🔥 10 FACTS ABOUT THAI FOOD CULTURE

I have been travelling around Thailand for over 3 weeks and I have prepared for you a collection of the most interesting facts related to their kitchen and habits behind the table. 

Before I arrived here, I read a lot of different articles on this topic, which I could finally check out for myself! Find out which of these have proved to be the truth!

#1 

Thai cuisine is a combination of the flavours of China, India, Birma and Laos.
This is perfectly illustrated by spices and ingredients used in kitchen.

Thai cooking pursues to harmony in its dishes, which is why the dishes usually taste all the basic flavors - salty, sweet, bitter, hot and sour. 

This combination guarantees that every dish has a deep and complex taste.

#2

On every step you'll find places where you can buy food! 

Whether you're under a large shopping mall or at the end of a small village, there's always someone who want to sell you something delicious!
You will find here family taverns, small stands and even motorbikes with a basket from which you can buy food. 

The dishes are usually cheap, delicious and fresh. Not surprisingly, many Thai homes do not even have a kitchen! It is usually more economical to eat outside than to spend time cooking at home. Especially in such hot weather. 

#3

In Thai restaurants you will very often find a menu in picture form.

The pictures show the dishes you can see even before you place your order. From my experience I can say that usually what you see on the pictures is the same as what will be on your plate. 

The menu is of course in Thai, but in most restaurants in larger cities you will also find an English version.

#4

In Thailand, you can bargain on markets or bazaars, and I have the impression that the people who live there even like it. 

However, in a restaurant where prices are specified in the menu, an attempt to reduce them is considered rude.
So do not try to do this, just order your food and then pay as much as is written on the card.

#5

We take the dishes and return the plates always with our right hand! The left is treated as unclean and it shouldn't have contact with our food. 

#6

Drinking straight from a can or bottle is seen as rude. That is why in every place you will get a cup (usually with ice and straw) to which you can pour your drink. 

#7

In Thailand you don't use a knife to eat, instead you will get a spoon and a fork.

Hold the spoon in right hand and the fork in left hand. With the help of a fork, we  "grab" the food onto the spoon and then eat. 

We don't need a knife because all the dishes are served in smaller, easy-to-eat pieces. 

Of course, you can also use the chopsticks - you'll find them in every place.

#8

Thai cuisine is really nice seasoned! However, on each table you will find a set of additives that will allow you to get even more taste from your food!

You will find soy sauce, fish sauce, fresh chillies, chillies in vinegar, chillies powder and even sugar! Sprouts, nuts and fresh vegetables will often appear on the table as well. 

#9

Fresh herbs will also appear on the table! 

Among those known in Europe you will find a Thai basilica, coriander, chive and spring onion.

Of course, there are many more of them in Thailand, but unfortunately it is difficult to find English versions of their name. But for sure it is worth to try them because their taste could be very surprising!

#10

In Thailand you will find hundreds of chilli varieties, so it's no wonder that their cuisine is spicy. 

This is for a specific reason - by adding chilli we can get rid of parasites, bacteria and fungi. They will naturally be eliminated by these small peppers. In this wet and stuffy climate, eating hot food is very reasonable. 

Even if you are not a fan of spiciness, it is worth adding a small amount of chilli to your food from time to time. This will certainly help you stay healthy! 

These are all the facts I wanted to share with you.
Let me know in comments which of them you already knew and which ones were a total surprise?

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