Alright, let’s talk about this Thai food, you know, the stuff they eat over in Thailand. I ain’t never been there myself, but my grandson, he showed me some pictures and told me all about it. Sounds kinda fancy, but from what I hear, it’s real tasty too.
First thing he told me about was this Pad Thai. Sounds like a big deal over there. It’s noodles, see, fried up with some kinda sauce – they call it “pad Thai sauce,” real original, huh? Then they throw in some peanuts and chicken or shrimp, whatever they got I guess. My grandson says it’s a good starter if you ain’t never had Thai food before. So, if you’re new to this whole Thai thing, that Pad Thai seems like the way to go. Not too spicy, he says, just good and flavorful.
Now, there’s this other dish, somethin’ called Kaeng Pled Ped Yang. That’s a mouthful, ain’t it? It’s a curry, but not the super spicy kind. They put fruits in it, which sounds kinda weird, but my grandson says it makes it sweet. And coconut milk, to make it creamy. And a little bit of that red curry paste, just enough to give it a kick. He said it ain’t as hot as some of them other curries, so maybe even I could handle it. I ain’t one for too much spice, you know. Gives me heartburn somethin’ awful.
- Tom Yum Goong: This one’s a soup, a sour and spicy one. Shrimp, lemongrass, galangal… all sorts of things I never even heard of. My grandson says it’s real popular, but I dunno, sounds a bit too fancy for me. And spicy too! He says it really wakes you up though, if you’re feelin’ sluggish.
- Gaeng Keow Wan Gai: Another curry, this one’s green. Green curry paste, coconut milk, chicken, and some kinda Thai eggplant. My grandson says it’s a bit sweeter than the red curry, but still got a little kick to it. Sounds interestin’, I guess.
- Massaman Curry: This one’s different, they say. It’s got potatoes and peanuts, and it’s not as spicy as the others. More like a stew, my grandson says. He says it’s got Indian and Persian influences, whatever that means. Sounds kinda hearty though, like somethin’ you’d eat on a cold day.
Then there’s all sorts of other stuff. Spring rolls, those are fried little things with veggies inside. Mango sticky rice, for dessert. That sounds pretty good, I gotta say. I do like a good mango. And all kinds of noodles and rice dishes. Seems like they got a lot of different flavors goin’ on over there in Thailand. Sweet, sour, spicy, creamy… they got it all.
My grandson, he tried to explain it all to me, but honestly, it’s a lot to take in. Too many names I can’t even pronounce. But he showed me some pictures, and the food, it looks real colorful and pretty. And he says it tastes even better than it looks. I guess I’ll just have to take his word for it. Maybe one day I’ll even try some myself, if I can ever figure out what half those things are called.
Anyway, if you’re lookin’ for somethin’ different to eat, maybe give this Thai food a try. Seems like there’s somethin’ for everyone, even old ladies like me who ain’t used to all that fancy stuff. Just be careful with the spicy stuff, you know. You don’t wanna end up breathin’ fire like some kinda dragon.
From what I gather, Thai food is a big mix of flavors and ingredients. Lots of herbs and spices, and fresh vegetables. And they use a lot of coconut milk, which I think sounds real nice and creamy. My grandson says it’s all about balance – sweet, sour, salty, spicy… they try to get it all in there, in every dish. Sounds like they know what they’re doin’ over there, even if I can’t pronounce half the stuff they make.
So yeah, that’s what I know about Thai food. Not much, I admit, but enough to make me curious. Maybe I’ll ask my grandson to take me to one of them Thai restaurants sometime. As long as they got somethin’ that ain’t too spicy for this old lady.
Tags: Thai Cuisine, Pad Thai, Curry, Thai Food, Noodles, Rice, Southeast Asian Food, Kaeng Pled Ped Yang, Tom Yum Goong, Gaeng Keow Wan Gai, Massaman Curry
