Thai cuisine
The Thai cuisine is a mix of Chinese , Indian and European influences that have merged over the centuries to a country kitchen.
history
Originally, the cuisine of Thailand was characterized by water, mainly rice , aquatic animals and aquatic plants were served. There were changes in cooking habits as a result of Chinese and Indian influences and, from the 17th century onwards, influences from Europe. For example, chillies were introduced to Thailand by Portuguese missionaries .
Staple food
Rice is the staple food in Thailand. The Thai expression for “to have a meal” ( kin khao กิน ข้าว ) literally means “to eat rice”, no matter what kind of food it is.
Among the many types of rice, the long-grain jasmine rice, which is mainly grown in the Isan, is particularly popular, but also the most expensive. In the north and north-east of Thailand sticky rice is preferred, which is not cooked but rather steamed in a container made of bamboo over a pot of water and the grains stick together.
ingredients
Thai cuisine has many typical ingredients, some examples are:
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- Rice ; The best known are jasmine rice , also known as Thai fragrant rice and particularly popular in the central region and southern Thailand, and sticky rice , which is more preferred in northern and northeastern Thailand. There are also a number of other varieties and quality levels.
- Pasta
- Kuai Tiao ( ก๋วยเตี๋ยว , rice noodles ) are available in different latitudes, they are usually eaten as noodle soup or fried as Phat Thai ( ผัด ไทย ), for example .
- Bami (บะหมี่ ) are yellowish in color, they are made from wheat flour, sometimes egg is added.
- Khanom Chin ( ขนมจีน , rice noodles) are typical of southern Thailand's cuisine and are usually served with a spicy curry-like sauce ( Khanom Chin Nam Ya ขนมจีน น้ำยา , "rice noodles with herb sauce").
- Wun Sen ( วุ้นเส้น ) are glass noodles made from mung bean flour , which are often used as a garnish in clear soups, or as a refreshing salad , Yam Wun Sen ( ยำ วุ้นเส้น ).
- Thai eggplant ( Makuea Pro มะเขือ เปราะ )
- Cha-Om ( ชะอม ): shoots of the acacia species Acacia pennata, which u. a. used in soups, curries and omelettes.
- Spices and herbs
- Basil - A total of three different types of basil are used in Thai cuisine: " sweet basil " ( Bai Horapha ใบ โหระพา , scientifically Ocimum basilicum ), which is closely related to the basil known in Europe (also Ocimum basilicum); " Lemon basil " ( Bai Maeng Lak ใบ แมงลัก , scientific Ocimum citriodorum ) and " Indian basil " ( Bai Kaphrao ใบ กะเพรา , scientific Ocimum tenuiflorum , also called Tulsi or "holy basil")
- different types of fresh and dried chilli peppers, such as the small Phrik Khi Nu ( พริก ขี้หนู , literally mouse droppings chilli , Capsicum frutescens ), or the slightly larger "heavenly chilli" (Thai: Phrik Chi Fa พริก ชี ฟ้า , Capsicum annuum ) , introduced from South America by the Portuguese in the 16th century
- Dill ( Phak Chi Lao ผักชี ลาว ) is mainly used in the regional cuisine of Northeast Thailand
- Real star anise ( Boi Kak โป๊ ย กั้ ก )
- Fish sauce is used in almost every Thai dish; it is made from anchovies , water and salt. Pure salt is rarely used for seasoning, it is generally replaced with fish sauce.
- Ginger ( King ขิง )
- Fingerroot ( Krachai กระชาย )
- Galanga root ( Kha ข่า , also called galangal or "Thai ginger")
- The leaves of kaffir lime ( Bai Makrut ใบ มะกรูด ) give dishes a lemony taste, but they do not contribute to acidity.
- Garlic ( Krathiam กระเทียม )
- Coconut milk ( Kathi - กะทิ )
- Coriander ( Phak Chi ผักชี ), of which both the roots and the leaves and seeds are used
- Cumin seeds ( Yi-Ra ยี่หร่า )
- Turmeric ( Khamin ขมิ้น )
- Lime ( Manao มะนาว )
- Pandanus amaryllifolius ( Bai Toei ใบ เตย )
- Shallot ( hua-hom หัว หอม )
- Tamarind ( Makham มะขาม ) gives dishes a slightly sour flavor.
- Lemongrass ( Ta-Khrai ตะไคร้ )
dishes
Basically, there are two groups of dishes to be distinguished according to the way of serving and taking the meal. In “one-plate meals” ( อาหาร จาน เดียว ahan chan diao ), a complete meal, including a filling starch (usually rice), protein and vegetables is served on a single plate and eaten by one person. This can be pan-fried dishes in which all ingredients are prepared together, but also dishes in which the meat, egg and / or vegetable components are cooked separately and only at the end together with the (usually steamed) rice on a plate be served. On the other hand, there are “community courts”. Each participant of the meal gets bare rice (rarely noodles) on their individual plate, the actual main courses (meat, fish, vegetables) are placed in several bowls in the middle of the table, from which everyone can help themselves.
One-plate dishes
- Phat Thai (ผัด ไทย , "fried [e noodles] Thai [er kind]") is considered a national dish of Thailand. Fried noodle dishes were probably introduced by Vietnamese traders during the Ayutthaya period and gradually adapted to the taste of Thai with appropriate ingredients and spices. Phat Thai combines the four basic flavors of Thai cuisine: hot, sour, salty and sweet. This is ensured by dried chili, lime, fish sauce and cane sugar, which are often served separately for individual seasoning. The noodles are fried with egg, tofu and small, dried prawns. Fresh shrimp, crab or chicken can also be used. It is usually served with mung bean sprouts, chives, and finely chopped roasted peanuts that you can add to yourself depending on your taste.
- Khao Phat ( ข้าว ผัด , "fried rice") is one of the most popular one-plate dishes and is very quick to prepare. Typically, jasmine rice is made with one type of meat (mostly chicken or shrimp, but also possible without meat), egg, onions, garlic and sometimes tomatoes as well as the flavoring fish sauce, sugar, salt and the like. U. Chilli sauce fried in a wok at high temperature and stirring constantly. The prepared portion is served on a plate and can be garnished with cucumber or tomato slices, onions and coriander. A special variant is Khao phat american , which is believed to have been common since US soldiers were stationed during the Vietnam War. The fried rice is prepared with ketchup and served with a fried egg, fried sausage and bacon.
- For Phat Kaphrao ( ผัด กะเพรา ), a type of coarsely chopped meat (pork, chicken, beef or shrimp) with the eponymous “Indian basil” (kaphrao) , chilli, garlic and soy sauce is fried in a wok over high heat. It can be served as one of several communal dishes, but is particularly popular as a one-plate meal on steamed rice and, if desired, with a fried egg as a quick lunch.
Community courts
- Kaeng ( แกง [kɛːŋ] ): Some Thai dishes from the kaeng group , which are often referred to as “Thai curry ” in Germany, are also world-famous . However, they do not contain curry powder , but are based on a spice paste (specific for the respective dish). For example, roots, fresh leaves and fresh chili peppers with shrimp paste are pounded in a mortar until they have become a homogeneous, thick mass. Kaeng is a generic term for very different soups or liquid stews, so there is also a Kaeng Chuet ( แกงจืด ), which is a clear, very mild broth. The internationally best known Kaeng dishes are probably the “green Thai curry” Kaeng Khiao Wan , the “red Thai curry” Kaeng Phet , the “Muslim” Kaeng Masaman and the relatively mild, peanut-tasting Kaeng Phanaeng . Even Tom Kha is actually a Kaeng -Gericht and used by many Thais commonly Kaeng Kha called. The spice paste used is decisive for naming the respective dish; the meat (or fish or tofu) used is variable. However, there are certain combinations that are more common than others, for example “green curry” with chicken.
- Som Tam (ส้มตำ ) originally comes from Laotian cuisine and is particularly popular in the (Laotian) Isan, but has now spread across the country and has become one of the most important dishes in Thai national cuisine. It is a type of salad made from finely chopped and mashed green (unripe) papayas , onions, tomatoes, lime, long beans , roasted peanuts, salt, palm sugar and chili peppers, seasoned with fish sauce. In addition, there are often dried small prawns, and sometimes crabs. The taste is usually a bit sour. It is usually eaten very spicy. There are also variations in which the papaya is replaced with other unripe fruit (e.g. mango) or with mixed fruit.
- Tom Yam (ต้มยำ ) is probably one of the most famous dishes in Thailand. This spicy, sour-hot soup isseasonedwith fish sauce, shallots , lemongrass, lime juice , galangal, tamarind and many chillies. It is traditionally served with rice with various ingredients, such as meat, fish or seafood, the "classic" variant is with prawns: Tom Yam Kung is often referred to as the Thai nationaldish.
Regional kitchens
The Thai cuisine can be divided into four regional kitchens, which differ more or less from each other and each have their own typical dishes. Bangkok occupies a special position as the capital.
Northern Thailand
The north of the country borders Myanmar and Laos , so the cuisine of Northern Thailand ( Ahan Phak Nuea อาหาร ภาค เหนือ ) is influenced by the cuisines of these countries. The preference for sticky rice in this region was inherited from Laos. The influence of Myanmar is noticeable , for example, in the regional specialty Kaeng Hang Le ( แกง ฮังเล ), a type of spicy goulash with pork. Meals were traditionally eaten here at a flat table on the floor. This way of entertaining guests is called Khan Tok ( ขันโตก ), and today it has also become a tourist attraction.
Specialties are here u. a. Various chilli pastes that are served with blanched vegetables, such as Nam Phrik Ong (Thai: น้ำพริก อ่อง ) - dried red chilli and minced meat in a spicy tomato sauce. Through trade with China, Thailand came into contact with Chinese cuisine at an early stage , which is reflected in numerous noodle dishes such as Khao Soi , flat egg noodles in a spicy sauce topped with crispy fried noodles, with pickled cabbage, slices of shallot and limes .
A specialty of this region is an exotic, fruity sauce, for which giant water bugs collected from rivers and lakes are pounded into a pulp in a mortar. This mass is added to the other ingredients of fish stock, garlic, lime juice and chilli. However, the giant water bugs are also a sweet-tasting delicacy when fried, if the button is removed from them and the inside is sucked out.
Central Thailand
The cuisine of central Thailand ( Ahan Phak Klang อาหาร ภาค กลาง ) is often viewed as "classic Thai cuisine". It is characterized by the Kaeng dishes (see above) with coconut milk and many spices, which are known in the West as “curries”.
Many dishes are prepared in a wok, such as Phat Krathiam Phrik Thai ( ผัด กระเทียม พริกไทย - "Fried with garlic and pepper"), Phat Kaphrao ( ผัด กระ เพรา - "Fried with (Indian) basil"), Phak Bung Fai Daeng ( ผักบุ้ง ไฟ แดง - fried water spinach with chilli, garlic and black beans) or Khai Chiao ( ไข่เจียว - Thai omelette). The latter is often served with sriracha sauce ( Sot Si Racha ซอส ศรีราชา ), an orange, salty-sweet chili sauce with garlic, which is named after the coastal town of Si Racha .
Soups are also popular, such as Tom Yam ( ต้มยำ ), a hot and sour shrimp soup and Tom Kha Kai ( ต้มข่า ไก่ ), a slightly hot, aromatic soup with coconut milk and flavor of “Thai ginger” (galangal) Chicken. Yam salads are hot and sour salads that are popular with lime juice, chillies and fresh herbs, plus seafood or vegetables, roasted beef or pork.
Further specialties from central Thailand are Khao Lam ( ข้าวหลาม ) - sticky rice with coconut milk that is steamed in short bamboo tubes; or Kuai Tiao Ruea ( ก๋วยเตี๋ยว เรือ - "boat noodles"), a noodle soup that was originally sold out of the boat at floating markets in Rangsit, but which is now also available in all markets. Identification: the cook is sitting with his saucepan in a jacked up boat.
Northeast Thailand
The cuisine in the northeast, the Isan , is strongly influenced by Laos and Cambodia. Three dishes are particularly associated with this regional cuisine and are also regularly combined with each other in a "typical" Isan meal: Kai Yang ( ไก่ ย่าง - grilled chicken), Som Tam ( ส้มตำ - a hot and sour salad made from unripe papaya) and Khao Niao ( ข้าวเหนียว - sticky rice). A popular condiment is fermented fish Pla Raa (Thai: ปลาร้า ).
Another essential contribution to Isan cuisine is provided by Laab ( ลาบ ), a type of salad made from minced pork, chicken or fish, served with lime juice, fish sauce, chilli, fresh mint leaves and Khao Khua Pon ( ข้าว คั่ว ป่น uncooked, roasted and crushed rice) is seasoned. In the original north-eastern Thai Laab, raw minced meat is used, while the adaptation in other parts of the country, on the other hand, often cooks the meat.
The most famous dishes of the Isan cuisine are now spread across the country, especially in Bangkok and the surrounding area, due to domestic migrants and migrant workers from the economically weaker northeast. However, certain ingredients and taste notes that are not compatible with the “central Thai taste” are softened or replaced.
See also: Koi
Southern Thailand
The influence of Malaysia is noticeable in the southern provinces . There are a lot of Muslims and a lot of Chinese here , so that several styles of cooking mix in the southern Thai cuisine ( Ahan Phak Tai , อาหาร ภาค ใต้ ). For example the Khanom Chin Nam Ya ( ขนมจีน น้ำยา - thin Chinese rice noodles with a spicy fish “curry” sauce). Another popular dish that is often offered in Muslim restaurants is Khao Mok Kai , the southern Thai type of biryani , in which rice is cooked together with chicken, seasoned with cloves , cinnamon and fresh turmeric roots. A mild chicken broth and a bowl of cucumber slices that have been pickled in vinegar with chilli slices and sugar are always served.
Dishes based on Indian curries, such as Kaeng Masaman (Thai: แกง มัสมั่น , “Muslim soup”) are very popular here . This dish has become the standard in many small restaurants; depending on the amount of chilli added, it can range from mild to fiery hot.
Since southern Thailand borders the sea in the west and east, there are many specialties with fish: Kaeng Tai Pla ( แกง ไตปลา ) is a very spicy dish made from fish stomachs, green beans, pickled bamboo and potatoes.
Roti (Thai: โรตี ), a Thai variation of chapati , the Indian flatbread, is also very popular in the south . For the breakfast roti Kaeng ( โรตี แกง - Roti with any "Curry" sauce) eaten Mataba ( มะตะบะ ) is a filled with spiced ground beef roti, tourists like to eat Roti Kluai ( โรตี กล้วย ), roti filled with banana slices.
The further south you go, the more frequent there are the traditional coffee shops, which are often run by Hokkien Chinese. Characteristic are the round tables with a table top made of white marble, on which the traditionally produced, filtered Kopi (Malay for coffee ) in small, thick-walled glasses with Pathong-Ko ( ปาท่องโก๋ ), unsweetened Chinese lard biscuits in X-shape , is served.
Food culture
General
A Thai menu typically consists of a soup, a “curry” dish or, alternatively, a spicy salad and a sauce with fish and vegetables (as a dip). All dishes are served together, so that the combination of hot and mild components is important. Raw vegetables are also very often served.
Most dishes are based on a mixture of spices made from garlic, small red or green chili peppers and various herbs in a small mortar at the beginning of the cooking process. The paste prepared in this way is first placed in the wok over an open flame with a little oil. Then the other ingredients such as meat, fish, pasta, vegetables etc. are added one after the other and braised.
Food stalls
Food stalls are widespread across Thailand. Different foods are offered at the food stalls in markets or on the sidewalks: meat, poultry, fish, soups, fruit and vegetables (grilled, boiled, or raw) and various Gaeng dishes.
Table manners
Originally, Thai food was eaten with the fingers, which in some regions is still the case with some dishes today. At the beginning of the 19th century , inspired by his many stays abroad, King Mongkut introduced the custom of eating with a spoon and fork at court. This quickly became en vogue in Bangkok restaurants, and it wasn't long before the use of a spoon and fork became a custom across the country. The fork is used to push the food, which has already been chopped into bite-sized pieces by the cook, onto the spoon in portions. Most Thais consider it impudent to put a fork in your mouth; the only exceptions are small fruit forks.
Chopsticks are only used in Chinese restaurants or to eat Chinese and Vietnamese ( Pho ) noodle dishes and are therefore not part of the actual Thai cuisine. Noodle soups are eaten with the spoon in the left hand to scoop up the soup and the chopstick in the right for the noodles, meat, and vegetables.
Traditional alcoholic drinks
While in the cities of Thailand mainly imported and monopolized alcoholic beverages such as whiskey, cognac, brandy, wine and beer are preferred, there is still a preference for homemade and cheaper distillates in rural areas, although their production is illegal in Thailand as well. Lao Khao, Sato, Krachae and Uh are particularly popular. Among these, Lao Khao ( Thai : เหล้า ขาว , white liquor , more often: "Lao Kao") is the only one that is actually distilled.
Beer varieties
Thailand also has its own beers, the most popular being Singha and Chang beer, as well as Beer Lao .
Sato or Nam Khao
Another very popular drink, obtained by fermentation in clay vats , is Sato (Thai: สาโท ) or Lao Nam Khao ( เหล้า น้ำขาว , white water ). With the exception of the south, it is widespread to produce in large quantities using the simplest means, especially at larger festivities and social gatherings and on the fringes of Buddhist ceremonies in the villages (weddings, cremations, etc.) Boiled sticky rice is poured into large tum Ahng clay pots and mixed with yeast. This mass is stored in the closed vessels for a few days until water is finally added. In a very short time, a milky-white drink is created from fermented rice with up to 20% alcohol by volume.
Krachae
Krachae (Thai: กระ แช่ ; also: Sam Tan Mau) has a long tradition, especially in the central region of Thailand. The raw material is the sap of young flowers of the coconut palm or the palmyra palm (also called sugar or toddy palm - borassus belliformis ). This juice is mixed with small smoked shavings of fragrant trees. If after a few days the brew starts to bubble, the drink is safe to drink.
The first lot of Krachae called "Krachae Nam Yood" (top Krachae) is considered the best and is therefore the most sought after. Now it is filled up further with water, so that the second and third lot as well as all subsequent ones dilute more and more. Krachae is mainly found in central and southern Thailand, where sugar and coconut palms are abundant.
Uh
Native to Isan, Uh (also: Lao Uh - เหล่า อุ ), whose origin is believed to be among the Laotians, made the Renu Nakhon district in the Nakhon Phanom province famous across the country. The production of Uh is identical to that of Sato, the only difference being that rice meal as well as herbs and spices are added to the sticky rice.
Other alcoholic beverages
In addition to these drinks, you can find a variety of other self-made spirits in Thailand that are only distributed locally. Examples are: Ai Koh from Chonburi Province , which are made from the sap of the sugar palm and roots, Nam Koh or various types of Lao Daeng (dark / red schnapps) made from dried spices, fresh herbs and roots.
literature
- Joe Cummings: World Food: Thailand . Lonely Planet Publications, Hawthorn 2000, ISBN 1-86450-026-3
- Chainarong F. Toperngpong (texts and recipes) and Gisela Goppel (pictures): The (Baan) Thai cookbook . Publishing house Jacoby & Stuart , Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-3-941087-47-7
- Marin Trenk: Beyond McDonald's. Thailand's changing food culture. In: Orientations. Journal of Asian Culture , Special Issue Thailand, 2012, pp. 102–126.
- Marin Trenk: "Eat like a tiger". Appropriation and exclusion of a regional cuisine in Thailand. In: International Asia Forum , Volume 41, 2010, No. 1–2, pp. 243–267.
- Marin Trenk: Tom Yam World. Thailand's food styles are changing. In: Southeast Asia , No. 2/2008, pp. 31–33.
Web links
- (English) recipes in Cookbook: Cuisine of Thailand by WikiBooks
- Recipes in the Koch-Wiki
- Johannes Strempel: Thailand - kitchen without taboos. In: Die Zeit , No. 32/2013, August 9, 2013.
- Jeane-Pierre Gabriel, Thailand. The Cookbook: The Bible of Thai Cuisine , Phaidon by Edel, 2014, ISBN 978-3-944297-12-5
Individual evidence
- ↑ (E-Book) Try what is crawling there - The practical insect food guide ( Memento of the original from October 6, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Authors: Desirée Bea Cimbollek, Ralf Krause, Thomas S. Linke; Berlin 2014
- ↑ Marin Trenk: The raw and the cooked laab. A regional food culture of Thailand between appropriation and exclusion. In: Anthropos , No. 107/2012, pp. 115–128.
- ↑ Trenk: The raw and the cooked laab. 2012. The same: "Eat like a tiger". 2010.
