Thailand

Thai Massaman

Previous: Mexico

Next: Malaysia

Thailand

On every street and soi in Thailand, wafting from hawker stalls and carts are the unmistakable scents of lemongrass, Thai basil, and chilli. This trifecta perfectly depicts Thai food – fresh, zingy, sweet and, more often than not, mega spicy!

Thailand

Influences

Offset by the saltiness of fish sauce, umami hit of shrimp paste and earthy savouriness of galangal, Thai flavours are splendidly balanced, offering the sensory pleasures of taste, smells, and vibrant colours all in one.

Flavours

Under its previous name of Siam, the Kingdom of Thailand was a frequented intersection of the east-west trade route with much of its culture, religion and food influenced by the Arabs and Persians bringing rich spices to the region. Western influences started in the 1500s and until then, Indian neighbours taught them how to use chillies to make rich, spicy curries.

History and Influences

During the Columbian Exchange, travellers from Portugal and Spain brought raw produce from Europe and the Americas, including tomatoes, chillies, corn, papaya, pea eggplants, pineapple, pumpkins, cashews, coriander and peanuts. As with many Southeast Asian countries, there are correlating flavours and recipes found between regions – Isan from the northeast is influenced by Laos and Khmer cultures, while southern Thai food is much closer to Malay and Indian cuisine.

Central Thai food is the cuisine of the flat and wet central rice-growing plains, the site of the former Thai kingdoms of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, and the Dvaravati culture of the Mon people from what we now know as Myanmar or Burma.

Thailand

Iconic Dish

Fresh, zingy, sweet and, more often than not, mega spicy, Thai food is a harmonious balance of flavours and a truly sensory experience including punchy salads including nuts, fruits and herbs; colourful, wok-tossed stir-fries, Pad Thai noodles, or hearty, rich curries like their famous creamy coconut Massaman. Hawker stalls serve sweets of black sticky rice and colourful Luk Chup bites with refreshing lemon iced teas and sweet milk.

Thailand

Spiceology

Thailand’s single most prevalent ingredient is chilli. From the sweet to the spicy to the mega-spicy, a wide variety of dried and fresh chillies are grown and sold. They also produce highly aromatic herbs and spices, including basil, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, coriander and cumin. Some of Thailand’s most popular chillies include the Thai Scud Chilli, Prik Ki Nu (unfortunately translating to rat poo due to its shape), and the hottest of them all – the Bird’s Eye Chilli – a small, bright red pepper with a big hit of heat.