Krabi FRITTOMISTO
Divers, Thai food
Thai food is internationally famous. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively
bland, harmony is the guiding principle behind each dish. Thai 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 palates.
Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a waterborn
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-flying.Culinary
influences from the 17 th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch,French
and Japanese. Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s
by Portuguese missionaries who had acuquired a taste for them while serving
in South America. Thais were very adapt at 'Siameseising' foreign cooking
meathods, and substituting ingredients.
The ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut
milk substituted for other dairy products. Overporering 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 curried, while
the use of fresh herbs increased. It is generally acknowledged that Thai
curried burn intensely, but briefly, whereas other curries, with strong
spices, burn for longer periods. Instead of serving all at once, permitting
diners to enjoy complementary combinations of different tastes. A proper
Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a dip with
accompanying fish ans vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the curry dish.
The soup can also be spicy, but the curry shuld be replaced by a non-spiced
item. There must indicidual dishes and the entire meal.
ABOUT THAI FOOD
Thai food is internationally famous. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively
bland, harmony is the guiding principle behind each dish. Thai 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 palates.
Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a waterborn
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-flying.Culinary
influences from the 17 th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch,French
and Japanese. Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s
by Portuguese missionaries who had acuquired a taste for them while serving
in South America. Thais were very adapt at 'Siameseising' foreign cooking
meathods, and substituting ingredients.
The ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut
milk substituted for other dairy products. Overporering 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 curried, while
the use of fresh herbs increased. It is generally acknowledged that Thai
curried burn intensely, but briefly, whereas other curries, with strong
spices, burn for longer periods. Instead of serving all at once, permitting
diners to enjoy complementary combinations of different tastes. A proper
Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a dip with
accompanying fish ans vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the curry dish.
The soup can also be spicy, but the curry shuld be replaced by a non-spiced
item. There must indicidual dishes and the entire meal.
Chiang Mai : Food Festival
Date : Dec 16-20
Place : Tha Pae Gate, Chiang Mai
Description : An annual festival of Chiang Mai's delicious cuisine featuring
demonstrations of fruit carving,traditional desserts and charming Lanna
cultural shows.
Chiang Mai : Winter Fair
Date : Dec 26 - Jan 11
Place : Chiang Mai City Hall
Description : An annual festival featuring a variety of hand-crafted
goods.The event is highlighted by the Miss Chiang Mai Beauty Contest.
Chiang Mai : Bo Sang Umbrella Fair
Date : Jan 15-17
Place : Bo Sang Village, Chiang Mai
Description : Held on the main street, this fair celebrates the traditional
skill of umbrella painting, and features an exhibition andvending stalls of
umbrellas and other handicrafts. A highlight will be the Miss Bo Sang Beauty
Contest.
Chiang Mai : Tawai Village Wood Carving
Date : Jan 29-Feb 4
Place : Bo Sang Village, Chiang Mai
Description : Tawai Village, Amphoe Hang Dong, Chiang Mai An event featuring
demonstrations, contests and the sale of wood carvings and local
handicrafts, as well as folk performances and a procession highlighting an
entire range of northern woodcrafts.
Lumpang : Winter Fair
Date : Dec 28 - Jan 3
Place : Amphoe Muang,Lampang
Description : An annual event presenting an array of Thai-made products and
food, with special music and cultural performances.
THE CENTRAL REGION
Ayutthaya : Ayutthaya World Heritage Site Celebrations
Date : Dec 30-Jan 3
Place : Ayutthaya Historical Park
Description : Ayutthaya, an ancient Siamese capital, was designated a World
Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991. This event features historical exhibitions,
traditional cultural processl . ons and performances, along with light and
sound presentations centred in the city's ancient ruins.
Ayutthaya : Bang Sai Arts & Crafts Fair
Date : Jan 12-Feb 21
Place : Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts & Crafts Centre
Description : This fair showcases products of H.M. the Queen's SUPPORT
FOUNDATION, along with exhibitions, demonstrations of local goods, and folk
entertainment performances.
Nakhon Pathom : Nakhon Pathom Food and Fruit Fair
Date : Jan 14-20
Place : Phra Pathom Chedi, Amphoe Muang
Description : Thailand's largest Buddhist monument, Phra Pathom Chedi is the
centre of this annual event featuring a wide range of fruit and food
products, handicrafts and cultural performances
Suphan Buri : Don Chedi Memorial Fair
Date : Jan 23-Feb 1
Place : Don Chedi Memorial
Description : In 1592 at Don Chedi, King Naresuan the Great won a famous
elephant-back duel against the leader of an enemy force, an historic event
that led to-the liberation of the Kingdom from foreign occupation. This fair
commemorates this momentous event with an historical exhibition and outdoor
entertainment.
THE NORTHEAST REGION
Buri Ram : I-San Kite Festival
Date : Jan16-17
Place : Huai Rat Stadium
Description : This annual event showcases various forms of traditional Thai
kites and competition.
Nakhon Phanom : Phra That Phanom Homage-Paying Fair
Date : Jan 26-Feb 1
Place : Phra That Phanom Temple
Description : Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Nakhon Phanom is the
site of the famous Phra That Phanom, which enshrines Lord Buddha's relics,
and is regarded as the symbol of northeastern Thailand. This seven-day fair
attracts a large number of devotees paying homage at the shrine, while
enjoying numerous forms of entertainment.
Ubon Ratchathani : Kachad (Red Cross) and New Year Fair
Date : Dec 27-Jan 4
Place : City Hall
Description : This annual event features handicrafts, local products, and
cultural performances.
ABOUT THAI FOOD
Thai food is internationally famous. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively
bland, harmony is the guiding principle behind each dish. Thai 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 palates.
Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a waterborn
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-flying.Culinary
influences from the 17 th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch,French
and Japanese. Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s
by Portuguese missionaries who had acuquired a taste for them while serving
in South America. Thais were very adapt at 'Siameseising' foreign cooking
meathods, and substituting ingredients.
The ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut
milk substituted for other dairy products. Overporering 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 curried, while
the use of fresh herbs increased. It is generally acknowledged that Thai
curried burn intensely, but briefly, whereas other curries, with strong
spices, burn for longer periods. Instead of serving all at once, permitting
diners to enjoy complementary combinations of different tastes. A proper
Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a dip with
accompanying fish ans vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the curry dish.
The soup can also be spicy, but the curry shuld be replaced by a non-spiced
item. There must indicidual dishes and the entire meal.
Introduction ::Eating & Ordering Thai Food ::What Comprises a Thai Meal
::Regional Thai Cuisine ::Thai Recipes ::Thai Desserts ::Fruits ::Herbs
Introduction
Thai food is internationally famous. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively
blands, 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. 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 'Siamese-ising' 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.
A proper Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a
dip with accompanying fish and vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the
curry dish. The soup can also be spicy, but the curry should be replaced by
non spiced items. There must be a harmony of tastes and textures within
individual dishes and the entire meal.
Eating & Ordering Thai Food
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 the need for a knife. The spoon is
used to convey food to the mouth.
Ideally, eating Thai food is a communal affair involving two or more people,
principally because the greater the number of diners the greater the number
of dishes ordered. Generally speaking, two diners order three dishes in
addition to their own individual plates of steamed rice, three diners four
dishes, and so on. Diners choose whatever they require from shared dishes
and generally add it to their own rice. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with
rice. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with other dishes, not independently.
Spicy dishes, not independently. Spicy dishes are "balanced" by bland dishes
to avoid discomfort.
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, chillies, 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.
What Comprises a Thai Meal
:: Titbits
These can be hors d'oeuvres, accompaniments, side dishes, and/or snacks.
They include spring rolls, satay, puffed rice cakes with herbed topping.
They represent the playful and creative nature of the Thais
Salads
A harmony of tastes and herbal flavours are essential. Major tastes are
sour, sweet and salty. Spiciness comes in different degrees according to
meat textures and occasions.
:: General Fare
A sweet and sour dish, a fluffy omelette, and a stir-fried dish help make a
meal more complete.
:: Dips
Dips entail some complexity. They can be the major dish of a meal with
accompaniments of vegetables and some meats. When dips are made thinly, they
can be used as salad designs. A particular and simple dip is made from
chillies, garlic, dried shrimps, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and shrimp
paste.
:: Soups
A good meal for an average person may consist simply of a soup and rice.
Traditional Thai soups are unique because they embody more flavours and
textures than can be found in other types of food.
:: Curries
Most non-Thai curries consist of powdered or ground dried spices, whereas
the major ingredients of Thai curry are fresh herbs. A simple Thai curry
paste consists of dried chillies, shallots and shrimp paste. More complex
curries include garlic, galanga, coriander roots, lemon grass, kaffir lime
peel and peppercorns.
::Single Dishes
Complete meals in themselves , they include rice and noodle dishes such as
Khao Phat and Phat Thai.
:: Desserts
No good meal is complete without a Thai dessert. Uniformly sweet, they are
particularly welcome after a strongly spiced and herbed meal.
Preparing Thai Food
>> Titbits
A simple kind of titbit is fun to make. You need shallots, ginger, lemon or
lime, lemon grass, roasted peanuts and red phrik khi nu chillies. 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. Chillies 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 chillies 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 (nam phrik). Some pulverised dried shrimp and julienned
egg-plant with sugar makes this dip more complete. Serve it with steamed
rice, an omelette 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 chillies,
garlic and shallots add spiciness and herbal fragrance. Lemon grass and
galanga 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 or cuts of one's
choice. After prolonged boiling and simmering , you have the basic stock of
common Thai soups. Additional galanga, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves,
crushed fresh chillies, fish sauce and lime juice create the basic stock for
a Tom Yam.
>> Curries
To make a quick curry, fry curry or chilli 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 kaffir lime leaves. Make your own curry paste by
blending fresh (preferably dried) chillies, garlic, shallots, galanga, lemon
grass, coriander roots, ground pepper, kaffir lime peels and shrimp paste.
>> Single Dish Meals
Heat the cooking oil, fry in a mixture of crushed chillies, 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. Cooked rice or fresh noodles
added to the frying would make this a substantial meal.
:Introduction ::Eating & Ordering Thai Food
::What Comprises a Thai Meal
::Preparing Thai Food
::Regional Thai Cuisine ::Thai Recipes ::Thai Desserts ::Fruits ::Herbs
Introduction
Thai food is internationally famous. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively
blands, 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. 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. Krabi hotel, resort in Aonang
Thais were very adapt at 'Siamese-ising' 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.
A proper Thai meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a
dip with accompanying fish and vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the
curry dish. The soup can also be spicy, but the curry should be replaced by
non spiced items. There must be a harmony of tastes and textures within
individual dishes and the entire meal. Krabi hotel, resort in Aonang
Eating & Ordering Thai Food
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 the need for a knife. The spoon is
used to convey food to the mouth. Krabi hotel, resort in Aonang
Ideally, eating Thai food is a communal affair involving two or more people,
principally because the greater the number of diners the greater the number
of dishes ordered. Generally speaking, two diners order three dishes in
addition to their own individual plates of steamed rice, three diners four
dishes, and so on. Diners choose whatever they require from shared dishes
and generally add it to their own rice. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with
rice. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with other dishes, not independently.
Spicy dishes, not independently. Spicy dishes are "balanced" by bland dishes
to avoid discomfort.
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, chillies, 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.
What Comprises a Thai Meal
:: Titbits
These can be hors d'oeuvres, accompaniments, side dishes, and/or snacks.
They include spring rolls, satay, puffed rice cakes with herbed topping.
They represent the playful and creative nature of the Thais
:: Salads Krabi hotel, resort in Aonang
A harmony of tastes and herbal flavours are essential. Major tastes are
sour, sweet and salty. Spiciness comes in different degrees according to
meat textures and occasions.
:: General Fare
A sweet and sour dish, a fluffy omelette, and a stir-fried dish help make a
meal more complete.
:: Dips
Dips entail some complexity. They can be the major dish of a meal with
accompaniments of vegetables and some meats. When dips are made thinly, they
can be used as salad designs. A particular and simple dip is made from
chillies, garlic, dried shrimps, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and shrimp
paste.
:: Soups
A good meal for an average person may consist simply of a soup and rice.
Traditional Thai soups are unique because they embody more flavours and
textures than can be found in other types of food.
:: Curries
Most non-Thai curries consist of powdered or ground dried spices, whereas
the major ingredients of Thai curry are fresh herbs. A simple Thai curry
paste consists of dried chillies, shallots and shrimp paste. More complex
curries include garlic, galanga, coriander roots, lemon grass, kaffir lime
peel and peppercorns.
:: Single Dishes
Complete meals in themselves , they include rice and noodle dishes such as
Khao Phat and Phat Thai.
:: Desserts
No good meal is complete without a Thai dessert. Uniformly sweet, they are
particularly welcome after a strongly spiced and herbed meal.
Preparing Thai Food
>> Titbits
A simple kind of titbit is fun to make. You need shallots, ginger, lemon or
lime, lemon grass, roasted peanuts and red phrik khi nu chillies. 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. Chillies 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 chillies 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 (nam phrik). Some pulverised dried shrimp and julienned
egg-plant with sugar makes this dip more complete. Serve it with steamed
rice, an omelette 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 chillies,
garlic and shallots add spiciness and herbal fragrance. Lemon grass and
galanga 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 or cuts of one's
choice. After prolonged boiling and simmering , you have the basic stock of
common Thai soups. Additional galanga, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves,
crushed fresh chillies, fish sauce and lime juice create the basic stock for
a Tom Yam.
>> Curries
To make a quick curry, fry curry or chilli 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 kaffir lime leaves. Make your own curry paste by
blending fresh (preferably dried) chillies, garlic, shallots, galanga, lemon
grass, coriander roots, ground pepper, kaffir lime peels and shrimp paste.
>> Single Dish Meals
Heat the cooking oil, fry in a mixture of crushed chillies, 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. Cooked rice or fresh noodles
added to the frying would make this a substantial meal.
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