Thai Cuisine: Vibrant and Aromatic Culinary Traditions
By Kathleen Pokrud
photos by Teresa Biesty
Nowadays, Thai cuisine is famous around the world as the country is a popular destination for overseas tourists. The vibrant culinary traditions here are known for their bold and aromatic tastes as well as exotic ingredients combined with exquisite presentations. I sat down with Pradinan Arkarachinores, owner of Khao Restaurant, a Thai fine dining restaurant that has been awarded a Michelin star since 2020 for five consecutive years. A collector of over 2,000 cookbooks in both local and international cuisines since childhood, she is passionate about cooking and food, especially authentic Thai recipes. In 2022, Khao Restaurant was selected to present Thai cuisine at the Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi by invitation of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Ms Pradinan began by discussing the history of Thai cuisine. “It is very difficult to pinpoint the exact start of Thai cuisine. The Kingdom of Thailand was founded during the Sukhothai period in 1238. However, Thai cuisine was not properly recorded in the first dynasty. Often, the stories about Thai cuisine came from books foreigners wrote who came and visited Thailand in the Ayutthaya period. Even in the Rattanakosin period, some dishes were mentioned in stone inscriptions. As the Thai language evolved over time, it was sometimes difficult to interpret. Official documentation of Thai cuisine was recorded during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama IV).”
On the popularity of Thai food, Ms Pradinan candidly shared, “Thai food is becoming more popular now than in the past. When I was young, Thai food was considered street food that people did not value. I am pleased to see many overseas Thai professional chefs have promoted our cuisine aboard to reach the rank of fine dining.
“Recently, TasteAtlas voted ‘Phad Kaphrao’ (Stir-fried Holy Basil) as the number one stir-fried dish in the world. Previously, Massaman curry and Khao Soy also reached top rank as two of the the best curries. Tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup) also ranked as the second-best chicken soup in the world. Reasons for our success are the detailed procedures that need to be followed in preparing each dish.”
Ms Pradinan further elaborated, “Thai food is very detailed because there are many ingredients in each dish. Various cooking methods can be applied such as stir-fry, roasting, pan roast, deep-fry, boiling and stewing. Foreign influences have also been adapted with our local ingredients to transform unique Thai dishes.
“In terms of regional differences, Thailand is big in terms of geography and how people cook based on the availability of local ingredients. Thailand is blessed with abundant resources. In the north, local dishes use dried chilies and sour tomatoes without limes. Food in the northeast - Isan region is saltier and spicier without coconut milk while the central region concentrates on varieties of curries. Food is more balanced in southern Thailand because of palm sugar and fresh herbs.
“Thai food is often influenced by our neighbours. For example, Khao Soy found in the northern part of Thailand is a Muslim Chinese dish. Masaman curry infiltrated from the Middle East.”
When asked about traditional Thai food, Ms Pradinan explained, “I think that food is continuously evolving. When people talk about Pad Thai, this dish was created less than 100 years ago when Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsongkram created this as a national dish. Another popular dish, Phad Kaphrao, was never mentioned in olden times. However, it has been adapted and is now considered representative of Thai cuisine. I believe that the traditional style of Thai cuisine is based on our culture of getting together and sharing our food.”
As our interview drew to a close, Ms Pradinan reiterated her belief in the authenticity of Thai cuisine. “On a personal level, I prefer traditional Thai food. Fusion seems to be an excuse to raise prices, although there is nothing wrong with serving food in small tasting portions. Many Western dishes have been adapted to Thai taste. Our CentralWorld branch, Khao Jaan-Prod, which translates as Khao’s favourite dish, aims to bring fond memories of the simple Thai dishes that we all grew up with.”
Key Representative Dishes
Tom Yum Goong (Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup)
Tom Yum Goong may be considered one of the iconic dishes of Thai cuisine. This hot and sour soup is made with prawns, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir leaves and other aromatic herbs. Translated, "tom " means boil and "yum" is spicy salad, which means adding soup to the salad with Thai herbs like lemongrass, chilies and galangal. For the authentic recipe, it should be a clear soup. As Bangkok is next to the Chao Phraya river, the available protein to be included in this dish is river prawns or snakehead fish.
Massaman Curry
Massaman curry is considered a Thai dish with its rich and aromatic characteristics. However, its unique flavour has its origin under Persian and Indian influences with different ingredients such as apricots. Another distinctive ingredient of potato is not actually Thai. The word “Massaman” is believed to derivate from “Mussulman” which refers to Muslim influence.
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Gaeng Keow Wan (Green Curry)
Green curry is another favourite Thai curry, offering the taste of a harmonious blend of spiciness and sweetness, and the fresh fragrant herbal flavour of sweet basil. The vibrant green colour comes from a pounding combination of green chili peppers, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, coriander roots and kaffir lime beaten into a paste, then cooked in coconut milk to create the creaminess to the dish. Meat such as chicken, beef or pork are added with vegetables like Thai eggplants.
Phad Thai (Thai rice noodles)
Often considered an iconic dish of Thai cuisine Phad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish served with prawns, beansprouts, bean curd, peanuts and eggs. Cooked with tamarind and fish sauce, the flavour is balanced with palm sugar and lime. By stir-frying all these ingredients together, a balance of sweet, sour and savoury flavours is created. Led by the then prime minister Field Marshal Plaek Philbunsongkhram, it was created in the late 1930s as part of the campaign to promote Thai identity and culture. Phad Thai as a staple street food has gained popularity locally in Thailand and internationally.
Phad Kaphrao (Thai stir-fry with basil leaves)
According to TasteAtlas, Phad Kraprao has been ranked as the best stir-fried dish in the world. It is made with holy basil, garlic and chilies added to minced meat. Another popular street food dish that can be found anywhere in the country, the unique taste of this dish is achieved by the use of holy basil that is found only in Thailand.
Tom Kha Gai (Coconut chicken soup)
This popular Thai soup has a distinctive aromatic taste created by the combination of coconut milk and chicken, to be cooked with a variety of herbs and spices. The result is a creamy and tangy texture.
Som Tam (Papaya salad)
Som Tam can be found everywhere in Thailand although it originates from the Isan region. This spicy and tangy salad is made with shredded green papaya combined with small tomatoes, garlic, chilies and peanuts mixed with fish sauce and lime.
