What to eat Thailand? culinary specialties and gastronomy

In addition to rice, coconut milk and chili, all of which we've already had a good look at, Thailand is home to countless products that are rare or little-known in France. The Thai eggplant, white and green, is the size of a golf ball, while the eggplant-pea, pale green, is effectively no bigger than a pea. They are generally eaten in curries. Just like kabocha squash, native to Japan, or okra, whose viscous juice is also used to thicken soups. Many green vegetables, such as water bindweed, Chinese broccoli, loofah squash(buap liam in Thai) or string beans - which can grow up to 80 cm long - are often stir-fried in a wok with garlic, shallot and chili pepper.

Naturally, aromatic herbs play an essential role in Thai cuisine. Lemongrass, commonly known as lemongrass, and kaffir lime or combava leaves give an intense lemony flavour to curries and soups. Cilantro such as holy basil and Thai basil, which has a unique aniseed flavour, are also used to garnish sauces and salads. Chinese spring onion is widely used to flavor noodles and stir-fried rice. Coriander root is often used in curry pastes, as is galanga, a close relative of ginger, while turmeric is used for its superb bright yellow color. Chillies, of course, play an essential role, as Thai cuisine is generally spicy, if not downright hot. They come in all shapes and sizes, although the tiny but fierce bird's-tongue chillies are widely used, as are the even smaller and hotter rat's-paw chillies. Chillies are usually eaten fresh, pureed or minced, but they are sometimes used dried. They are then either rehydrated or fried directly in oil to flavour sautéed meat dishes. Fresh green pepper is also used, although it is sometimes dried and ground. Many dried spices, such as cinnamon, cloves and cumin, are used to liven up dishes of Indian origin. Star anise, on the other hand, is used to flavour Chinese-inspired specialties. Finally, pandan is the name given to a tree - close to the palm tree - whose highly aromatic leaves are used in pastries.

As in the rest of Asia, there are many sauces and condiments with powerful flavors. We know fish sauce in France - generally known by the Vietnamese name nuoc nam - as nam pla in Thailand. Not to be confused with pla ra, a much darker, thicker, full-bodied sauce also made from fermented fish. Soy or oyster sauce - although of Chinese origin - is also very popular. Kapi is the Thai name for shrimp paste, a major ingredient in Southeast Asia. This powerful condiment is used to prepare nam phrik, a spicy sauce. Dried shrimp - known as kung haeng - is used for its iodized taste in many recipes, including salads, sauces and soups. Curry paste or khrueang kaeng is absolutely essential to Thai cuisine. There are three main varieties. Green curry, which - despite its delicate color - is the spiciest of all, made from green chillies, garlic, galangal and shallots. Lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves also give it a fresh, lemony edge. Red curry, only slightly less strong, owes its color to the abundance of red chili peppers that are pureed with garlic, pepper, lemongrass, shallot and shrimp paste. Finally, the milder yellow curry has a similar composition, but the chili is largely replaced by turmeric, giving it an intense golden color. Of course, once again, the list of ingredients sometimes varies according to region and cook. Last but not least, tamarind pulp, with its rich, sour flavour, is equally at home in soups, curries and fried noodles.

Made up of several historical regions, with as many ethnic groups and no less than four neighbors - Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar - Thailand unsurprisingly boasts great culinary diversity in a territory stretching some 1,650 km from north to south. From the ^16th and ^17th centuries onwards, the Kingdom of Siam was a major trading power, with traders from all over the world - Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Europeans and others - exchanging goods with the prosperous kingdom. Many of the dishes popular in Thailand today were originally Chinese dishes, introduced to Thailand by the Hokkien and Teochew peoples from southern China, who brought little-known products such as noodles and soy sauce to the region. Indian and Persian traders introduced the Thais to the use of dried spices. Western influences, which began in 1511 when the first Portuguese diplomatic mission arrived at the Ayutthaya court, inspired dishes such as foi thong, the Thai adaptation of the Portuguese fios de ovos, made with egg yolk and sugar syrup, or sangkhaya, a custard in which cow's milk was replaced by coconut milk. But the most notable contribution of the West was the introduction of a large number of plants from the American continent: chillies, tomatoes, corn, peanuts, pumpkin, pineapple, cashew nuts and papaya, which have profoundly shaped the country's cuisine.

The cuisine of Northern Thailand is heir to the kingdom of Lanna. The high mountainous terrain and cooler temperatures make it an ideal place to grow many plants, including an abundance of aromatic herbs, which feature prominently in Lanna cuisine. This cuisine shares many ingredients with the Isaan region - in the east of the country - as well as with its neighbors Laos and especially Burma. But also with the Chinese province of Yunnan. The cuisine here is less spicy, making generous use of fresh ginger, galanga and black pepper. Khao soi, the flagship dish of Lanna gastronomy, is a noodle soup made with curry and coconut milk, served daily in restaurants in northern Thailand, but also in Laos and Burma, where it is known as ohn no khao swè. The milder climate is ideal for raising pork, which is more common than in the rest of Thailand. Pork is used to make sai oua, a popular sausage flavored with kaffir, coriander, lemongrass, chili pepper and galanga.

The country's rice granary, central Thailand is mainly made up of the Chao Praya basin, the country's main river at 372 km long. Containing the historic capitals of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, as well as Bangkok, the current capital, this region is largely covered by rice paddies. The cradle of royal Thai cuisine, its refinement, cooking techniques and presentation have exerted a great influence on the cuisine of the central plains of Thailand. The art of vegetable carving is renowned for its delicacy. The taste and appearance of food in Bangkok is inevitably more international, influenced as it is by other specialties from the four corners of the globe, as is the case in most major capitals. And if there's one emblematic dish from this region that sometimes single-handedly symbolizes all Thai cuisine, it's certainly pad thai. Composed of rice noodles sautéed with fried tofu, spring onion, omelette and bean sprouts, the success of this dish lies in its sauce made from tamarind pulp, fish sauce and palm sugar. A few crushed peanuts are added before serving, and shrimp or chicken may be added in more modern versions.

Although Isaan - located in the south-east of the country - is Thailand's largest region, it is also the least touristy. Strongly influenced by its neighbors Cambodia and especially Laos, this region has a very distinct culture. Mainly made up of the Khorat plateau, known for its sometimes arid climate in the dry season and its inversely devastating monsoon floods, agriculture is not as well developed as in the center of the country, although Isaan is also Thailand's main glutinous rice-producing region. Nevertheless, there are many dishes - also common in Laos - such as the well-known som tam or green papaya salad. This dish blends the crunch of green papaya, the bite of red chillies and the acidity of limes with palm sugar and fish sauce. Another emblematic recipe, laab, is a spicy salad made with minced meat - pork or beef - flavored with lime juice, chili pepper and fish sauce, sprinkled with toasted rice powder and refreshed with mint and coriander.

Finally, the south of Thailand , stretching mainly along the Isthmus of Kra to the border with Malaysia, offers a distinct face from the rest of the country. A quarter of the population is Muslim, and this is reflected in the prohibition of pork and alcohol, among other things. Formed by a thin peninsula between the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, this region with its humid tropical climate is known for its abundance of fish and seafood, but also for its fiercely spicy specialties. Like kaeng som, a fragrant curry of shrimp paste, shallots, chillies, tamarind and palm sugar, garnished with fish and shrimp.

As in most Asian countries, Thailand makes little distinction between amuse-bouche, starter and main course, and everything is usually laid out on the table at the same time. There are, of course, many snacks, often in the form of fried food, such as pohpia tod, which resemble egg rolls, topped with grated carrot, cabbage and onions. Unlike their Vietnamese counterpart, they are made with wheat flour patties rather than rice. Tod mun goong take the form of small breaded croquettes of shrimp and fish, while thung thong are small deep-fried aumônières stuffed with chopped shrimp and water chestnut. Very common in markets, luk chin ping, skewers of meat or fish dumplings, are barbecued and lacquered with a sweet and sour sauce. Saku sai moo, tapioca flour dumplings, are stuffed with pork, steamed and sprinkled with crushed peanuts.

Soups play an important role in Thai cuisine, and are often hearty enough to make up an entire meal. Among the best known is tom kha kai, a creamy chicken and mushroom soup made with coconut milk and flavored with lemongrass, coriander and chili pepper. Or tom yam kung, a light but very tasty sweet-and-sour broth garnished with shrimp and flavored with kaffir lime leaves. Khao tom kai, a glutinous rice soup with fresh herbs and meat, is usually eaten for breakfast.

One of the lesser-known delights of Thai cuisine is yam, which is simply a salad of noodles, meat, seafood or vegetables - although the acidity of lime, the crunch of crushed peanuts and a healthy dose of chillies are at the heart of every recipe. Particularly recommended are yam som oh, with grapefruit; yamhua plee, with banana blossom; yam wun sen kungou, with rice vermicelli and shrimp; and yam nuea, garnished with strips of semi-cooked beef and coriander.

While curry comes from the Tamil word kari, in Thailand they're called kaeng. There are hundreds of different recipes throughout the country, but the three most classic are green curry(kaeng khiao wan) and red curry(kaeng phet), made with coconut milk, meat, poultry or seafood, usually accompanied by Thai eggplant and sprinkled with basil leaves before serving. The milder yellow curry(kaeng kari) is usually prepared with beef or chicken and potatoes. Massaman curry(kaeng matsaman), literally translated as "Muslim " because it was inspired by the culinary contributions of Mughal and Persian traders, often features chicken and mild spices such as cinnamon, cumin and cloves. Finally, panang curry(kaeng phanaeng) owes its deliciously smooth texture to coconut cream.

In addition to dishes in sauce, there are many stir-fried or fried dishes in Thai cuisine, such as pla sam rot, a whole fish, fried and topped with a sweet-and-sour tamarind and chili sauce. Or pla muek phat phrik phao, squid sautéed with vegetables. The inevitable kai phat met mamuang himmaphan or cashew chicken is common in most restaurants, while phat khing, a recipe for chicken with ginger, is typical of eastern Thailand and Laos. The same is true of kai yang, a grilled chicken dish marinated in a blend of dozens of spices. Finally, the emblematic suea rong hai - literally translated as " crying tiger " - consists of a piece of grilled, but rare, beef, cut into thin strips and served with a sweet and sour chilli sauce.

Sold at every market stall, noodles are made from rice or wheat flour. They can be round or flat, very wide(sen yai), medium(sen lek) or vermicelli-thin(sen mi). Egg noodles are called bami , while soy noodles are called wun sen. In addition to the unmissable pad tai, there's kuai tiao ruea, a light broth generously garnished with noodles, fish balls, pork and bean sprouts. Pad see ew is made with very large fried rice noodles and enriched with minced meat - pork, beef or chicken - and leafy vegetables. A very similar dish, rat nat, is served with a thick, highly aromatic black pepper and chili sauce. Conversely, mi krop are crispy fried vermicelli, garnished with coriander and served with a sweet-and-sour sauce.

Rice - as in most Asian countries - is a staple of meals. The classic white rice is called khao chao in Thai. It is eaten at every meal, while the more precious jasmine rice(khao hom mali) is reserved for special occasions. Despite popular belief, it is not scented with flowers, but the grains of this variety of rice develop an aromatic molecule of their own. Finally, glutinous rice(khao niao) is native to Laos and adjacent areas of northern Thailand and Isaan. It contains a very high percentage of starch, giving it a naturally sticky texture. It is steamed in small woven baskets. Rice dishes are therefore legion, including khao phat, a recipe for fried rice with vegetables topped with pieces of omelette, or khao na pet, where the rice is crowned with strips of lacquered duck in a sweet and sour sauce. The khao khluk kapi is a composite dish where rice, cooked with shrimp paste, is surrounded by a multitude of products: cucumber sticks, fried shrimp, chopped shallots, chili peppers, lacquered pork belly, and so on. And finally, of course, the spectacular khao pad sapparod, the famous curry-flavored pineapple rice topped with raisins, cashews, chicken, shrimp and spring onion, all served in the shell of a hollowed-out pineapple.

Desserts are the all-too-frequent forgotten relatives of Thai cuisine, outshone by fruit, which is both plentiful and succulent. Yet they too deserve to be discovered. First and foremost, khao niew mamuang is Thailand's most popular dessert. Better known as glutinous rice with mango, it is served drizzled with coconut milk. A delicious symbol of Thai street food, roti kluai khai is a banana pancake made from a thin, crisp pastry, generously topped with sweetened condensed milk. A must-try in the country. As are khao mao tod, fried bananas sprinkled with shredded coconut. Mo kaeng is a flan made with creamy mung beans, a close relative of soy, while sangkaya faktong is a flan baked in a pumpkin. khaotom mat is a steamed bite of glutinous rice and banana cooked in a banana leaf. Sakoo piak is made with tapioca pearls, coconut milk and fruit jelly cubes. Some pastries are served on special occasions, such as khanom chan, small cakes made from different flours (rice, tapioca, soya, etc.) and coconut milk. They are often made up of nine layers, nine being a sacred number in Thai culture.

It's true that sometimes desserts in Southeast Asia seem a little less sophisticated than in Europe, but that's also because they're no match for the impressive diversity of fruits, each more delicious and sweeter than the last. There's pineapple that melts in the mouth and mangoes ripened to perfection. But there are also papayas that you shouldn't wait too long to eat, as they develop a slightly pungent taste when overripe. Not to mention bananas - sometimes large, sometimes dwarfed, even red - whose taste in Thailand is inimitable, a world away from what you'd find in Europe. Lychees are as common as their cousins - rambutans - with their long-haired skin. Longans, on the other hand, have smooth, beige skin and translucent, whitish flesh. Citrus fruits include pomelo and grapefruit. Note that the terms differ. In Asia, the pomelo is our yellow-orange grapefruit with a red pulp, whereas the real grapefruit is a huge green citrus fruit at least as big as a melon, with a yellow-green pulp that's delicately tart. Oranges and mandarins are very popular in juice, as are pomegranates and guavas. The refreshing watermelon is also popular in Thailand.

But there's also a lot of fun to be had with stranger or at least more unusual fruits. In this category, it's impossible not to mention the durian. The size of a soccer, covered in prickles, this fruit repels with its almost nauseating odor, to the point of being forbidden on public transport or in hotels at the risk of a fine. Its creamy yellow flesh has a hard-to-define taste that some consider delicious, while others describe as disgusting, halfway between macerated onions and an overdone Camembert. Ideally, you should taste it to form your own opinion. Similar in appearance to the durian - albeit covered with slightly less threatening prickles - the jackfruit can reach a record weight of 50 kg. Its yellow, fibrous and slightly elastic pulp is extremely popular with vegans, as it imitates the texture of meat very well. It is used in curries and desserts. The dragon fruit, with its prehistoric appearance, comes from a cactus, which reveals a white or violet pulp with a taste slightly reminiscent of kiwi fruit. The mangosteen hides a meltingly sweet pulp beneath its thick purplish skin. Last but not least, starfruit turns into pretty light-yellow stars when sliced. Its taste is refreshing, rather like that of jambose; pear-shaped, its flesh, though barely sweet, is deliciously juicy and crunchy.

It goes without saying that fruit juices are used to make a multitude of drinks, juices of course, but also fruit shakes, made with fruit of course, but also sugar syrup and lots of crushed ice. Put everything in a blender and you get a thirst-quenching smoothie. Other blends include iced teas such as cha yen, served with sweetened condensed milk and ice cubes. Of course, the classic black tea remains the most popular hot drink in Thailand, although coffee is extremely popular and excellent espressos and cappuccinos are readily available around the corner. As far as alcoholic beverages are concerned, beer is obviously in abundance in Thailand, both among Thais and foreign tourists. Singha and Chang are by far the most common. You'll also find Australian wine - often far too expensive - in many of the more upscale restaurants. There are also a few stronger drinks, such as mekhong, a sugarcane alcohol similar to rum, produced in Thailand since 1914. Some may find it exotic to bring back a bottle of rice wine, reputed to be an aphrodisiac, containing a snake or scorpion. But not only is it distasteful, it's often illegal, as many of the reptiles that sadly end up this way are endangered species.

But discovering Thai cuisine also means plunging into the heart of countless street markets overflowing with fresh fruit, vibrantly colored spices, fish, meat and condiments with more or less surprising smells. The most important are, of course, in Bangkok, such as Khlong Toei near the MRT station of the same name, considered Thailand's largest market. It's a must for all street food lovers, thanks to its low prices and wide selection. The Wang Lang market is located in the Thonburi district, on the other side of the Chao Phraya River. In its long, narrow aisles, you'll find restaurants occupying every available free space. The Bangkok Chinatown market (Hua Lamphong MRT station) is a must. Thailand has one of the largest Chinese communities in Asia and is probably the country in the world where they were best integrated, which was not necessarily the case in neighboring countries such as Indonesia. Called Yaowarat by the Thais, Bangkok's Chinatown district dates back to 1782. You'll see plenty of Chinese products, rare in other markets, such as dried mushrooms, nuts, dozens of varieties of tea and much more. Be sure to sample the local Chinese tea before exploring some of the centuries-old temples that dot the area. Chatuchak Market is often considered one of Thailand's biggest markets, and surely the world's biggest weekend market. In fact, it's open only from Friday evening until 6 p.m. on Sunday, welcoming over 15,000 stalls and almost 200,000 visitors every weekend.

But Thailand is also home to floating markets. Most of them can also be found in the Bangkok area. In fact, the dense network of canals and rivers surrounding the Chao Phraya River has given rise to these unique markets, where vendors glide over the water offering all manner of foodstuffs, sometimes cooked right on their boats. Located in Ratchaburi province, some 100 km from the capital, the Damnoen Saduak floating market is Thailand's largest. Open every day from 6.30am to around 11am, it offers visitors - Thais and foreign tourists alike - a wide range of products, generally from the surrounding countryside. While the Amphawa floating market is not as large as Damnoen Saduak, it is more authentic and welcomes almost exclusively Thais. Conversely, it's open in the evenings, from Friday to Sunday, from 4pm to 9pm. It's located in Samut Songkhram province, about 70 km from Bangkok. Due to their popularity, the food stalls have spread from the banks of the river to the surrounding buildings. Another popular activity in the Amphawa district is to take a boat and watch the fireflies fluttering over the water on full-moon nights. The Don Wai floating market takes place in Sam Phran district, on the banks of the Tha Chin River, less than twenty kilometers from the capital. For those in a hurry, there are also smaller floating markets in Bangkok's inner suburbs, such as Taling Chan and Khlong Lat Mayom. There are a few rare markets of this kind outside Bangkok, such as Khlong Hae, the only floating market in southern Thailand. Located in the Hat Yai district, less than 20 km from the Malaysian border, it is unique in its kind, harmoniously blending Thai Buddhist and Muslim cultures.

And if you have any doubts about the importance of street food in Thai gastronomy, just take a look at the country's Michelin-starred restaurants. No fewer than 23 establishments have been awarded stars, including a street food restaurant known as Raan Jay Fai, a gargote at first sight, with its plastic chairs lined up on the sidewalk, facing the big wok where omelettes stuffed with crab and other tom kha kai garnished with huge prawns, are prepared at a hellish pace by Supinya Junsuta, a former seamstress, who at 74 years of age, is a veritable star of Thai street food.