The Thai Mealtime

The following description of a Thai mealtime was written in the 1850’s by Monsignor Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix: The Thai take all their meals seated on a mat or carpet. The dishes are enclosed in great bronze vases with a lid in a conical shape and adorned with red cloth. The dishes are cut in small pieces and the rice is placed aside and to the right in a great, widening bowl. On the left side, there is a basin with water in which floats another small basin to drink. The diners have neither spoons, nor forks, nor knives. They only use a mother-of-pearl spoon to take from the plates. For all the rest, fingers are sufficient for them. Only when they are satisfied do they drink pure water or a cup of tea. Drinking from the same bowl or cup is not shocking to them. Among the rich people, the husband usually eats before his wife who serves him at the table.The Princes and the King are only different from their subjects by the richness of the cutlery and the variety of dishes. The dining hour is, so to speak, sacred for the Thai. One never bothers somebody who is eating; even masters themselves watch out not to interrupt the meal of their slaves. The time of a meal is also a time for silence. Even if one is with ten or twenty people to eat together, one barely hears a few words escape one or the other, so deeply engrossed are they in their business! Thus, their meals take only about a quarter of an hour. One must also remark that they never drink before or during a meal, only afterwards.

TOM YUM KUNG

 

TOM YUM KUNG



Ingredients:

For 2 servings 5-7

prawns 120g. (4 oz.)

straw mushrooms1-2

lemongrass 3-4

kaffir lime leaves 1 tbs.

roasted chilli paste 2 tbs

fish sauce3 tbs.

lime juice3-4

fresh chillies 4 cups

watercoriander leaves, red chillies and kaffir lime leaves for garnishing

Preparation:

1. Clean and devein the prawns.
Cut

lengthwise down the center of the prawns, but do not cut all the way

through.

2. Rinse the mushrooms and trim the base off. Dry well, and cut in halves.

3. Bring the water to a boil. Add lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves; then

add the prawns and mushrooms. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, season with roasted chilli paste, fish sauce, lime

juice, and chillies.

5. Garnish with red chillies, kaffir lime leaves and coriander leaves.

Note : Coconut milk can be
substitued

with milk to enrich creamy flavour to the soup.

SOM TUM

SOM TUM Som tum or papaya salad is Thai regular
cuisine which is now worldwide. Traditionally, it is a type of Northeast Thais’
favorite. North and Northeast Thais call it ‘tum som’. Tum som or som tum
preparation is very simple. The main ingredients are a green papaya, spices,
garlic, lime juice, and fish sauce or a condiment of fermented fish. First, peel
a papaya and clean it. Then, chop the papaya in lengthways and then cut it into
short strips. Next, use a pestle and mortar to crush spices and garlic finely.
After that, put in papaya strips and combine all the ingredients together.
Sliced tomatoes and string beans can also be added. Then add lime juice and fish
sauce to one’s liking. For the real Northeast taste, a condiment of fermented
fish or pla ra is preferred to fish sauce. Sometimes both of them are added to
the dish. Som tum can be eaten with sticky rice and other dishes such as grilled
catfish, grilled chicken and so on. Northeast tum som has become popular in many
parts of Thailand because there are many Northeast people working and living
everywhere, especially in Bangkok. That is the reason why som tum is enormously
popular. However, it is now adapted to the Central Thais’ taste. For example,
sugar, roast peanuts and dried shrimps are added to flavor it. Besides, fish
sauce is used instead of the condiment of fermented fish.This som tum with
sweeter taste is called tum Thai. For some recipe, fermented fish field crabs
are also added to flavor the dish. Som tum is made of not only papayas, but also
other green fruits such as jackfruits, mangoes, and star gooseberries. Because
of its unique taste, som tum is now the desired cuisine served in every
first-class hotel. It is not only popular in Thailand, but it is also well-known
in many other countries. During the Vietnam war, sam turn started becoming
popular among American soldiers in service in the military base of Thailand.
After that, they made it khown to other people in the US and other countries.