can be added for additional flavour.
Employ this mix with any boiled, grilled or fried meat.
Lettuce leaves, sliced cucumber, cut spring onions and coriander leaves help top off a salad dressing.
Soup Stocks
Soups generally need good stock.
Add to boiling water crushed peppercorns, salt, garlic, shallots, coriander roots, and the meats of one’s choice.
After prolonged boiling and simmering , you have the basic stock of common Thai soups.
Additional galangal, lemon grass, kefir lime leaves, crushed fresh chilies, fish sauce and lime juice create the basic stock for a Tom Yam.
Curries
To make a quick curry, fry curry or chili paste in heated oil or thick coconut milk.
Stir and fry until the paste is well cooked and add meats of one’s choice.
Season with fish sauce or sugar to taste.
Add water or thin coconut milk to make curry go a longer way.
Add sliced eggplant with a garnish of basil and kefir lime leaves.
Make your own curry paste by blending fresh (preferably dried) chilies, garlic, shallots, galangal, lemon grass, coriander roots, ground pepper, kefir lime peels and shrimp paste.
Single Dish Meals
Heat the cooking oil, fry in a mixture of crushed chilies, minced garlic, ground pepper and chopped chicken meat.
When nearly cooked, add vegetables such as cut beans or eggplants.
Season with fish sauce and garnish with kefir lime leaves, basil or balsam leaves.
Stir fry exotic vegetables with raw mango puree and peanut butter
Ingredients
● 1 pod crushed garlic ● 3 dried red chilli ● 1 cup broccoli ● 1 cup snow peas ● 1 cup asparagus ● 1/2 cup shitake mushroom 1/2 cup baby corn ● 1 tsp lemon grass ● 1 peeled raw mango blended in a food processor ● 1 tbsp peanut butter ● Salt to taste ● 3 tbsp oil ● 5 pieces cashewnuts fried ● 1 tbsp vinegar ● 2 tbsp Thai red chilli paste 1tsp sugar Method In a pan heat oil, add garlic sauté till light brown, then add red chillies, peanut butter and salt.
Saute for a few 2 minutes. Add all the vegetables and stir fry for a few minutes, then add rest of the ingredients in the pan, stir for 2-3 minutes.
Option: Non-vegetarians can add some red wine marinated shrimps.