About Thai Food

Food in Thai Culture

 Food is a central part of any social occasions in Thailand, in fact it often becomes the social occasion. This is partly due to the gregarious nature of Thai people, but also because of the way food is ordered and eaten in Thailand.

At Look- Nun’s, as in most of the Western World, a typical restaurant meal consists of a starter, soup and salad, followed by the main course and dessert, with each individual ordering for themselves. In Thailand appetizers are not the norm, and Thai diners don’t recognize any dish as belonging to any one person. As a general rule, Thai diners order the same number of dishes as people sitting at the table. All dishes are then shared and enjoyed together.

So if you’re hungry and look forward to a variety of dishes, it’s better to have as many guests at the table as you can. In fact, many Thais believe that eating alone is bad luck.

A typical Thai meal includes four main seasonings: salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. Indeed, most Thai dishes are not considered satisfying unless they combine all four tastes. When eating out, a group of Thai diners would order a variety of meat and/or fish dishes, plus vegetables, a noodle dish, and possibly also soup.

Dessert may consist simply of fresh fruit, such as pineapple, or something more exotic, such as colorful rice cakes or sticky rice and mango.

Aside from meals, Thais are renowned for eating many small meals throughout the day. It’s easy to pick up a quick snack for pennies along the roadside at marketplaces or on the river.

Popular snacks consist of spring rolls, chicken or beef s’tay, raw vegetables with a spicy dip, soups, salads, and sweets.

The formal presentation of food is another important aspect of Thai culture. Developed primarily in the palace to please the King of Siam, Thai food presentation is among the most exquisite in the world. Serving platters are decorated with all variety of carved vegetables and fruits into flowers and other pieces of beauty. Palace-style stir-fries include elegantly carved vegetables within the dish itself. For such artwork, Thai chefs use a simple paring knife and ice water (the ice water prevents discoloration of the vegetables as they cut them).

The Chinese brought chopsticks to Thailand long ago, and today most Thais use them as well as western cutlery, though in their own special way.

Thai cutlery generally consists of a fork and large spoon.

The spoon is held in the right hand and used in place of a knife. Also popular is the metal or ceramic spoon shown below. These can be found in most homes and restaurants, and are the primary utensil for eating soups and desserts.

When eating, Thais do not combine various foods on their plates, but rather, they sample one dish at a time, always eaten with a mound of rice on the side. Bowls are used primarily for soup, not in place of a plate.

The tastes of modern-day Thailand boast an ancient history. As early as the thirteenth-century, Thai people established what might be considered the heart of Siamese cuisine as we know it today: various types of meat and seafood combined with local vegetables, herbs and spices such as garlic and pepper, and served with rice.

Later, the Chinese brought noodles to Thailand,

as well as the introduction of the most important Thai cooking tool: the steel wok.

Thai cuisine is also heavily influenced by Indian spices and flavors, which is evident in its famous green, red, and yellow curries. 

However, it would be nearly impossible to confuse an Indian curry with one from Thailand. Although Thai curry incorporates many Indian spices in its pastes, it still manages to maintain its own unique flavor with the addition of local spices and ingredients, such as Thai holy basil,

lemongrass,

and galangal (Thai ginger).

 Thai food is often served with a variety of sauces (nam chim) and condiments. These may include phrik nam pla (consisting of fish sauce, lime juice, chopped chilies and garlic), dried chili flakes, sweet chili sauce, sliced chili peppers in rice vinegar, sriracha sauce, or a spicy chili sauce or paste called nam phrik. In most Thai restaurants, diners can find a selection of Thai condiments in small containers with tiny spoons.

Cucumber is sometimes eaten to cool the mouth after particularly spicy dishes. They often also feature as a garnish, especially with one-dish meals. Plain rice or sticky rice is often served alongside a spicy curry or stir-fry to counteract the spiciness.