The evolution of Thaifood | Bowlpop EP.1

Thai food is internationally famous. Whether chili-hot or comparatively bland, harmony is the guiding principle behind each dish. Thai cuisine is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai. Characteristics of Thai food depend on who cooks it, for whom it is cooked, for what occasion, and where it is cooked. Dishes can be refined and adjusted to suit all palates.

"What is Thai food? Every country in the world has its own food profile. It reflects its culture, environment, ingenuity and values. In the case of Thailand, these words come to mind: intricacy; attention to detail; texture; color; taste; and the use of ingredients with medicinal benefits, as well as good flavor.

Originally, Thai cooking reflected the characteristics of a waterborne lifestyle. Aquatic animals, plant and herbs were major ingredients. Large chunks of meat were eschewed. Subsequent influences introduced the use of sizeable chunks to Thai cooking. With their Buddhist background, Thais shunned the use of large animals in big chunks. Big cuts of meat were shredded and laced with herbs and spices. Traditional Thai cooking methods were stewing and baking, or grilling. Chinese influences saw the introduction of frying, stir-frying and deep-frying. Culinary influences from the 17th century onwards included Portuguese, Dutch, French and Japanese. Chillies were introduced to Thai cooking during the late 1600s by Portuguese missionaries who had acquired a taste for them while serving in South America. Thais were very mesmerizing by foreign cooking methods, and substituting ingredients. The ghee used in Indian cooking was replaced by coconut oil, and coconut milk substituted for other dairy products.

Traditional Thai cookery involved stewing and baking, or grilling. However, the area that is now Thailand, Laos, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia and Vietnam were settled by the ancient Chinese an estimated 1,400 hundred years ago. With the migration of Chinese people in Southeast Asia, frying, stir-frying and deep-frying of food became more popular techniques, and to this day pad thai (fried noodles) and khao pad (fried rice) remain classic Thai dishes.

Previously, when Thailand was called Siam, the area was the intersection of the east-west trade and a part of various shipping routes. This means, much of the cuisine, culture, and religion is heavily influenced by Arabic and Persian elements. More recently, recipes from other foreign places have been mixed with traditional Thai cuisine. This has resulted in a flavor that is unique to Thailand.

Between the 6th and 13th centuries, the settlers in Thailand were “Tai” people and originated from the valleys in the mountainous regions located in southwest China. This location is now called Yunnan. The people of this region migrated to what is now known as Laos and the northern regions of Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Bringing Chinese influence, their knowledge was mixed with people from the southern peninsula. This incorporated spices and herbs from the southern region, which explains the numerous similarities between Chinese and Thai foods.

Beyond the migratory aspects, foreign trade was also heavily influenced in the flavor profiles of Thai cuisine. The Portuguese, who brought numerous sweet flavors and red chili, and Indian curry, brought by Buddhist monks, were among the items part of foreign trade. Some of the Indian influences remain in dishes, such as yellow curry and Massaman curry.

Even today, there is plenty of transformation and evolution happening among Thai cuisine. The food steadily takes on newer influences to merge with traditional aspects. Thai food can be found in numerous restaurants around the world. The appreciation for Thai cuisine continues to flourish, and shows an exploration of global styles, ingredients, and cooking techniques. Modern day immigration and trading overseas also fuels these changes. Since ingredients are easily accessible around the world and people can work in kitchens anywhere they want, they bring their unique skills to various locations. Lastly, the global dissemination of information via the internet and tourism, both help to spread the influence of other cuisines on Thai food.

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