Thai Cuisine and Lifestyle |137
Food arranged in a set menu served with rice is normally rich in flavors, cooking methods
and attractive appearance. One set menu consists of a dip — such as chili sauce or “Lon” (a type of dip
enriched with coconut milk), seasonal raw or cooked vegetables, a side dish such as grilled food, deep-fried
food, spicy salad or stir-fried dish and a soup.
This kind of food arrangement helps enhance the taste of dishes become more flavorful and nutritious.
For example, when having fried mackerel (Pla-too) or fried salted gourami (Pla Salid), together with fresh
or cooked vegetables with shrimp paste sauce (Nam Prik Kapi), the sour, sweet, and spicy tastes in Nam
Prik Kapi are toned down. After finishing main course, dessert mostly fresh fruit is served in order to reduce
the salty and spicy tastes (or so-called “eat for refreshing the mouth”) and to balance the taste left on
the tongue.
The flavor of local Thai food depends on the region’s ecological and natural conditions as well as
the eating taste of the local people. With the abundant food materials of Central plain of Thailand, there is
a plenty of basic ingredients for food in this region and the taste of dishes generally combines four flavors
— sour, salty, hot, and sweet. The Northern dishes are mostly mild in flavor but highlights only on greasy
and spicy taste. Due to cold weather. Northern people need fatty food to keep their body warm more than
people in other regions. Northeastern or Isan people generally live on a plateau, therefore they prefer salty
and spicy food. The salty taste is mostly obtained from fermented fish (Pla Ra) and salt. The basic ingredients
of Northern and Northeastern food are normally easy to find in their locality. They usually grill and roast food
rather than deep fry. In addition, Southern region of Thailand where is located on the peninsula embraced
by sea on both sides, seafood is abundant. Due to living in hot and humid weather, the Southern people
therefore like salty, hot and spicy food. The spicy flavor of Southern food is from chili and pepper which
help burn body heat, while the salty taste is obtained from shrimp paste (Kapi) and salt. Besides, spices are
commonly used in Southern dishes to get rid of fishy odor from seafood.
“In Central Thailand, the
set menu is not only
served as daily meal,
but also as offerings
to Buddhist monks
on merit-making
occasions. It is called
“Samrab Phra” (set
dishes for monks, in
the past they were
arranged in a tray)
generally consists of
a set of main dishes
including both curry
and clear soup and
a set of desserts
including 5-6
desserts and fruits.”