Central Thai Cuisine

Central Thailand is a Southeast Asian cultural hub with influences as far-flung as China, India, and Arabia. The Central Thai region takes pride in maintaining many tradional, unique cultural elements, particularly from the Ayutthaya(อยุธยา) kingdom which preceded modern Thailand.

Thai cuisine is characterized by a balance and depth of flavor. Dishes often have many spices and textures.

Ingredients

Rice is a staple food in Central Thailand. Jasmine rice(ข้าวหอมมะลิ) is the variety if choice, popular for its pleasant aroma and texture. It is typically steamed and served with other dishes. Sticky rice(ข้าวเหนียว) is also used, often for sweets.

Thai chili or bird eye chili is commonly employed in Central Thai cuisine. It is used to flavor dishes such as curries and sauces and as the go-to ingredient for adding spiciness. Chilis are not native to Asia, but have become ubiquitous in Central Thailand and elsewhere after arriving via the Columbian Exchange as early as the 1500s.

Black pepper and white pepper are both used commonly in Central Thai cuisine, though to some degree pepper has been replaced by chili since ancient times, when it was the primary source of spicy flavor.

Central Thailand has a suitable climate for growing coconut, which is commonly used in curries, soups, desserts, et cetera.

Other common ingredients include galangal, fingerroot(กระชาย), tamarind, palm sugar, Thai eggplant, bamboo, pumpkin, long bean, mushroom.

Dishes

• steamed rice
• nam phrik(น้ำพริก): pounded chili sauce
• miang kham(เมี่ยงคำ): bite-size leaf wraps
• som tam(ส้มตำ): pounded salad, usually with unripe papaya and peanut
• phad thai(ผัดไทย): stir fried thick rice noodles and sauce, often with egg, shrimp or meat, chili, peanut, and herbs
• phad kratiem phrik thai(ผัดกระเทียมพริกไทย): stir fry with garlic and pepper
• phad phrik khing(ผัดพริกขิง): stir fry with chili curry paste
• phad kraphrao(ผัดกระเพรา): stir fry with Thai holy basil
• ho mok(ห่อหมก): steamed curry in banana leaf
• red curry(แกงเผ็ด): spicy chili curry with coconut milk
• green curry(แกงเขียวหวาน): curry with fresh chilies and herbs added to the paste and coconut milk
• chu chi curry(แก่งฉู่ฉี่): seafood curry with coconut cream
• phaneng(พะแนง): thick curry with complex spices and coconut cream
• sour curry(แกงส้ม): thin curry with simple paste, typically with fish and garden vegetables
• tom kha(ต้มข่า): galangal soup, normally with coconut milk added
• tom yam(ต้มยำ): flavorful soup, often with seafood added
• mango sticky rice(ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง): fresh mango slices over sweet coconut sticky rice
• khao tom mad(ข้าวต้มมัด): sweet coconut sticky rice dumpling with black bean and banana or other fruit wrapped in banana leaf
• khanom khrok(ขนมครก): sweet coconut snack cake, usually with added ingredients such as taro or green onion