Thai Cooking

Thai food is one of the original fusion cuisines, marrying Chinese, Indian, and other ethnic flavors to the indigenous cooking style. Thai food has an assertive flavor and fragrance with a layering of seasonings.

Thai curries are of two types: Indian, which includes classic Indian spices, and Southeast Asian, which includes lemongrass and other local spices. Thai cooking is quick-stir-frying, quick simmering, deep-frying and steaming. Grilling also is common.

Fish sauce (nam pla) and shrimp paste add potent flavor to Thai dishes. Thai cooks use Thai-style soy sauces - the clear, light soy sauce and the darker thicker soy sauce, as well as a sweet soy sauce. Sour and citrus flavors, palm sugar and tamarind pulp provide distinctive flavor notes.

Popular spices include cardamom, dried chiles, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin, curry spices, nutmeg star anise, and white peppercorn.

Fresh basil, Chinese chives cilantro sprigs and roots, galangal, garlic, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, mint, sawtooth herb, and Thai basil are the characteristic herbs that make up the Thai flavor palette.

Aromatic accents come from the use of jasmine, banana, and pandanus leaves.

Traditionally, a Thai meal is served 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 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.