Hello and Sawadee krup!
I am overdue for a blog on my LSD running; not too "L" and very "S" btw, but first wanted to share these tips for eating Thai food in Thailand. Which I am currently doing and enjoying very much. Training is returning; I am shrugging off the last symptoms of PEDS (Post-event depression syndrome), and will use my mountain-top trail run in the middle of the island here on Koh Samui to get ready for Lumpini Park next week. In the meantime, enjoy your Thai food!
1. It’s all about the rice. In Thailand the term for eating: gin khao, literally means eat rice. When eating lunch or dinner in Thailand you should always place the rice on the plate first, and then serve the other dishes either over or aside the rice. Other dishes may be already served on the table, often times at family meals all of the food is on the table and once the steaming rice is served everyone begins eating. All Thai food tastes good over rice to me!
2. Thai people eat with both a fork and spoon at the same time. The spoon is placed in your dominate hand and is used to scoop up the rice and accompanying dish and the fork is used as a scraper to help fill the spoon. I was told that this way the Thai people are able to get all the delicious juices and sauces that are so unique and delicious in Thai food, plus they would not inadvertently stab themselves in the mouth with the fork. Thus more efficient and safer too!
3. The only food that some Thai people (my wife Worawan included) believe should not be eaten with rice is noodles. Whether the signature noodle dish of Thailand called Pad Thai, or one of the many other different types, shapes, sauces and flavors of noodle dishes served in Thailand - they are all delicous, noodles can be a substitute for rice. Noodle dishes are also the only time Thai people will use the Chinese chopsticks. I personally love Pad Kee Mao (drunken noodles) or Sen Leung Gai (yellow noodles with chicken) mixed over some rice, but I have always been a true carbohydrate fan.
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| Pad Ped Gai - Chicken in chili paste curry. |
4. Another signature dish of Thailand is called Tom Yum Goong, or spicy shrimp soup. The spicy part is variable, it can be anywhere from mild to fiery, but pretty constant from place to place will be the ‘flavor enhancers’ and natural ingredients used in the soup. These include galangal root, kefir lime leaves, and lemongrass stems that while providing flavor and aroma to the soup are not really edible. Be careful when draining your soup in Thailand, some things are better off left on the bottom of the bowl.
5. Everywhere you eat in Thailand the water will be safe to drink; if it is served to you. Tap water is not safe to drink, no matter where you are staying, and ALL restaurants know this and serve only bottled water, even in the smallest remotest locations. Many smaller local restaurants will have pitchers on the tables from which you can fill up your glass that they will bring you, usually to start off filled with ice cubes. The ice is also safe to drink, no one can afford to manufacture their own ice so it is delivered daily, but to get ice…
6. You have to ask for ice. And when it is hot in Thailand, you want ice. Because everyone has to buy ice and have it delivered there is often times a small charge for ice, whether a glass or bucket. If you ask for a Coke, it will be automatically served to you with a glass, but not with ice in the glass. Many Thai men drink their beer with ice, and buckets of ice are used in many different concoctions. Learning how to ask for ice was one of the first phrases I mastered when traveling in Thailand.
7. There is an expression in Thailand that goes: Same Same but Different. It can apply to many things in Thailand, including the food. Oftentimes a traveler will discover in the first day or two a new favorite Thai dish and then order it each location we travel to only to find that is different. My first five weeks in Thailand I ate mostly Pad Thai with Chicken, and every single place I ate it was made a little different. Do not be disappointed if your Basil Chicken in Bangkok does not look like your ‘Gai Grapow’ on Koh Samui, they will both be delicious, just different.
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| Pak boong fai dang - Stir fried morning glory. |
8. We have had several vegetarians on our Thailand Adventure Travel vacations and they have mostly not had any problems with avoiding meats. There are many delicious local fruits and vegetables in Thailand, depending upon the season, and we have found all restaurants either have an extensive vegetarian menu or are very accommodating with creating special dishes. My all-time favorite Thai dish in fact a vegetable dish called Pak Boong Fai Dang, or morning glory on fire. It is a spinachy- watercress like vegetable flash stir-fried with oyster sauce, lentils and green and red peppers. It is reported to naturally improve your eyesight, and will add some ‘fire’ to your morning routine.
9. There are three major Thai beers: Chang (the elephant), Singha (the lion), and Leo (the tiger). Take your pick, they are all strong, and the alcohol content is actually that of a malt liquor for all three. As I mentioned some Thai people drink their beer over ice, partially because it gets warm so fast in Thailand with the heat, and I think partially to tone down the beer flavor. But that may be just me; I still drink Bud Light because they sponsored my races 20 years ago or so. Wine is relatively expensive in Thailand and not that popular in Thai restaurants, although it is popping up more and more in ‘farang’ restaurants. If you purchase cocktails from most Thai bars, do not expect too much alcohol. That is why Thai drinkers will go with the ‘bottle and bucket’ routine. Buy a full bottle of rum or whiskey with mixers and a bucket of ice and mix up your own drinks. This is the only sure way to guarantee a strong drink in Thailand!
10. You are finished eating, the Thai food was ‘aroi mog mog’ (very delicious in Thai) and you and your friends are sitting there enjoying conversation and waiting for the waiter to bring you the check. Good luck – you will be there til the place closes! In Thailand you have to ask for the check, otherwise they will figure you are still a customer and let you sit there eating, drinking, or just talking, til they close. Asking for the check was probably the second phrase I learned on my travels in Thailand after learning to ask for ice; it is easy to remember: check bin!
See you on the trails of Koh Samui or Northern California, or perhaps in Lumpini Park!
