Understand How To Choose What To Eat In A Thai Restaurant

The cuisine of the orient has long been appreciated by American diners, but it has not been until recently that there has been much attention given to the cuisine of Thailand. The foundation of Thai food is very closely related to the other cuisines of the orient such as Chinese and Japanese. Thai restaurant cuisine is typically very similar to the traditional cuisine of Thailand.

While the food that is served at Thai restaurants uses a lot of the ingredients that are found in the dishes of other oriental style foods, they tend to be a bit spicier than some of the other oriental cuisines. There are actually several different variations of Thai cuisine. Some of these variations utilize some ingredients that are unique to that region of Thailand.

In the last decade or so there has been an influx of Thai restaurants that have opened in just about every major city in the United States. Perhaps you have one in your area, but you have hesitated to go there because you are uncertain as to whether you will like the food, or you fear you won’t know what to order. The following explanation of the basics of Thai cuisine and a few suggestions may encourage you to visit the Thai restaurant in your neighborhood.

If you like Chinese food or enjoy rice and vegetables then chances are you will enjoy Thai food. Rice is a major ingredient used in Thai cuisine as it is in other eastern and Middle Eastern dishes. In many cases the food you order will come out in family style portions and be accompanied by a side of rice. Thai food is typically cooked in one of three ways, the most popular of which is cooking in a wok; the other two main ways are stir fry and steam cooking.

Thai cooking contains a generous use of spices, but this does not mean that all their food is spicy. In fact Thai food tends to have a variety of flavors, including sweet, salty, and bitter or sour. Most restaurants will offer a variety of condiments with their food, some of these may be unfamiliar to you.

It is common for a Thai restaurant to offer a variety of condiments to compliment the flavor of the food you order. These condiments will typically include a sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, chili powder, and fish sauce. Fish sauce is common as a condiment and there are actual several different types, one of the most popular is Nam Pla. Nam Pla is a fish sauce that is made from anchovies that have been dried with salt in an aging box. The end result is a sauce that is intense in flavor.

There are several times that can be found in any good Thai cook’s kitchen. Including in these mainstay items is ginger, coconut milk, chilies, and cilantro. Rice is of course something that will be found in the pantry of a Thai restaurant. Rice is often served alongside dishes and is also used as main ingredient in cooking. Rice is used to make pasta and wrappers for spring rolls.

Perhaps the most popular rice dish in traditional Thai cuisine is Pad Thai. Pad Thai is actually a term that translates to Thai style frying. This is a noodle dish that is made from stir fried rice noodles that are combined with eggs, peanuts, shallots, sprouts and a choice of meats. The Pad Thai that is found in many American Thai restaurants is a variation of a popular dish that is sold at roadside stands all throughout Thailand.

Rad Na is another dish that you will typically find on a Thai restaurant menu. Rad Na is a dish made from wide rice noodles, oriental style mushrooms, and garlic. It will also contain a source of protein such as seafood or poultry. The dish is topped off with thin gravy that is made from stock, soy sauce, and a type of starch such as corn starch or tapioca.

Learn more about Thai restaurants, St Paul. Stop by Choua Phia ’s site where you can find a full menu of Thai dishes available