Thai temptations

Thai temptations
Magazine: June 2008

«Here in Sukhotai one lives well, there are fish in the waters, rice in the fields. The people’s faces express the joy of living…» It is suffice to cite this XII century quotation to appreciate the essence of Thai cuisine. Gently flavoured rice and seafood, exotic fresh ingredients: these are the strong points of the culinary heritage of the “Land of Smiles”. Developed under the Rama IV and V dynasties, the imperial Thai cuisine survives nowadays in the Royal family residences where food is served on lavish trays surrounded by every type of legume and fruit meticulously carved into beautiful flower shapes. The imperial traditions embrace exclusive recipes: from the dessert look choop, miniature reproductions in mung bean paste and coconut in shapes of tropical fruits, to crunchy mee krob rice spaghetti. The Thai tradition boasts at least four regional variations. Bangkok offers a cuisine that is rich and varied. As well as the much loved som tum, salad of green papaya ground in the mortar with prawns, lime and sugar cane, they have meat, fish and vegetable curries cooked in silky coconut cream with aromatic herbs. The northeastern Isaan region has the spiciest cuisine and a large repertoire of vegetarian dishes and also uses larvae and insects. The southern cuisine is the home of seafood, fish and shellfish are fried and caramelised or grilled with aromatic Thai sauces.

Rót Khén: street food Exotic

Thailand is one of the countries where the street food sold from roadside carts (rót khén) is most common. Every local community boasts its own specialities: from fresh noodles tossed in the wok to grilled meat kebabs dipped in peanut sauces. However, the true attraction is the aquatic market. Move towards the villages to assist in the bartering show which takes place from one canoe to another. Every special date in the Thai calendar is the perfect occasion for centuries-old rituals and ceremonies, for gathering around a banquet laid with traditional dishes. For Songkran, the Thai New Year, they prepare noodles tossed with eggs and bean sprouts but for Loy Kratong, the festival of light, dinner in an excellent restaurant is preferred. Loy Kratong is celebrated in concurrence with the full moon of the twelfth month of the Thai lunar calendar, which is in November. On this occasion it is customary to make an offering to the waters, a circular disc carved from a banana tree trunk, decorated with garlands of flowers and plaited leaves and laid with lighted candles, tea lights and incense. A gesture of luck and thanksgiving.