02 August 2019

Thai cuisine has become one of the most celebrated culinary traditions in the world. The proliferation of Thai restaurants in major international cities speaks to its phenomenal popularity. But experiencing this cuisine authentically in the country where it was born is truly something else entirely.

Thai Cuisine: A Balanced Combination of Five Flavors

Thai cuisine offers an extraordinary variety of flavors and tastes. It makes abundant use of fresh herbs, spices, and countless other ingredients sourced from local markets.

Balance and harmony are two qualities that have made it so renowned. Thai cuisine is built upon an intriguing combination of five fundamental flavors—spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter—that create contrast while complementing the flavor and texture of every dish.

Coconut milk, seafood, and fruits also play key roles in Thai cooking.

Discovering Thai Cuisine

Four Regional Cuisines

To properly understand Thai cuisine, one must distinguish between the cooking traditions of four distinct regions: the North, Northeast, Central, and South.

Over centuries, regional cuisines have experienced diverse cultural and ethnic influences that have led them to incorporate Eastern and Western elements, while retaining their unique character.

Here are the most popular dishes in each region:

• In the North: Khao Soy (curry noodles), Kaeng Hang Le (pork curry), Sai Ua (spicy pork sausage), Khantoke dinner (traditional meal where guests sit around a small low table), and steamed rice.
• In the Northeast: Som Tam (green papaya salad), Lap (minced meat salad), Kai Yang (grilled chicken), and steamed rice.
• In the Central region: Kaeng Khiao Wan (green curry), Tom Yum (hot and sour soup), Tom Kha (creamy, hot and bitter soup), Yum (spicy salad), noodle dishes, and steamed rice.
• In the South: Kaeng Tai Pla (spicy fish curry), Kaeng Leuang (yellow curry), Kaeng Mussaman (mild curry), Khao Yam Nam Budu (rice salad), Satay (grilled meat skewers with spicy peanut sauce), and steamed rice.

Thai Restaurants

Restaurants serving authentic Thai cuisine are easy to find and typically offer a complete range of Thai dishes.

You'll always discover something new to taste when visiting a province or region. Local restaurants and food stalls provide both authentic dishes and genuine atmosphere.

In major cities, restaurants, hotels, and shopping centers offer a wider selection, including non-Thai dishes, vegetarian options, and organic cuisine.

Learning Thai Cuisine

Thai cuisine is one of Thailand's principal attractions. It's therefore unsurprising that many travelers wish to learn its secrets. This has led to the emergence of numerous Thai cooking schools throughout the Kingdom in recent years.

Finding a Thai cooking school in Bangkok or in the country's major provinces (notably Chiang Mai) is remarkably easy. There are indeed many that teach the foundational knowledge needed to prepare an authentic Thai meal at home with the skill of a true Siamese chef.

Note that Thai cooking classes are also frequently offered by hotels located in major tourist centers such as Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, and Pattaya.

Culture and TraditionGastronomyTourism

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