Unlike its surrounding neighbors, Thailand has never been colonized and so it seems to readily absorb foreign influences. A large majority of Thais are Buddhist and hence a spiritual approach to even the most mundane tasks is commonplace. All young males take their turns at becoming a monk. The sages roam the streets to collect food that is donated by average citizens, it is an honor to do so and these morsels of food sustain them each and every day.
The Thai spirit is truly special, they try to have fun in everything they do, actually they have a word for this, sanuk. It’s a much more casual social setting than any of the adjacent countries. Thais wearing shorts and t-shirts is commonplace. However, the contrasting opposite is the formality seen each Monday where most of the population wears yellow clothing to honor the king, many with the king’s official crest affixed to the outfit. Anytime they pass a photo or statue of the king they wai, this gesture of putting both hands together with a modest bow is a sign of respect, especially to elders. Just as with most of Asian cultures, “saving face” is very important, it is improper etiquette to embarrass yourself or others in public.
Another regional practice, specific to Southeast Asia, is not eating as often with chopsticks and more so with the combination of a spoon and fork. Once you try eating this way you will never go back. The spoon is held in your dominant hand and the fork is in the other hand pushing some rice, a bit of sauce and maybe a few stray bits of chilies onto the spoon. Yes, chopsticks are used here, but mostly for noodle dishes and often in conjunction with a spoon in the other hand to scoop up the soup or sauce.
Thais possess an aesthetic for their food. Much of this may very well have evolved 700 years ago from Sukhothai, the capital of Thailand. The king was adamant that special attention and training was given to the artful presentation of food and ornate carving of fruits and vegetables. To this day, carved cucumber leaves may be used to scoop up a Thai chili dip, national food carving happen thoroughout the year and an overall attention to details can be seen across every socio-economic group and region in Thailand.
Street food sustains today’s modern busy city dwellers, many of these foods are one bowl meals meant to be eaten individually. More formal meals consist of a selection of dishes. Usually no special order is followed. At Thai homes, dishes are cooked and sit out at room temperature (in the tropics things stay relatively warm) and all are eaten at once. Relax and go with the flow!
Table condiments are a big deal in Southeast Asia, and Thailand is no exception. Most Thai tables have a few small jars filled with seasonings that each person can use according to their preference. The most common is a small jar filled with chopped Thai chilies covered with fish sauce, this gives you a burst of sodium along with a bit of spice. Ground roasted dry chilies are sprinkled on noodles, and often balanced with another table seasoning: granulated sugar. Other forms of heat like Sriracha chili sauce, and various others that don’t have international status because they are created by individual street hawkers, restaurant cooks, and fine dining restaurant chefs.
Yes, there is a vibrant dining scene in Thailand and major cities like Bangkok are packed with posh dining establishments or Thai food and other international cuisines. All the multi-national hotel chains have numerous restaurants, and there are culinary schools that teach the traditional and modern art of Thai food.
Get in Your Kitchen and Cook!
This book is here to guide you as you explore the fabulous tastes of Thailand. If you need it, I have videos and photos to lead you step-by-step in the kitchen and give you insight into the nuances that will help you create really special Thai food and drinks (chefdanhi.com).
Haven’t been to Thailand? Start planning now. In the meantime I want to share my experiences with you. Within the pages of this book I have hopefully provided you with enough information to get you on the right track creating the flavors of Thailand in your own kitchen. If you need help, reach out and I am here. Go to chefdanhi.com for contact information.
Stocking Your Thai Pantry
My goal in this chapter is to demystify the ingredients used within this book. Enabling you to find these building blocks of flavor at your local grocer or order them online. Once you know what to look for, discover how they are commonly used, and learn the basics for storage you are well on your way to creating the authentic flavors of Thailand in your kitchen.
The following pages will lead you through the basic ingredients, however, the quality and overall flavor variation between different growers, manufacturers, importers, and distributors is enormous, so knowing what to look for is essential in finding the most appropriate ingredient. Cooking the foods of Southeast Asia for the past two decades I have discovered, tasted, experimented with and, sometimes, discarded thousands of things. What was once my favorite brand is replaced by another one years later and other items, like rice powder already roasted and ground, I could not find even five years ago is now in most markets I frequent. It is an evolving landscape and is why I created chefdanhi.com, to constantly keep you informed of the latest and greatest building blocks of Thai flavor. There are links there for finding your closest market stocked with Asian ingredients.
Stocking your kitchen puts you in control and only a few items need to be bought fresh. Storing these building blocks of flavor in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer allowing you to whip up a meal at a moment’s notice. The freezer will extend the shelf life of some key ingredients. Buy and store some of these items for when you are in need. Some things such as banana leaves, lime leaves, chilies, shrimp, minced lemongrass can be bought and immediately stored in the freezer. The same goes for seeds, nuts, fried shallots, garlic, and dried shrimp.
Sometimes I like to get ahead and prepare some things before freezing. Peeled galangal and ginger hold up well, I simply grate them when frozen or slice a few pieces as needed. I even have minced lemongrass in bulk, and spread onto a baking sheet to freeze (freeze in small particles) then gather up into a bag or container so I can scoop them out and cook later—about 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass per stalk. If I have extra fresh squeezed lime juice, I portion into small containers, or an ice cube tray, freeze and pull out what I need. If you want to make your own curry pastes, look to my Southeast Asian Flavors book for the recipes, you can make the paste and freeze in portions for later reference.
In Thailand, most condiments and spice pastes are stored at room temperature, however they often consume these items more quickly than Westerners. Hence, storing some items in the refrigerator makes them last longer. Chili sauces, curry pastes, seafood condiments (fish sauce, oyster sauce), and tamarind paste can be chilled for maximum quality retention.
Fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, meat, and seafood must be bought when you need them. Getting to know your local store’s staff will surely help you glean the most select cuts of meat, fresh fish, and produce. Take the time to establish these relationships and you will be rewarded with the things you need to create truly delicious Thai flavors. I sometimes even bring samples of the food I make—keeping the staff happy means they will look out for quality ingredients for my Thai meal.
Asian Greens It almost pains me to group such a diverse family of vegetables into one category. The various deep green versions of bok choy, choy sum, water spinach, or flowering broccoli of the brassica family can be used in the recipes, use your judgment pairing heartier greens with bold flavored recipes. Firm, perky leaves and stems without any discoloration on the cut stem side are sure signs of freshness. Keep these covered to avoid wilting from dehydration.