About Thai Cuisine

      Thai food evolved together with the settlement of our nation over 750 years ago. It is now one of the top cuisines in the world thanks to our ancestors who adopted, adapted and transformed the world’s major cuisines to incorporate spices and fresh herbs which are available in our country to create a new unique Thai flavor.

      Thai cuisine can be distinguished by it’s distinct aromas and flavors. The aromas are made from spices and fresh herbs and can also be used as natural antidotes, while the flavors are a balance and harmony between an amazing blend of sweet, sour, spicy and salty flavors.

      There are four types of regional cuisines in Thailand, namely the North, the Northeast, the Central Plain and the Southern Thai. They represent a great variety of tastes, ingredients and cooking methods, and therefore these regional dishes differ in appearance, contents, types of food and tastes. The differences in each regional cuisine due to many factors, such as culture, environment and availability of local ingredients. To enjoy a full range of Thai cuisine, a family style dining experience is recommended so that everyone gets to try a variety of dishes and flavors. In Thailand, rice is not an accompaniment to a meal, it is the center of it. The other dishes-soups, salads, curries and relishes compliment the rice. Thai food ranges from mild to incendiary, the heat comes from a variety of fresh and dried chilies as well as chili sauces. The tartness in Thai cooking usually comes from lime juice or tamarind while the sweet element is derived from palm sugar which is made from the sap of coconut palm trees. The saltiness is from fish sauce, soy sauce, bean sauce and shrimp paste. Lemon grass, galanga and kaffir lime are the "holy trinity" of Thai herbal seasonings and are the aromatic foundation of many curries. People from the Central Plain and the Southern Thailand prefer "Khao Chao variety"whereas in the North and Northeast prefer "Khao Niew" or glutinous rice for their diet.

Benefits of fresh herbs used in Thai food

Chilies    To stimulate blood circulation and increase perspiration
Garlic     To reduce cholesterol and prevent heart disease
Shallot    Good for curing cold or fever
Lemon Grass    Cures flatulence and reduces saturated fat in the food
Ginger    Good for digestive systems and for the lungs
Galanga    To help relax muscles and also good for the lungs
Lesser Ginger (wild ginger)  To enhance the appetite and also refresh the body
Kaffir Lime    To help the effect of over-eating and perfume the dishes
Thai Basil    To help increase perspiration and cure flatulence