Thai Cuisine is known for its balance of five fundamental flavours in each dish or the overall meal – hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty and bitter (optional). Although popularly considered as a single cuisine, Thai food would be more accurately described as four regional cuisines corresponding to the four main regions of the country: Northern, Northeastern, Central and Southern. Southern curries, for example, tend to contain coconut milk and fresh turmeric, while northeastern dishes often include lime juice. Though the secret to all Thai food lies in the subtle differences in the proportions of ingredients used, which can add layers of flavours and aroma. Widely use of fresh herbs and spices as well as fish sauce is exclusivity of this food.
Thai food is popular in many Western countries especially in Australia, New Zealand, some countries in Europe such as the United Kingdom, as well as the United States, and Canada. According to the chef Manav Sharma, of Ploof Restaurant, Lodhi Colony, where Thai food is served, “Thai food is very unique to its region, but its influence on Cambodian, Indonesian and Malaysian and food of Vietnam can be seen distinctly. It does not have any similarity with any other cuisine.”
Flavours to add to the taste:
Thai dishes in the central and Southern regions use a wide variety of leaves rarely found in the West, such as kaffir lime leaves. The characteristic flavour of kaffir lime leaves’ appears in nearly every Thai soup (e.g., the hot and sour Tom yam) or curry from those areas. It is frequently combined with garlic, galangal, lemon grass, turmeric and/or finger root, blended together with moderate amounts of various chilies to make curry paste.
Thai food is popular in many Western countries especially in Australia, New Zealand, some countries in Europe such as the United Kingdom, as well as the United States, and Canada. According to the chef Manav Sharma, of Ploof Restaurant, Lodhi Colony, where Thai food is served, “Thai food is very unique to its region, but its influence on Cambodian, Indonesian and Malaysian and food of Vietnam can be seen distinctly. It does not have any similarity with any other cuisine.”
Flavours to add to the taste:
Thai dishes in the central and Southern regions use a wide variety of leaves rarely found in the West, such as kaffir lime leaves. The characteristic flavour of kaffir lime leaves’ appears in nearly every Thai soup (e.g., the hot and sour Tom yam) or curry from those areas. It is frequently combined with garlic, galangal, lemon grass, turmeric and/or finger root, blended together with moderate amounts of various chilies to make curry paste.
“Thai food is very spicy as lot of Thai chillies has been used to give a unique flavour and aroma. Main ingredients are galangal, which is special kind of ginger and chilies. Chilies (red, green, and yellow) are used in generous amounts in the Thai kitchen, and should always be purchased fresh, not bottled. Lemon grass is used to give flavour and leaf of the Makroot, which is a kind of lemon, is added to almost all the dishes. The leaf is known as Kafir. Apart of this a fish sauce, Nam Pla is added to most of the Thai cuisine,” explains Manav Sharma.
Fresh Thai basil is also used to add fragrance in certain dishes such as Green curry. Other typical ingredients include the small green Thai eggplants, tamarind, palm and lime juice.
Along with herbs and spices, there are various sauces and other speciality ingredients essential to authentic Thai cooking. In most Thai recipes one can find a base of onions or, more often, shallots. Shallots are high in potassium and have a slightly different flavour compared to onions. Another healthy ingredient in Thai cooking is mushrooms. Various types are used, including shiitake, wood ear, and straw.
Coconut is a main ingredient in desserts, in particular the milk and the shredded coconut pieces. The coconut milk is used in a lot of dishes as the soup or base and some of the desserts are rolled in shredded coconut for taste and look. “This region is near to the sea that is why coconut is available in plenty. This is a reason lot of fresh coconut milk and shredded coconut is used in Thai preparations, adds Manav.
SATAY GHAI
Ingredients
4 lg Skinless Boneless Chicken -Breast Halves (About
1 1/2 Pounds)
1/4 c Soy Sauce
1 tb Salad Oil
1 tb Molasses
1/4 ts Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 lg Clove Garlic Crushed Lemon Juice
1/2 c Creamy Peanut Butter
Preparation
About 3 hours before serving: With a meat mallet or dull edge of a French knife pound each of the chicken breast halves to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise into 1-inch wide strips. In a large bowl mix the chicken strips soy sauce salad oil molasses crushed red pepper flakes garlic and 2 Tbls lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for at least 2 hours stirring occasionally. Meanwhile soak sixteen 6-inch long bamboo skewers in water to prevent charring when broiling.
About 25 minutes before serving : Preheat the boiler if the manufacturer directs. Thread the chicken strips onto the bamboo skewers. Place the bamboo skewers on the rack in a boiling pan. Brush generously with the marinade. Place the pan in the boiler at the closest position to the source of heat. Boil 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken just loses its pink colour and is tender turning the skewers once and brushing the chicken with the remaining marinade frequently. While the chicken is boiling in a small bowl blend the peanut butter 2 Tbls lemon juice and 1/2 cup hot water using a fork and mixing until smooth. Serve the chicken with this peanut sauce.
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