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Showing posts from October, 2010

Southeast Asia’s Contribution to the Humble Curry!

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What do we know about curry? Ask any foreigner of Western origin this question and the standard answer will be along the lines of: “It’s from India and it’s really spicy.” While the cuisine of Southeast Asia does lend a degree of inspiration from India, their adaptation of this globally popular dish is breath-taking and utterly mouth-watering. With coconut palms adorning just about every beach front and garden from north to south, the creamy juice of coconuts have become a great part of curry preparation here. When arriving for the first time in Thailand, the incredible selection of delicious curries can very much be the portal through which the unaccustomed palate can travel to the enjoyment of the rest of Thai cuisine ! So, what exactly does this mean? To be fair, while the menu of Southeast Asia is perhaps the most interesting, complex, fresh and colorful cuisine in the world, many people from abroad struggle with the unique and often pungent flavors typical of this food. The widesp

Southeast Asian Cuisine: Rice Obsession or Passion?

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If you’ve been to Asia, you will know that the Eastern culture and cuisine is rice-crazy. There is no meal in the day that is not in some way complimented with a rice serving, be it breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. This can make those untraveled of us wonder at just how interesting Asian cuisine can possibly be. Preliminary Internet-based searches of the kind of culinary experience we can expect from an adventure into the East don’t even touch on the sheer variety of rice types and preparation methods used in this beautiful destination. And so, this blog endeavors to take a brief journey in the white haze of the Eastern rice craze. First and foremost, each and every continent has its staple food. North America has corn, Russia has potatoes, South Africa has wheat and Asia has rice. Of course, with the sophistication and expansion of global trade, these definitions are becoming somewhat less distinct in the rest of the world, but in Asia and Thailand? Rice is most undeniably the st

Thai Drinks

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So you are familiar with typical Thai food such as noodles, green curry and rice dishes, but what about drinks? Non alcoholic Thai drinks within Thailand are refreshing and often sweet. The following provides some examples of what the locals typically drink throughout the day, with meals and in the evening to relax. Cold beverages Iced Tea, in Thai the name is 'Cha Yen'. The tea is made with red or black tea leaves. The leaves are boiled and then the mixture is sieved, leaving the leaves behind. To balance the flavours making it more refreshing to drink, additional ingredients are added such as tamarind, orange flavoured blossom water, star anise and sugar. Some Thais also like to add a food colorant to the tea to make it yellow or red. Ice is then added and sometimes part blended in. Lime Ice Tea. This is similar to the basic ice tea, however, fresh lime and often mint is also added. Iced coffee can be found everywhere from local street vendors to upmarket coffee shops. The c