 
Thai food is internationally famous. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively
bland, harmony is the guiding principle behind each dish. Thai
cuisine is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and
Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely
Thai.
The characteristics of Thai food depend on who cooks it, for whom
it is cooked, for what occasion, and where it is cooked to suit
all palates. Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics
of a waterborne lifestyle. Aquatic animals, plants and herbs were
major ingredients. Large chunks of meat were eschewed. Subsequent
influences introduced the use of sizeable chunks to Thai cooking
Eating & Ordering Thai Food
 Ideally,
eating Thai food is a communal affair involving two or more people,
principally because the greater the number of diners the greater
the number of dishes ordered.
Generally speaking, two diners order three dishes in addition
to their own individual plates of steamed rice, three diners four
dishes, and so on. Diners choose whatever they require from shared
dishes and generally add it to their own rice. Soups are enjoyed
concurrently with rice.
Soups are enjoyed concurrently with other dishes, not independently.
Spicy dishes, not independently. Spicy dishes are "balanced"
by bland dishes to avoid discomfort |
1. Kaeng Khiao Wan
