Oriental cuisine in its many different forms has been popular in the United States for years; however there is one form of Oriental cuisine that has recently gained more popularity. Thai cuisine shares many of the styles and ingredients of other Oriental cuisines. Chances are if there is a Thai restaurant in your area then it most likely serves some of the traditional favorites 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.
The popularity of Thai cuisine has increased greatly in recent years, with at least one Thai restaurant in each major city across the United States. If you have a Thai restaurant in your area but you have hesitated to try them because you are simply not familiar with the food that is served, this simple explanation of some of the more popular dishes may encourage you to try Thai food.
While the two foods are not exactly the same, if you enjoy Chinese food you will probably enjoy Thai food as well. The mainstay in both cuisines is rice and it is probably prevalent in many of the dishes that your local restaurant offers. It is tradition to serve groups of dishes with a complement of rice accompanying it. Thai food is prepared in several different ways but the most popular are stir fry and steam cooking.
As mentioned earlier, Thai food tends to have an ample dose of spice. This does not mean that all Thai food is spicy. As a matter of fact many of the traditional Thai dishes contain a sweet, sour, bitter or salty flavor. Often these flavors are nicely blended. While you may not be familiar with some of the dishes listed on the menu, chances are you have been exposed to most of these ingredients before.
The condiments that you will typically find in a Thai restaurant is chili powder, sweet chili sauce, fish sauce and a condiment known as nam pla. Nam pla is a type of fish sauce that consists of anchovies, salt and water. The anchovies and salt are placed in a box and allowed to ferment. The end result is an intensely flavored condiment.
There are also some ingredients that are popular in many Thai dishes, these include coconut milk, ginger, lemon grass, cilantro and chilies. While rice is commonly used as a side dish there are other ways that rice is used in Thai food. Rice is used to make noodles 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.
Looking to find the best Thai restaurant in St Paul, MN, then visit www.kruathailand.com to find the best Thai food in the twin city area.
Tags: drink, food, Minnesota, restaurant, thai, thai food, Thailand
