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''', Northeastern (or Isan ), Central and Southern . Southern Curries , for example, tend to contain Coconut Milk and fresh Turmeric , while northeastern dishes often include Lime juice. INFLUENCE AND WESTERN POPULARITY Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather than dried) herbs and spices as well as fish sauce. Thai food is popular in many Western countries especially in Australia , New Zealand , some countries in Europe such as the United Kingdom , as well as the United States , and Canada . SERVING Instead of a single main course with side dishes found in Western cuisine, a Thai full meal typically consists of either a single dish or Rice ''khao'' () with many complementary dishes served concurrently. Rice is a staple component of Thai cuisine, as it is of most Asia n cuisines. The highly prized, sweet-smelling Jasmine Rice is indigenous to Thailand. This naturally aromatic long-grained rice grows in abundance in the verdant patchwork of paddy fields that blanket Thailand's central plains. Steamed rice is accompanied by highly aromatic Curries , Stir-frys and other dishes, incorporating sometimes large quantities of Chillies , Lime juice and Lemon Grass . Curries, stir-frys and others may be poured onto the rice creating a single dish called ''khao rad gang'' (), a popular meal when time is limited. Sticky Rice ''khao neow'' () is a unique variety of rice that contains an unusual balance of the starches present in all rice, causing it to cook up to a sticky texture. It is the daily bread of Laos and substitutes ordinary rice in rural Northern and Northeastern Thai cuisine, where Lao cultural influence is strong. Noodles, known throughout parts of Southeast Asia by the Chinese name ''kwaytiow'', are popular as well but usually come as a single dish, like the stir-fried Pad Thai () or noodle soups. Many Chinese cuisine are adapted to suit Thai taste, such as ''khuaytiow rue'', a sour and spicy rice noodle soup. There is a uniquely Thai dish called ''nam prik'' () which refers to a chile sauce or paste. Each region has its own special versions. It is prepared by crushing together chillies with various ingredients such as garlic and shrimp paste using a Mortar And Pestle . It is then often served with vegetables such as cucumbers, cabbage and yard-long beans, either raw or blanched. The vegetables are dipped into the sauce and eaten with rice. Nam prik may also be simply eaten alone with rice or, in a bit of Thai and Western fusion, spread on toast. Thai food is generally eaten with a Fork and a Spoon . Chopsticks are used rarely, primarily for the consumption of noodle soups. The fork, held in the left hand, is used to shovel food into the spoon. However, it is common practice for Thais and hill tribe peoples in the North and Northeast to eat sticky rice with their right hands by making it into balls that are dipped into side dishes and eaten. Thai-Muslims also frequently eat meals with only their right hands. Often Thai food is served with a variety of spicy condiments to embolden dishes. This can range from dried chili pieces, or sliced chili peppers in rice vinegar, to a spicy chili sauce such as the ''nam prik'' mentioned above. INGREDIENTS The ingredient found in almost all Thai dishes and every region of the country is ''nam pla'' ( Thai น้ำปลา), a very aromatic and strong tasting Fish Sauce . Shrimp paste, a combination of ground shrimp and salt, is also extensively used. Thai dishes in the Central and Southern regions use a wide variety of leaves rarely found in the West, such as Kaffir Lime leaves ( Thai ใบมะกรูด). The characteristic flavour of kaffir lime leaves' appears in nearly every Thai soup (e.g., the hot and sour '' Tom Yam '') or curry from those areas. It is frequently combined with Garlic , Galangal , Lemon Grass , turmeric and/or Fingerroot , blended together with liberal amounts of various chillies to make curry paste. Fresh Thai Basil is also used to add fragrance in certain dishes such as Green Curry . Other typical ingredients include the small green Thai Eggplant s, Tamarind , palm and coconut Sugar s, lime Juice , and Coconut Milk . A variety of chilies and spicy elements are found in most Thai dishes. Other ingredients also include ''pahk chee'' (cilantro), ''rahk pahk chee'' (cilantro roots), curry pastes, ''pong kah-ree'' (curry powder), ''si-yu dahm'' (dark soy sauce), ''gung haeng'' (dried shrimp), ''pong pa-loh'' (five-spice powder), ''tua fahk yao'' (long beans or yard-long beans), ''nahmahn hoi'' (oyster sauce), ''prik Thai'' (Thai pepper), rice and tapioca flour, and ''nahm prik pao'' (roasted chili paste). Although broccoli is often used in Asian restaurants in the west in ''pad thai'' and ''rad na'', it was never actually used in any traditional Thai food in Thailand and is still rarely seen in Thailand. FAMOUS DISHES Many Thai dishes are familiar in the West. In many dishes below, different kinds of meat can be chosen as the ingredient, such as beef, chicken, pork, or seafood. Individual dishes (close up)]]
Central Thai Shared Dishes
Northeastern Shared Dishes (''See also'' Cuisine Of Laos )
Desserts and Drinks
MISCELLANEOUS Throughout the country there are many interpretations and variations on these common dishes. Other dishes from the northern part of Thailand include unique sauces and exotic foods, such as raw beef, fermented fish paste, and deep fried insect larvae (also enjoyed in the Northeast). The culinary creativity even extends to naming: one tasty larva translates as "freight train" and the smallest, hottest chillies are known as '' Phrik Khii Nuu '' (), literally "mouse shit chillies". In the Northeast, eating insects is common, and the Giant Water Bug (''mang dah''; ) is popular. http://www.thaibugs.com/edible%20insects.htm - ThaiBugs.com The dish ''nam prik pla too'' () is particularly common in central Thailand because of its low cost. It consists of fried Indian Mackerel , '' Rastrelliger Kanagurta '' ''(pla too)'' served with a shrimp-and-chilli paste ''(nam prik kapi)''. http://www.enjoythaifood.com/friedmackerel.php - ''nam prik pla too'' at enjoythaifood.com - with audio pronunciation The fish are traditionally presented in pairs, placed head-to-tail on a round bamboo dish. NOTES AND REFERENCES LITERATURE
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