Thai Cookery in a Nutshell

Thailand is located in southern Asia, southern China, bordering Burma, Laos and Cambodia, from west to east, Chile to the south. The South China Sea lies to the east and the Indian Ocean to the west. Thai food has been influenced over time by neighbors Chinese, Malays and Indians, and has become a very particular style itself. The contrast of tastes hot, sweet, salty, bitter and an unusual combination of fruit, chicken, meat and fish or shellfish that this kitchen a true delight. A normal meal for a family of reasonable income will consist of rice, which is the country's staple food, along with a similar soup or a sauce and a salad, all served at the same time. In northern Thailand, pork and strong curry are popular, with the cooked meat into large pieces, while the sweet coconut milk flavors of southern and minced meat curry is very small. In the curry, the ingredients in the Hindu tradition, such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves are used in very small amounts, but many of flavors and spices differ considerably from those found in the Indian and Chinese cuisine. The most widely used of these are: Galangal - A root or rhizome, which is similar to ginger, but with a unique taste. You can buy fresh or dry powder, but fresh cut is better. Citronella - As the name suggests, it really smells like lemon, but it seems a bit "like a fresh bamboo shoots. The outer leaves are tough and must be peeled away, but the inner core is very difficult and should be sliced Very fine for cooking or even grinding. kaffir lime leaves - These are the leaves of a lime Far East, similar to a western, but with a skin nodosum. The bark is also used in Thai cuisine. Fish sauce - This is called Nam Pla in Thailand, and consists of salted fish or shrimp. This is a brown liquid used as much soy sauce in Chinese cooking. Shrimp paste - Made with shrimp, this can be bought in small pots . Use sparingly, as it has a very strong flavor. chile paste - a combination of chiles and fried shallots mixed with sugar and tamarind, which can be bought in jars and can be hot, medium or mild flavor. Others, more famous spices commonly used in Thai cuisine include mint, basil and coriander, unsalted peanuts, red pepper, green and red, chili powder, lemon and lime juice and garlic. Noodles of various types often added to soups, made with vegetables such as bean sprouts or green beans and chicken or shrimp make a tasty soup for lunch. Salsas are a popular condiment to accompany a Thai meal, especially a fried dish, and usually containing a combination of tamarind, sugar, lemon juice, fish sauce, chopped pepper, garlic and spring onions. A Thai meal usually ends with a series of preparations of fresh fruits like mango, pineapple and papaya. The desserts are served only on very special occasions or at banquets.