WHAT IS THAI COOKING ?

WHAT IS THAI COOKING ?


Originally, Thai people lived a waterborne lifestyle, mainly in the central plains of Thailand, travelling on, and living by the rivers growing rice and catching fish, which was cooked on a wood-fire grill or babecue. To accompany the fish, they developed dips and sauces, which were made from locally grown herbs, spicies, pepers, cucumbers, aubergines and other vegetables, some of which were grown in the rivers, along with various types of limes and lemongrass.

The vegetables were, and still are, often eaten raw. As this diet is somewhat dry, soups developed, such as the well-known tom yam, which was originally made with fish. At this time, the Thais shunned eating large animals, and when meat was eaten it was always chopped into small pieces. This is thought to be because of their Buddhist heritage. During the sixteenth century, foreigners started to appear in Thailand, introducing sinificant new ingredients, such as the chilli. Since that time, the Thais have adopted many forign foods, including curries from India and Persia, and noodles from China, but they have always been adapted to suit the Thai way of eating, thereby producing a taste unique to Thailand. Food invitably becomes individual to the place where it is being prepared and cooked, because the local ingrdients always have a taste and texture different to anywhere else.

Nowadays, fruit and vegetables that are associated with certain parts of the world can be bought anywhere, and so, sadly, this individuality is gradually being lost. I am glad to say, thought, that it still exists in Thailand.

Resource : The Big Book of Thai curries / VATCHARIN BHUMICHITR