Joanna James
The number of dishes largely depend on the number of diners. That is to say, two diners could order three dishes to flank a plate of steamed rice. In a way, savouring a Thai meal is an interesting act.
A Thai meal could be largely recognised by the titbits such as snacks and side dishes. For instance, you will find spring rolls, puffed rice cakes and satay as small accompaniments to the main meal. No one would look down on you even if you were to consume them in large numbers. But remember, these titbits could be filling if you consume them in large amounts. These titbits could also be found among street food. You can go for such a titbit while you are travelling. A titbit or two would serve well for a little hunger pang, and it would not cost you much.
Most westerners find harmony with the arrangement of Thai meals. This could be probably because Thai meals give prominence to stuff like titbits and salads. Thai salads have three distinctive flavours: salty, sweet and sour. All this comes in different regions along with spiciness. The longer you get used to Thai food, the sooner you would get familiar with which salad would suit your taste buds. The salads are usually served in big bowls as a mixture of cucumber, carrots, cabbages and green onions. A properly prepared salad is ideal for romantic dining. Bangkok is home to a number of restaurants that offer a wide range of salads according to your requirements. If you are a vegetarian almost out of options, salads are the best way of compensation. Some restaurants would offer organic salads as well.
The soups are the best gateway to taste Thai herbs. Places like Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort and other well-known resorts would be a good place to introduce yourself to traditional Thai soups. A traditional soup would contain lemongrass, mushroom and coconut milk that contribute to an indigenous Asian taste. Like salads, a Thai meal is flanked by a large number of soups offering a variety of tastes. Some would prefer to have soup before meal while some prefer otherwise. Soups are the best medicine if you are feeling under the weather. That serves the purpose as a medicinal as well as a nutritional supplement.
A curry usually contains chillies, garlic, coriander roots and lemongrass. When you have coconut milk, you can prepare a curry yourself quickly. Most curries are prepared with water and coconut milk, and that gives the curry a unique flavour. A traditional Thai curry could easily be recognised by its gravy (well-heated coconut milk). The yellowish gravy sometimes has glistening oil droplets which are a product of coconut milk itself. In essence, curry resembles a soup. You can call Thai curry a thick version of their soup. If soup is more liquid, curry tends to be thicker with coconut milk-based gravy and curry paste.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
