Thai food has a unique taste, and people usually end up loving it. This article explains the health related facts of Thai cuisine, and it also contains some healthy Thai recipes.
Thailand is usually known for its huge elephants and pristine beaches. Thai food has its own unique flavor. It is not only tasty, but also has a strong aroma, which makes your mouth water long before you actually start eating. Unlike the majority of other foods, it does not have a single overpowering flavor; most of the time, it is sweet, sour, spicy, salty, and bitter at the same time. It is also very healthy. You will notice the use of ingredients like lemon grass, turmeric, coconut milk, etc., in Thai food, and all these ingredients have loads of health benefits. But just like other cuisines, it also has some dishes which are loaded with butter and cheese.
Tom Yum Goong – Soup
Ingredients
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 5 sprigs cilantro
- 1-2 limes
- 5 mushrooms
- 1 lemon grass
- 4 cups water
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 cup shrimp
- 3 chili peppers
Process
Boil water in a 2-quart pot. Meanwhile, clean and devein the shrimp and set them aside. Cut lemon grass into 5 – 6-inch long pieces. To release flavor from the lemon grass, crush it a little with the back of your knife. Add the lemon grass to the water and let it boil for 5 minutes. In the serving bowls, add the juice of 1 whole lemon, fish sauce, and crushed chili pepper.
Add only the leafy part of the kaffir lime to the pot. Cut the mushrooms into half and add them to the pot along with the shrimp. Now, turn off the heat immediately. Pour the soup along with the shrimp into the serving bowls. The soup will appear cloudy due to the lemon juice. Finally, season it with cilantro, and serve.
Gai Yang – Barbecued Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tsp coriander (ground)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ½ cup coriander chopped fine
- 4 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 8 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1 tbsp pepper white (ground)
- 1 tbsp red chili flakes (red chili)
- 2 tsp shrimp paste
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic
- 2 tsp galangal, chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped shallots
- 1 tsp kaffir lime rind
- 1 tbsp coriander root, pounded or chopped
- 16 small dried red chilies
- 2 tbsp lemon grass, chopped
- 1 tsp each white pepper corns and cumin seeds, roasted and powdered
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds, roasted and powdered
Process
Mix garlic, ground and chopped coriander, chicken drumsticks, pepper white, 1 tsp salt, red chili flakes, lime juice, and garlic cloves, in a bowl. See to it that the drumsticks are coated thoroughly with the mixture, and marinate them overnight. Next day, barbecue the drumsticks over charcoal fire for about 30 minutes over moderate heat.
This dish is served with Nam Prik Dang, which is a red curry paste. For making the curry paste, blend the rest of the ingredients, until a fine paste is formed. Refrigerate the paste until necessary.
Kao Niaw Ma-Muang – Sweet Sticky Rice with Mango
Ingredients
- 3 mangoes, peeled and sliced
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups coconut milk
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1½ cups uncooked short-grain white rice
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 cup white sugar
Process
Take a medium-sized saucepan and add water along with the rice in it. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Now, let it simmer for about 15 – 20 minutes. Meanwhile, add 1 cup sugar, 1½ cup coconut milk, and ½ tsp salt, to another saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then set it aside. Add the cooked rice to the coconut milk mixture. Cover and let it cool for about 1 hour. Prepare the sauce by adding 1 tbsp sugar, ½ cup coconut milk, tapioca starch, and ¼ tsp salt to a saucepan and let it boil. Serve the sticky rice on the serving dish, and arrange the mango slices on top of the rice. Lastly, pour the sauce on top and sprinkle it with sesame seeds.
These were some authentic Thai food recipes. These dishes have unique flavors and many health benefits as well.
