Food in Thailand

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.

Motorcycle in Thailand

So, you want to tour Thailand by motorcycle! Great!! Thailand is a very motorcycle-friendly country with some of the best roads in terms of scenery and challenge. For the off-roader, you will find as much excitement as you can handle. For the road cruiser, cruise on smooth fast superhiways or enjoy the banked, curving mountain roads. Thailand has all sorts of scenery and climates to choose from . Touring by motorcycle is one of the best ways to make contact with the local people and really get to experience a Thailand that you can't get when a part of the tour-group crowd.

In the South are Thailand's beautiful islands with beaches that have been immortalized in postcards and dreams. Here you find a way of life that has attracted people from all over the world to come live here. Tourism has touched, but not yet destroyed the life here. People are still friendly to foreigners, especially in the small villages.

In the North are the hilltribes of Thailand and ancient Lanna culture tracing its roots to Burma, Laos and China. The people are known for their hospitality and relaxed way of life. The weather here is usually cooler than the rest of Thailand due to its location in the foothills of the Himalayas. There isn't any snow, but in some areas it gets cold enough to make cold-lovers feel right at home. The North also has the best riding in all of Thailand.

The Northeast, called E-Saan, is considered the heart of Thailand. The people here are mostly field workers and factory workers and live a very simple life. The poorest areas in Thailand are mostly in E-Saan, and life is a struggle for many people, but this struggle has bred a strength and determination that keeps them going no matter how hard life gets. For me, the life is best exemplified in the music and dances of Isaan. They have a rhythm and feel that makes you want to be a part of it.

Reality Check

Well, now you really want to see Thailand by motorcycle right? Have you ever ridden before? If not, forget about learning here. This is a place for experienced, confident riders only. Many foreigners are injured and killed every year in Thailand mostly due to inexperience and being stupid, so be real with yourself concerning your riding abilities and your ability to adapt to the Thai style of driving. If you're not sure,  it is reccommented for you to hire a car or jeep with driver and enjoy Thailand in comfort and relative safety. You might not get to ALL the places you can get to with a motorcycle, but you can enjoy your travels almost as much, with fewer worries about weather, hospital bills, etc. The cost for renting a jeep and driver is from about 1,200 baht per day, plus expenses. Not expensive and your mother will sleep better, so why risk your life needlessly?

 

Back to riding...

Now that we have gotten rid of the amateurs, let's get down to business. We all know the motorcycles are dangerous. Isn't that what your mom told you all the time? And didn't that help to make you MORE determined? Motorcycling is  either in your blood or it's not. We just have to accept that a certain segment will always think we're crazy, but so what? Life is for pleasure and fun, and to a motorcyclist, nothing beats a good ride. Some of us prefer to ride alone, some in packs. Some prefer the dirt (and mud!) while others love the throbbing between their legs from the massive cc's of a cruiser. Whoever you are, Thailand will give you your fills and thrills, but hopefully, no spills. Let's talk about avoiding some of the spills first.

Safety

Road Rules

The basic law of the land is 'Might is Right'. Anything bigger than you has the right of way. Don't try to bully or bluff your way around. You might get your way sometimes, but when you lose.... As a motorcyclist, you are near the bottom of the ladder, just up from pedestrian. Other drivers will assume you know the rules and will act accordingly. Another basic rule is to keep to the left and drive in a straight line. Many teenagers driving bikes and others driving cars don't always follow the rules, especially since Thais love to drink and drive, so you will have occasions when idiots will come up from behind and blast by, sometimes just inches away. Again, they are assuming you will follow the rules, even if they don't.

When driving, maintain a safety margin all around. Be aware of what is going around you and plan for a worst-case scenario. Give yourself an escape route. I want to emphasize again, PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD. Forget the pretty women, interesting buildings, etc. If you want look, stop your bike first, then look all you want.

If you see a dog, give it plenty of attention. After you have traveled around a bit, you will notice many dead dogs on the road. Better that someone else hit them than you. If you can't avoid the dog, grip your handlebars tightly and hit it head-on, maintaining a straight line. Try not skid out on the guts! (sorry, my sick humour:)

Passing, or being passed is when most deadly accidents in Thailand happen. This is something to avoid unless really necessary, then only with super caution. You can never assume that anybody knows you are there or what your intentions are, so use lights, horn, turn signals, etc. to signal your intentions. When on a two-lane road, you will have many occasions when on-coming traffic is passing other vehicles. Even if they see you are in their way, they will usually ignore you, assuming you will get to the left shoulder (where by law on most roads, bikes must travel) and give them room to pass (might is right again).

Pai

Halfway between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son, the mountain road makes a winding descent into a large green valley. Here you''ll find a small town called Pai, named after the river that runs through the valley.
Times are a changing in Pai but for now this should remain an unmissable destination on any trip around Northern Thailand. The town with its main roads (all four of them) are littered with quaint guesthouses, bohemian bars, restaurants, local trekking companies and small souvenir shops. The nights are deliciously cool and jumpers or sweaters are the general evening wear here.

Many travellers are drawn to Pai by its village atmosphere and cheap, easy living in scenic surrounding and don’t want to do much more than kick back and take it easy. But for the more energetic the Pai River itself produces some pretty raucous rapids from July to January and trekking is also popular, with 2 and 3 day treks to Karen, Lahu, and Lisu villages.

Trekking and whitewater rafting in Pai

Here at The Travel Hub we now offer 2 and 3 day trekking programmes as well as1 and 2 day rafting programmes in and around Pai and Mae Hong Son Province.  We also offer discount travel, accomodation and trekking/rafting packages. Please contact us for more details or click the links below:

Getting to Pai

If you decide Pai is for you, busses leave the main Arcade Bus Terminal in Chiang Mai throughout the day for the 4 hour trip or, for more convenience, we have daily air-con mini buses to get you there which will pick you up from your guest house or hotel in Chiang Mai.

Mini bus to Pai

Four departures daily (three hours). You will be picked up from your guest house and driven direct to the centre of Pai town. Price – Only 190 Baht per person. Book at our conveniently located office in the heart of Chiang Mai.

Fly to Pai

Flying to Pai is now possible with SGA Book at the Travel Hub office or book via their website
www.sga.co.th.

CHIANGMAI MARKET

When it comes to the open markets of Chiangmai, most newly arrived foreigners are steered directly either by guidebooks, travel agencies, hotel desk clerks and even tuk-tuk drivers to the Night Bazaar on Changklan Road between Tha Phae and Loi Kroh Roads. This sizeable market, with a gigantic, well-lit sign in English and surrounded by many familiar food chains of the west, is no doubt most oriented to foreign tourists. It's here where most western visitors get their first taste of a traditional Northern Thai shopping experience. Everything appears to be a willy-nilly sprawl of shopping, dining and entertainment both inside the main building and outside along Changklan Road after nightfall. Once amongst the tightly packed stalls stocked with handicrafts and foodstuffs, clothing and shoes, jewelry, ceramic knick-knacks and more, visitors very soon become acquainted with the bargaining game.

Prices are rarely marked, and sellers usually begin with a high quote (especially for foreigners). Don't feel obligated to fork over the first amount asked. Bargaining is expected! Watch and learn from some of the people around you and you'll be astonished at some of the bargains you can get.

While foreigners enjoy the Night Bazaar and go back time and again, there are many more markets in Chiangmai. Don't be intimidated by what is clearly not the western-style shopping experience of the air-conditioned mall variety. Prices are better for the same items you will find at the mall and supermarket chains, and no Thai-food lover can agree that western franchise tastes better than a delicious, fried snack from a sidewalk cart. Only half the fun of shopping in Chiangmai's long established open markets is having an experience you can't possibly get back home.

Variety & Quantity

One of Chiangmai's most interesting and easily accessible markets is the Warorot Market, located several blocks north of the Night Bazaar where Changklan Road intersects with Changmoi Road. Parking is nearly impossible, so it's best to arrive via tuk-tuk or songtheaw. If walking, you will no doubt be distracted from your destination by the abundance of shopping stalls on the blocks surrounding Warorot everything from gold jewelry to tennis shoes to fresh flowers. Unlike the Night Bazaar, the Warorot building is not marked in English. Look for the pedestrian overpass connecting two 3-storey buildings. Enter on the west side of the street under the overpass at the ground floor, or climb the stairs to go directly onto the second floor. Warorot rivals the Night Bazaar in size and variety. The ground floor is devoted to foodstuffs and produce. If you plan to stay awhile and have access to a kitchen, this is the place for pickled goods, herbs, spices and dried goods (More of these, as well as culinary utensils, produce, meat and fish, can be found in the Tohn Lumyai Market building just across the street). Clothing, handicrafts, beauty supplies, shoes, and anything else you could possibly be looking for aside from high-end electronics are available on the second and third floors. There's even a modest food court on the third floor where you can relax with a very inexpensive Thai lunch, snack or dessert.

A single, high ceiling makes it possible to see the floors below, which circle like large balconies around the ground floor. It's clear that this old, tried-and-true shopping center layout is the prototype for Chiangmai's two newer, western-style shopping malls (Airport Plaza and Kad Suan Kaew).

Local Flair

The best way to hit up several several smaller markets at once is to head north of the old city on Changpuek/Chotana Road. Look to the left for Chang Phuak, Erawan, Thannin and Khuang Sing markets. Careful, you might miss some of them if you move too fast. Most of these specialize in items most oriented to Chiangmai residents.

If It's Food You Want

Dining

In the Soi beside the Asia Bank just off Changklan Road in the southernmost part of the Night Bazaar area, visitors will find Anusarn Market. Not quite as varied in goods and certainly not overflowing, the area is better known for a variety of large, open-air restaurants featuring Thai as well as foreign cuisine. Not as pedestrian-friendly as other markets, parking is available in several nearby lots.

Pratu Chiangmai Market, on the southern part of the city moat on Bumroongburi Road and the Chiangmai Gate, is a buzzing neighborhood market most active at night when the local parking lot is turned into an outdoor restaurant area.

Fresh Produce & Meat

Almost all markets offer at least a few fresh Thai fruits to munch while shopping, but there are some that stand out in terms of finding everything you need to try out that Thai recipe you just learned. On Suthep Road just east of Irrigation Canal Road, is the sizeable Tohn Payorm/Suthep farmer's market, where buyers can bypass the middleman.

Sompet Market, on a soi just off Moonmuang Road, north of the Tha Phae Gate and Rajwithee Road, is easily accessible from most hotels and guesthouses in the heart of the old city. During the day, Pratu Chiangmai Market (mentioned above) is a great place to find tasty snacks as well as meat, fish, produce and other makings for a Thai, home-cooked meal.

Learning the Game

Many visitors to Northern Thailand don't understand that bargaining is an essential part of daily life throughout Southeast Asia, and some are afraid to try or are against it in principle. Try it with a smile. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. But if it makes you uncomfortable, at least you might enjoy watching other people bargaining away.

Some Important Herbs And Spices Used In Thai Cooking

Thai food is currently enjoying an international vogue. There are numerous Thai restaurants all over the world in large cities such as Los Angles, London, New York, Paris, Tokyo and many other. The following are some essential herbs and spices used in Thai cooking. The proper combination of all these ingredients is regarded as an art in Thailand, one that requires both skill and time. The preparation of a single sauce can take hours of grinding, tasting and delicate adjustment until the exact balance of flavours is achieved. Only then, can the true glory of Thai cooking be fully appreciated

Basil (horapha, kaphrao, maenglak)
Horapha, kaphrao, maenglak are varieties of sweet basil. Horapha seems to be the nearest to the sweet basil used in European tomato dishes and Italian pesto. Horapha is used here as a vegetable and for flavouring. Fresh leaves are narrower and often tinged with reddish purple. It releases its aroma and flavour only when cooked and is used with fish, beef and chicken. Maenglak leaves are slightly hairy and paler green than Horapha. It is sometimes called lemon-scented basil but definitely has a peppery taste when chewed; it is very similar to Halian dwarf basil and is used as a vegetable and for flavouring.

Cinnamon (ob choei)
Form the bark of a tree, the type of cinnamon used in Thailand is of only one kind, that from the Cassia tree. It is used in meat dishes and particulary in massaman curry a garnish.

 
Bird Chilli (phrik khi nu)
The smallest of the chillies, of which the kind called phrik khi nu suan is the hottest. Take care when chopping them, and do not rub your eyes. Chillies stimulate blood circulation and are reputed to help prevent heart disease and cancer.

Chilli (Phrik chi fa)
Phrik chi fa are finger size, growing 9-12 centimetres in length, and ether yellow, red or green. Not as hot as the bird chilli. There is no discernable difference between the colours.

Citron (som sa)
Citron (Citrus medica var limetta) is a round dark green fruit. Its thick, very aromatic skin is much used for flavouring. Sour orange juice and orange peel would make the best substitute.

Cloves (kanphlu)
Cloves (Eugenia aromatica) are the dried flowerbuds of an evergreen tree native to the Molucca Islands. They are almost as expensive as saffron because crops often fail, they are much used in Western cooking and the oil is antiseptic. Cloves are used in massaman curry and to chew as a relief for toothache.

Coriander (phak chee)
The leaves are often chosen for decoration, with stem and roots for seasoning. Heavily used in Asian kitchens, the Thai kitchen is the only one to use the roots as well.

Cumin (yira)
Seeds look like caraway and fennel, but taste quite different and have to be heated to release their aroma. Only cumin is used in Thai cooking, mainly in the making of curry pastes.

Galangal (kha)
Resembling an upturned claw, this member of the ginger family is a pale pink rhizome with a subtle citrus flavour. It is usually added in large pieces to impart flavour to fish or chicken stock, or used in making curry pastes. Fresh young ginger can be substituted, but you will not end up with the same flavour.

Garlic (krathiam)
Thailand is literally overflowing with garlic plants. Whole cloves, smashed garlic and garlic oil are used in almost every Thai dish. To make garlic oil, chop a handful of  garlic, and fry it in plenty of hot oil until golden. The oil and the fried garlics can be stored in a jar for garnishing soup and for tossing with noodles and rice.

Ginger (khing)
Resembling a flat hand, ginger has over 400 members included in its family. Always choose young fresh ginger if available. Easily grated, it is eaten raw or cooked and is used widely in many Asian cuisines. Young ginger. pounded with a little salt, pepper and garlic is good too as a marinate for chicken or beef. Ginger is acknowledged to improve digestion and to counteract nausea and vomiting.

Krachai
No English common name for Krachai (Kaempferia pandurata). The tubers of this member of the ginger family look like a bunch of yellow brown fingers. Krachai is always added to fish curries, and peeled and served as a raw vegetable with the popular summer rice dish, khao chae.

Kaffir Lime Leaf (bai makrut)
From the kaffir lime, which has virtually no juice these fleshy green and glossy leaves resemble a figure eight. Imparting a unique flavour, they can be finely shredded and added to salads, or torn and added to soups and curries. Can be substituted with other lemon-flavoured herbs, but the best option is to freeze the leaves when you can find them, as they retain all their flavour and texture on thawing

Lime (manao)
The whole fruit is used. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and is used to enhance the flavour of chilli-hot condiments, as well as create some very special salads and desserts, and adorn most dishes as a condiment.

Lemongrass (takhrai)
This hard grass grows rapidly in almost any soil. The base of 10-12 centimetres length of the plant is used, with the green leafy part discarded. Young tender lemongrass stalks can be finely chopped and eaten, but older stalks should be cut into 3-5 centimetres lengths and bruised before being added only as a flavouring agent. It is indispensable for tom yam. Lemongrass oil will sooth an upset stomach and indigestion.

Mint (bai saranae)
This mint (Mentha arvensis) is similar to the mint used for mint sauce in England and is used in Thai food as a vegetable and a flavouring.

Nutmeg (luk chan)
The nut is enclosed in a very hard brown shell. It is used in the making of massaman curry paste.

Pandan Leaf (bai toei)
Long narrow green leaves of a herbaceous plant used for flavouring and colour. There is no substitute of the flavouring and colour. There is no substitute for the flavour but green colouring may be used as a substitute for the colour.

Pepper (prik thai)
Black, white and green peppercorn types. Black is milder and more aromatic than white. Green peppercorns have a special taste all their own and are available al year round but are best towards the end of the rainy season. Used as flavouring.

Sesame (nga)
Identical to sesame seeds the world over. In Thai cooking, sesame seeds are used for oil and for flavouring. These tiny seeds are rich in protein.

Shallot (hom daeng)
These small, zesty, Thai red onions are sweet and aromatic. An essential ingredient in many Thai dishes because of their taste and appearance, they can be substituted with European shallots, small red onions or small brown onions.

Spring Onions (ton hom)
These green onions (Allium fistulosom) are used for garnishing soups and salads and as vegetables.

Turmeric (khamin)
These small, bright orange roots are used for the colouring in yellow curries. White turmeric, a different type, is used as a raw vegetable and resembles ginger. It taste only slightly peppery and has a pleasant tang.