|
Literally
meaning "Land of the Free", Thailand can boast its
distinction in being the only one country in Southeast Asia that has
remained independent and never been colonized throughout its history.
Thailand's 800-year-history can be divided into five major periods,
each of which has founded typical characteristics of Thai culture
today. Nanchao Period (A.D.650-1250) Sukhothai Period (A.D.1238-1378)
Ayutthaya Period (1350-1767) Thonburi Period (1767-1772) and
Rattanakosin Period (1782-present).
History
Thai history
can be roughly divided into 4 main periods. The first is the
Sukhothai period 1238-1350. It is called Sukhothai period because the
center of the first Thai civilization was at the city of Sukhothai in
the northern part of present day Thailand. Then came the Ayuthaya
period 1350-1767. Yes as you guessed it the capital moved south to
the city of Aythaya. This was the longest period, so far in Thai
history when Siam opened up to the rest of the world and traded. Thai
culture flourished and there were many outside influences, which
transformed and developed Thai cuisine further. Now we see Thai
cuisine come into its own, with its unique characteristics. As
Ayuthaya fell to the invading Burmese, our capital moved down river
to Thonburi (1767-17820). This period, under King Taksin the Great,
Thailand spent most of its time recapturing land lost to the Burmese.
This Thonburi period was brief only 15 years when the capital moved
across the river to Bangkok. Rattanakorin period was born under the
present Chakri Dynasty 219 years ago (1782-present). Thailand
flourished the most in the arts and culture during peacetime.
History of
Thai cuisine
Among the
cuisines of Southeast Asia, Thai food is unique. Thai cooking is
completely identifiable in its own right, incorporating all 5 tastes:
sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and spicy. Thai people have taken foreign
influences and transformed them into a cuisine uniquely their own.
The 'Tai'
people migrated from valley settlements in the mountainous region of
Southwest China (now Yunnan province) between the sixth and
thirteenth centuries, into what is now known as Thailand, Laos, the
Shan States of upper Burma, and northwest Vietnam. Influenced by
Chinese cooking techniques, Thai cuisine flourished with the rich
biodiversity of the Thai peninsula. As a result, Thai dishes today
have some similarities to Szechwan Chinese dishes.
The influence
of the foreign trade was also important. The Portuguese brought their
sweets to King Narai's court in the seventeenth century. Some say
Buddhist monks from India brought curry to Thailand. Indian curry and
Muslim cuisine were introduced at a palace feast in honour of King
Rama I at the turn of the 18th century. Some of these dishes are
still poular today including Masamam curry and yellow curry. Masamam
curry contains many dried spices including cinnamon and nutmeg.
Yellow curry can be spiced with turmeric, cumin, ground coriander
seed and red chilli powder.
The 'Tai'
people migrated from valley settlements in the mountainous region of
Southwest China (now Yunnan province) between the sixth and
thirteenth centuries, into what is now known as Thailand, Laos, the
Shan States of upper Burma, and northwest Vietnam. Influenced by
Chinese cooking techniques, Thai cuisine flourished with the rich
biodiversity of the Thai peninsula. As a result, Thai dishes today
have some similarities to Szechwan Chinese dishes.
Originally,
Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a waterborne lifestyle.
Aquatic animals, plant and herbs were major ingredients. With their
Buddhist background, Thais shunned the use of large animals in big
chunks. Big cuts of meat were shredded and blended with herbs and
spices. Traditional Thai cooking methods were stewing and baking, or
grilling. Chinese influences saw the introduction of frying,
stir-frying and deep-frying. Culinary influences from the 17th
century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch, French and Japanese
techniques. Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late
1600s by Portuguese missionaries who had acquired a taste for them
while serving in South America.
Overpowering
pure spices were toned down and enhanced by fresh herbs such as lemon
grass and galangal. Instead of serving dishes in courses, a Thai meal
is served all at once, permitting diners to enjoy complementory
combinations of different tastes.
A proper Thai
meal should consist of a soup, a curry dish with condiments, a dip
with accompanying fish and vegetables. A spiced salad may replace the
curry dish. The soup can also be spicy, but the curry should be
replaced by a non-spiced item.
SUKHOTHAI PERIOD
Historically
speaking, the kind of food Thais make is governed by two main
elements. The first is the raw materials for cooking and the second
is the cooking utensils and implements. In the early day of Thai
culinary history,(Sukhothai period), there were only four cooking
techniques available for cooks. It was a given that they already had
fire to cook with. First they could boil food in an earthen pot, this
cooking technique in Thai is called "Tom" which means boil.
Then they had
dips or "jim" in Thai cooking repertoire. At that time they
used pestle and mortar to ground things up and had lots of salt to
preserve food and one of the preserved foods very common in Thai
cuisine is Kapi or shrimp paste. From this shrimp paste they make all
kinds of spicy dips to be eaten with cooked or fresh vegetables and
various grilled meats. The availability of fresh vegetables and fresh
fish and all kinds of fresh water animals gave rise to another
cooking technique "Yum" or salad. The last cooking
technique is "Yaang" or grilling. Usually fish and small
game are grilled over an open fire and eaten with dipping sauce.
These cooking techniques did not change much during the Sukhothai period.
AYUTHAYA PEROID
As Siam opened
up during the Ayuthaya period, they traded with many nations in Asia
and with the West. China had great influences in Thai cooking. From
the Chinese they enlarged our collection of cooking utensils and
tools, consequently cooking techniques expanded. Now they can steam
things with Chinese bamboo steamers and fry things with Chinese wok.
These cooking
techniques have stayed with the Thai kitchen to the present day. Woks
were especially versatile because you can use it to boil, toast, fry,
and steam. It is so popular and versatile that many Thais think that
they invented this cooking implement!
DINING
In Thai
culture, rice plays the central part of every meal. That is to say
that they eat everything with rice ; well almost everything. The
other important element of every meal, is that, they share many
dishes with their family, unlike the Western eating culture where
everyone has his or her own plate of selected food. They have many
dishes prepared and put them in platters or bowls and place them in
the middle of the table, each person is given a plate with rice and
takes what ever food they want from the middle of the table. Since
everything is already cut up in all the dishes, they eat Thai food
with fork and spoon. The spoon is in your right hand and the fork is
in your left hand. You put food that you want to eat in the spoon and
put the spoon in your mouth not the fork. Most Western cultures put
the fork, which is in your left hand in your mouth because they have
to cut their food. They also use chopsticks in Thailand and have the
Chinese to thank for introducing them. But they mainly use chopsticks
when they eat noodles or rice porridge, which has many accompanying condiments.
RECIPE
PAD THAI
Ingredients:
1 pack dried
rice stick noodles or "sen lek"
1/2 cup dried shrimp
1/2 cup baked
tofu cut into small strips
1/2 cup ground peanut
1 cup fresh beansprouts
1/2 cup chives
cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound
chicken meat cut into small bite-sized pieces
6 eggs
2 teaspoons
pepper powder
1/2 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup
vegetable oil
2 tablespoons
smashed garlic
2 tablespoons
smashed onion
1/2 cup of water
Preparation:
1. Soak the
rice stick noodles in tepid water for roughly 15 minutes. Then cut
the noodles into 4-inch pieces. Strain the noodles, then set them aside.
2. Using a
large skillet (preferably a wok) heat the vegetable oil and add in
the garlic, onion and tofu.
3. After
stirring for 2 minutes, add in the dry shrimp, and stir. Then, one at
a time add in the peanuts, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, pepper and
chicken, stirring the mixture the entire time.
4. Add the
eggs and continue to stir the mixture. Then add in 1/2 cup of water.
5. Add the
noodles, and be sure to stir! The noodles tend to burn if not
continuously stirred.
6. Check to
see if the taste of the dish is suitable to you, if not, then add in
either fish sauce (salty), sugar (sweet), or soy sauce (salty). Here
is where a matter of preference comes into play.
7. The final
step is to add in the bean sprouts and chives, just before turning
off the hob.
Pad Thai is
normally garnished with a heaping portion of uncooked beansprouts on
the side as well as a sprig of coriander on top.
RESTAURANTS
Britain has
experience a boom in Thai restaurants over recent years with the
total number now approaching 1000 from very small beginnings. This
has been very much down to support and constructive assistance from
the Thai government which has a longterm plan to develop the Thai
restaurant sector all over the world.
Thai Square in
UK has recently been awarded the Prime Minister's Award of Thailand
for the best Thai restaurant in the UK year 2006-2007 from Thailand's
Prime Minister his excellency Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra and the Thai
Select award from Department of Export Promotion, Ministry of
Commerce, Royal Thai government . The group now has eleven branches
in and around London with the latest being in Richmond Surrey.
Competition is
intense now, after Blue Elephant in Fulham showing the way for many
years. Now the standard is very high such as Mango Treen in Grosvenor
Place and Saran Rom by the Thames not to forget Michelin starred
NAHM,with new additions being made all the time. The British public
have taken to Thai cuisine so it is a very exciting time for this
sector of the restaurant industry.
|
