- Introduction to Thai Food
- Common Thai Ingredients
- Vegetarian Substitutions in Thai Cooking
- Some Links
- Some Recipes
- Vegetarian Thai Restaurant
- Sticky Rice (vegan)
- Stir-Fried Leafy Greens (Puk Bung Fidaeng) (vegan)
- Coconut Red Curry with Tofu (Panang Tao-hu) (vegan)
- Thai-Fried Noodles (Pad Thai) (vegan; ovo option)
- Thai Spicy Soup (Tom Yum) (vegan)
Introduction to Thai Cooking
Modern Thai food
could be called the ancient fusion cooking. It is the result of centuries
of adaptation of various foreign cooking methods and ingredients introduced
by traders, to native Thai ingredients. Stir-frying and deep frying were
introduced by the Chinese, while Portugese missionaries introduced chili
peppers from South America. Ghee and dairy products, introduced from
India, got replaced by coconut oil and milk, while stronger Indian spices
were eventually replaced with the subtler flavours of galangal and fragrant
herbs.
Unlike Western meals which are traditionally served in "courses", a Thai meal will be served all at once. It will generally consist of a soup; curry dish or spiced salad; vegetables, meat or fish with a dip; and rice. Deserts are sometimes served. Most important to a Thai meal is the harmonious blend of tastes and textures found in both the individual dishes and the Thai meal as a whole.
Thai cooking is quite regional. Food from the south of Thailand will be quite hot, salty and sour. Curries cooked with a lot of spices predominate and meat is less common. In central Thailand, food is hot, salty, sweet and sour. Here soup or curry with rice and a variety of condiments is the most popular meal. As you travel further north, sticky rice becomes more popular. Thai meals in the North generally consist of sticky rice, curries or soups, and boiled vegetables. Flavours are mild or hot, salty and sour, but never sweet. In the northeast, salads are very popular and food is hot, salty and sour. Condiments are used a lot and spices are less prevalent.
Basic cooking utensils used in Thai cooking are the wok, a wok, a wok and... well, a steamer! Two kinds or mortar and pestle are also used: a large wooden (usually coconut) one used for making salads, and a smaller stone one used for making chili pastes.
Basic ingredients include chilies, garlic, lemon grass, keffir lime, galangal, coriander leaf and root, coconut milk, fermented fish sauce, shrimp paste and soybean paste. Vegetarians should be aware that many seemingly vegetarian dishes may be prepared with fish sauce, shrimp paste or dried shrimps.
Vegetarian Substitutions in Thai CookingAlthough a large portion of the Thai population is vegetarian during some period in their lives, vegetarian food is not very prevalent. There is no Thai word for vegetarian, and fish and seafood sauces are very common in most Thai recipes. However, most recipes can easily be vegetarianised, with a few simple substitutions:
- Fish sauce:
Soy sauce, vegetarian fish sauce or
vegetarian oyster sauce
Shrimp paste: Soybean paste or light miso
Beef or red meats: TVP, tofu (regular or deep fried)
Chicken or fish: Tofu
Deep fried fish: Deep fried tofu
Dried shrimp: omit entirely
Eating Off the Streets: Food Cruising in Thailand
An excellent article on Thai street food in Thailand, and how to survive as a vegetarian tourist in Thailand. From the November 1998 issue of the Vegetarian Journal, published by the Vegetarian Resource Group.
The
Global Gourmet - Thailand
A non-vegetarian site
that gives an overview of Thai cooking and culture.
Adventures
in Thai Cooking and Travel
A non-vegetarian site
loaded with information about Thai cooking and culture.
ChuChai (100% vegetarian; vegan-friendly)
4088 St. Denis, Montreal, Qc (514) 843-4194
Thai. A vegetarian Thai culinary delight. A must visit. The meals
are prepared with mock meat but most carnivores wouldn't even be able to tell the difference. 'beef" panang is a personal favorite as is the sticky rice and mango for desert.
Full service. Open daily. VISA/MC. $$ - $$$
email AmandasKitchen@yahoo.ca
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vegetarian and vegan cooking to everyone's kitchen. |
Page last updated: November 6, 2000
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