When you walk through Bangkok, no matter what time of day or night, you will notice the innumerable kitchen booths where food is fried, grilled, flambeed and cooked in the narrowest of spaces. Bikes and motorcycles transformed into mini-kitchens are mobilising the booths and fulfil their purposes in various places.
This is valid especially for Thai cuisine. There is even a professional guild of fruit and vegetable carvers who create fantastic art work with their special set of knifes:
A watermelon is transformed into a green, white and red coloured flower, roses with leafs are created out of carrots, and banana leafs are trimmed nicely to serve as a/to make a natural food base mat or to be used as flavour spending food covering/packaging.
Let yourselves get inspired! How about a nice fruit salad served in a concaved watermelon or halves of pineapples or papayas? Your guests will be amazed.
When it comes to Thai cuisine there are no strict times or rules to when to enjoy the meal - no fixed times for breakfast, lunch ir dinner. Thaipeople eat when they are hungry and usually have many small meals instead of three big ones. (I might feed a clichee, but maybe that is why most Thai people are pretty slim ;-))
Furthermore a meal is not divided in starters/appetisers, main course and dessert.
Traditionally, Thai people have rice for breakfast, accompanied by a soup and small dishes such as fresh and preserved vegetables, grilled fish etc. In most Asian countries rice and noodles are considered as the main food, that are accompanied by several dishes whereas in western countries rice, noodles and potatoes are often often cosidered as the side dish. Soups are not counted as starters but come along with all other side dishes. Only the desert is served seperately after the massive main course. Therefore the guest is met with a great choice of many different flavours and spices. Diversity is the key to a great Thai meal. One should always combine mild with spicy, hot with sweet, salty and sour dishes. A variety in the preparation styles as well as the meals contents are essential. Serve a combination of steamed, grilled, preserved (e.g. Thai pickles), cooked, deep-fried and stir-fried fish, meats and vegetables, salads, raw veggies with a hot chili dip, soups etc.
The only rule in Thai cuisine is to serve a minimum of two main courses and one soup. Spoil your guests! But most importantly: Have fun!!!
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