Another note on food

I’ve received several messages of disbelief, disgust, and sympathy in response to my last post and I’m afraid I may have inadvertently portrayed Thai cuisine in a poor light. Yes, there are bugs and bats and rats, but there are also many lovely, savory dishes. My favorites include:

-Pad Thai

-Khao Pat (fried rice)

-Khao Mon Gai (rice and chicken with a tangy garlic sauce)

-Gai Pad Prik (stir-fried chicken with chili)

-Spring Rolls

-Gaeng Khiew Waan (green curry with coconut milk, tofu, lemongrass, veggies, lots of other herbs and spices)

-Gury Thiew Pad Yang (duck noodle soup with cabbage, bean sprouts, spices including cinnamon and star anise)

So, while there are plenty of dishes I don’t like, there are plenty that I devour with glee.

On to more important matters: dessert. A plate of fresh fruit is most commonly served after dinner. Oh, the fruit in Thailand. I cannot express enough my adoration for the famously fresh, sweet and succulent fruit of Southeast Asia. Pineapple, mango, papaya, banana, watermelon, lychee, jackfruit, mangosteen, rose apple, guava, the list goes on forever. Also popular on the dessert scene:

-Khao Niao Ma Muang (sweetened sticky rice and mango)

-Kluay Buat Chi (banana in coconut milk)

-Bua Loi Phuak (taro balls in coconut cream)

-Pancakes/crepes/roti with toppings and fillings of your choice (chocolate sauce, sweetened condensed milk, jam, mango, bananas, etc.)

-Donuts (Really any bakery item that doesn’t require an oven)

-Corn on the cob with sugar

-Ice cream in a hotdog bun

-An assemble-it-yourself concoction of corn kernels, barley, chunks of white bread, fruits in syrup, and unsweetened coconut milk (I don’t know the name for this)

Unfortunately chocolate is not big in Thailand, and for those of you who know me well, or even not so well, you probably know my affinity for all-things cocoa. I’ve managed to survive, though, pushing past the withdrawal symptoms.

In conclusion, some of the food in Thailand (in my opinion) is good, some is not so good, and some is heavenly! I was never a big Thai food consumer before coming here, but I’ll definitely become a regular at the Thai joints in the U.S. when I return.