3 ms·

> Thai offers is that it feels light and satisfying and healthy and delicious Can agree but after spending some time learning thai dishes, there are a lot that

by tayo42 5y ago

> Thai offers is that it feels light and satisfying and healthy and delicious Can agree but after spending some time learning thai dishes, there are a lot that are really not that healthy. There's a lot of sugar in dishes to offset the bitterness of fish sauce and other ingredients. Coconut creams, milk and oil add tons of calories.

nont 5y ago
>Can agree but after spending some time learning thai dishes, there are a lot that are really not that healthy. There's a lot of sugar in dishes to offset the bitterness of fish sauce and other ingredients. As a Thai, I can confirm this. Not really to offset, but make the dish more flavorful. They sometimes use a lot of palm sugar, but... maybe that's a tad healthier than cane.
- ch4s3 5y ago
  A someone who enjoy the cuisine but isn’t deeply steeped in the methods, I would say it aims for balance in individual dishes in a way the some cuisines do not. There are certainly other culinary traditions that look for balance but they may approach it across a multi course meal, and think of it in different terms. The balance of salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and fattiness in some Thai dishes is quite remarkable though.
toastal 5y ago
One thing I find interesting about the foreign perspective on Thai food is considered quite vegan/vegetarian-friendly in the West, but unless it's the recently-finished Chinese Vegetarian festival (เทศกาลกินเจ), it's a bit difficult to get food for those with that sort of diet. Meat, particularly pork, is the default for everything and asking for a meatless main does not get you extra vegetables or a lower price, just less food. The fish and oyster sauces are easy to forget and are in everything. Heck, you don't get table salt to adjust your dish but fish sauce + birdseye chilies (พริกน้ำปลา).

by tayo42 5y ago

nont 5y ago

>Can agree but after spending some time learning thai dishes, there are a lot that are really not that healthy. There's a lot of sugar in dishes to offset the bitterness of fish sauce and other ingredients. As a Thai, I can confirm this. Not really to offset, but make the dish more flavorful. They sometimes use a lot of palm sugar, but... maybe that's a tad healthier than cane.

ch4s3 5y ago
A someone who enjoy the cuisine but isn’t deeply steeped in the methods, I would say it aims for balance in individual dishes in a way the some cuisines do not. There are certainly other culinary traditions that look for balance but they may approach it across a multi course meal, and think of it in different terms. The balance of salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and fattiness in some Thai dishes is quite remarkable though.

toastal 5y ago

One thing I find interesting about the foreign perspective on Thai food is considered quite vegan/vegetarian-friendly in the West, but unless it's the recently-finished Chinese Vegetarian festival (เทศกาลกินเจ), it's a bit difficult to get food for those with that sort of diet. Meat, particularly pork, is the default for everything and asking for a meatless main does not get you extra vegetables or a lower price, just less food. The fish and oyster sauces are easy to forget and are in everything. Heck, you don't get table salt to adjust your dish but fish sauce + birdseye chilies (พริกน้ำปลา).