Thai Cuisine
Thai food is known internationally for its hot chilli dishes as well as milder dishes. Thai food comes in the form of soups, salads, curries, dips, and desserts (usually fruit).

At the table, all dishes are served together. Individuals traditionally take a spoonful of rice and top it with a spoonful of one of the dishes; the different foods are then eaten one by one in this way. Chopsticks are not used for eating Thai food. Instead a fork and spoon are used, the fork being used to push the food onto the spoon. There is no need for a knife as all foods are served in bite-sized slices or chunks.

A proper Thai meal should be harmonious in its flavours blending the spicy, the subtle, and the sweet and sour together. Traditionally a Thai mealconsists of soup, a curry dish with condiments and a dip with accompanying fish and vegetables. A spiced salad may be eaten in place of the curry, and the soup can also be spicy. However, both the soup and curry/salad cannot be spicy together; there must be harmony and balance within the meal in a variety of textures and flavours.

Many herbs and spices used in Thai cuisine have beneficial medicinal properties. The chilli (Phrik in Thai) contains capsaicin which is beneficial to the respiratory system, blood pressure and heart. Thais believe that if someone sweats after eating a chilli dish, they are ridding themselves of toxins within their body. Garlic (Kra-thiam) is said to reduce blood pressure and also cholesterol. It is also used to treat 'flu and is good for the immune system in general. Cumin (Yi-ra) is used as a stimulant and astringent. Cumin may also have anti-cancer properties. Lemon Grass (Ta-khrai) has long been used to treat colds and stomach-aches. It also has antibacterial and antifungal properties.


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