Welcome to Thailand

The food of Thailand has been described as adventurous and imaginative. Blending the flavors of both eastern and western cultures, Thai food has an interesting and exotic appeal. Since much of Thailand touches the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Thailand , Thai food takes advantage of the many fish caught in the area. Either they cook the fish and add it to their dishes, or they make a condiment sauce by fermenting small fish in clay jars for up to a year. The finished product is called fish sauce, a very important ingredient in Southeast Asian cuisine, including Thai food.

There are four distinct tastes in Thai food: salty, sweet, spicy, and sour. Many dishes utilize all four, creating a unique Thai flavor. Curries are mild or spicy soups made from ingredients such as coconut milk, chilies, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and a variety of other spices. Another popular dish is Phat Thai, which features noodles, eggs, vegetables, and meat, stir-fried with fish sauce and sugar. Hot Thai chilies can be added to make the dish explosively hot.

Street vendors provide Thailand’s busy cities with delicious, nutritious, and inexpensive meals that can be easily eaten anywhere, even on the go! They are much like the corner hot dog vendors you may be used to, but they offer very different choices: grilled bananas, meat or seafood satays (food on a stick) served with a dipping sauce, rice and noodle dishes (like Phat Thai), as well as stir-fried vegetables. The streets are thick with delicious smells and hungry people, searching for just the right meal.

Enjoy these delicious Thai recipes:

• Cucumber Relish

Try this month's project:

• Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

March's Holiday Fun:

• Green Lemonade for St. Patrick's Day