Thailand Street Food - Go for It!

Travelers to Thailand will find that during their holiday they can eat some of the worlds best food while spending very little. They can do this by staying away from the expensive tourist restaurants and eating from the delicious variety of street food available to them.
In my experience, one of the best reasons to spend time in Thailand is the food. One of the best and cheapest ways to eat in Thailand is at one of its endless street vendors. All over one will find all kinds of street food from simple sliced fruit to Pad Thai Noodles, delicious Thai fried chicken and many others.
It is easy to get overwhelmed with the large variety of food available and scared by some of the common myths about street food. First and foremost in peoples mind is the notion that street food is not safe. While sanitation can be an issue but with a quick once over of the vendor will tell you all you need to know. Most street vendors in Thailand are very clean and do their best to offer clean and delicious food. When looking them over you will quickly see that most have facilities for washing and cleaning their dishes and utensils. Most will also not use their hands but use gloves or tongs to pick up the food.
Personally, I have never gotten sick eating street food and it makes up most of my primary diet while I am in Thailand due to its low cost. One of the great hidden Bangkok destinations is the Khlong Toei market. Khlong Toei Market is a vibrant food market that comes alive at night and is the major supplier of all kinds of meat, vegetable, poultry and seafood to the street food and restaurant industry found on every sidewalk of Bangkok. It is hard to imagine and is like any open farmers market in a western country five times the size on steroids. It is not uncommon to see giant blue prawns, entire pigs or even wheel barrels full of pig's heads and tails being carted down the alleys.
Of course if you are hungry there is plenty of prepared food to be had such as freshly made Pad Thai, spring rolls, pork, chicken and soups galore. You can order any Thai dish that you want to be prepared fresh and will rarely cost you over a dollar. At these prices you can splurge and try a lot of different things so jump in and just do it! Enjoy.

I have been an avid traveler all of my life and have visited many countries and continents. My hobbies include travel, computers and flying as I hold a US Private Pilots license for 20 years. I have lived in and explored Asia for the past twelve years and spent the last three years living and teaching in the mystical and wonderful land of Thailand. I am well versed and comfortable living among different cultures and enjoy becoming a 'local' in foreign lands as much as possible.

3 Reasons to Love Thai Food

Thai delivery services are serving up some of the best take out food available anywhere today. You can sink your taste buds into some of the most incredible flavors with delicately sautéed vegetables, perfectly cooked chicken and fish, and a variety of other foods that will make you never want to put your fork down.
Following is a list of just some of the top reasons people state for loving authentic Thai food. What reasons could you add to the list?
#1: You can always find a hot and spicy Thai dish when you crave it.
Many people crave hot, spicy foods, and not every cuisine has this type of dish readily available. Authentic Thai cuisine is different because it is known for being very spicy. Many restaurants allow diners to choose between different sauces and some may be a bit hotter than others, but you can always get an authentic Thai kitchen to kick up the heat when you need it.
Craving something hot? Thai is the way to go. Try a dish called Pad Kee Moa and ask for it very spicy if you like hot dishes. Nam Prik is another hot one to try out.
#2: You don't have to be rich to learn to cook basic Thai dishes.
Anyone with Thai parents who grew up eating authentically cooked Thai foods will tell you is that you don't have to be rich to enjoy this cuisine. Thai people aren't rich for the most part, but they take advantage of all natural resources in their environment to make delicious foods that could be served to the rich and famous.
Some very cheap foods are considered staples in the Thai cuisine. This includes rice, which practically everyone has access to today. This is a cuisine that can teach you to infuse very basic ingredients with intense flavor and aroma.
#3: There is such variety in Thai food that you will never get bored.
Some national cuisines rest on a few basic tastes or types of meals, but Thai is definitely breaking the mold. This cuisine offers such a wide variety of dishes that you could eat it every night for the rest of your life and never get bored.
This is why many people who love Thai food say that you are never "not in the mood" for Thai. There are so many different flavors, textures, and types of food that you can always find something appealing to your taste buds.
This probably comes from the differences in Thai cuisine in different areas of Thailand. You can go to different regions of the country and see some real differences in how they prepare food, what dishes they serve, and how even how they are served.
Thai food is affordable, fun, and delicious. There are ways to spice it up and tame it down, depending on your own taste buds and what you may be in the mood for. Of course, be prepared for intense heat if you order one of the hottest Thai dishes being served. This is not one of those cuisines that claim to have hot food while serving mere mild dishes.
Spicy means intensely hot in the Thai culture! Of course, there are still other options such as sweet and sour chicken and fish if you can't stand the heat.

Delicious Dishes: Thai Food

You don't have to live in China to enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine, so why would you expect that authentic Thai food could only be enjoyed in Thailand? Wherever you are in the world, there are a wide variety of cuisines available to you. It's a matter of deciding what types of food sound good to you and figuring out how to get authentic food at the most affordable prices.
If you thought that eating authentic Thai dishes required a reservation at a fancy Thai restaurant and a wad of cash ready to blow, it's time to rethink this idea. If you give it some thought and serious looking, you will find that authentic Thai food can be found without spending money. In fact, you can get authentic Thai food delivered right to your front door in most cases!
Thai Food Delivery
Thai food delivery services are the most convenient way to enjoy fresh Thai dishes without learning to make it yourself or booking reservations at an expensive restaurant. You just need to make sure that the food delivery service you are using has an authentic Thai chef on hand who knows how to make each dish exactly as it was intended to be cooked.
Most areas don't have a lot of delivery services preparing Thai dishes, so it shouldn't be too difficult to determine which ones are the best and which ones serve authentic Thai dishes. You should be able to look up the services in your area online and learn more about their services and their menu.
It is best to familiarize yourself with their menu prior to placing your first order. If you are new to Thai food you may need to look some dishes up to see what they include or what the ingredients may be. Or, just call the Thai food delivery service up and ask them your questions. A knowledgeable service should be able to tell you exactly what is in each dish and help you find something that suits your taste buds.
Thai Flavors
What makes Thai dishes so interesting is the blend of flavors included. The people of Thailand recognize all of the flavor categories when they prepare their meals:
1. Sweet
2. Sour
3. Bitter
4. Salty
5. Spicy
Some meals may lean heavily toward one of these flavor categories while others blend two or more together delicately. When you consider all the different ingredients that can create each of these flavors, you see why Thai food is so diverse.
Enjoying Thai dishes at Home
If you don't live in Thailand, then enjoying authentic Thai dishes in your own home is the simplest way to get to know the cuisine and indulge your cravings once your palette has been introduced. Most people find that they crave the flavors that come out of Thai food, so they become regulars with the delivery service in their area.
You never know, you could end up being one of those people once you try Thai food! Once you find a Thai delivery service that works with an authentic Thai chef to deliver delicious Thai cuisine, you can enjoy this cuisine whenever you want it...and it doesn't matter where on earth you live!
Thai cuisine is so diverse it can please anyone's taste buds, so why not give it a try?

Top Thai Cuisine

Thailand has some of the best food in Asia with many signature dishes that are enjoyed all over the world. Hot and sour flavours mixed with aromatic lemongrass are classic ingredients that let your taste buds dance with excitement. Here are some of my favourite Thai dishes that I enjoyed eating whilst I travelling Thailand. Enjoy!

• Pad Thai- Thai-style Fried Noodles - A great noodle dish that everybody knows. A classic dish that you'll find on every corner in Thailand being cooked by the experienced street venders. Best enjoyed cooked with prawns and an egg. No trip to Thailand is complete without Pad Thai.
• Gaeng Massaman Gai- Thai Massaman Curry. A mild peanut based curry usually cooked with beef or chicken. The "massaman" indicates that the recipe is of Islamic origin. One of the real highlights of travelling in Thailand.
• Penang Gai- Penang Chicken Curry. A creamy coconut curry with subtle flavours of kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil. You'll find this on most places during your Thailand trip.
• Pad gkaprow mu - Thai Basil Pork - A spicy favourite for travellers in Thailand that mixes ground pork with hot chillies and Thai sweet basil. Always served with sticky rice and topped of perfectly with a fried egg.
• Tod Man Plaa- Spicy fried fish cakes. Delicious fish patties perfectly accompanied by hot and sour dipping sauce. Great to snack on during your Thailand trip.
• Khao Neeo- Thai Sticky Rice. A great accompaniment to any Thai dish and perfect if you start running out of money while you're travelling in Thailand.
• Khao Soi- Chiang Mai Curry Noodles. This is a noodle dish, prepared in a rich creamy curry sauce, which is traditional to Northern Thailand. If your Thailand tour takes you up north, this dish is a must.
• Tom Yum Goong- Thai Prawn Soup With lemongrass. Tom Yum is one of the main signature dishes that characterises Thai cuisine. With both hot and sour flavours it's the base of many Thai soups.
• Gaeng Khiao Wan Gai - Thai Green Curry with Aubergine. A great veggie option of the classic Thai curry.
• Yum Nuea - Thai Beef Salad - Yum Nuea means "tossed beef" and that is the basis of the dish. It's a great option for a light meal on the beach while you're travelling in Thailand. Delicious barbequed beef that's tossed in sweet, smokey and sesame flavours.
• Pad Mee - Thai Fried Vermicelli Noodle - Spicy thin noodles with all the best bits. Simple but great and definitely part of a try Thailand trip.
• Tom Yum Soup - Hot and Sour Soup - Classic Thai dish that you'll find whilst travelling all over Thailand. Strong hot and sour flavours with a hint of lemongrass.
• Yam Ma Maung - Green Mango Salad - A refreshing salad with green mango, garlic and Thai sweet basil. Again, perfect on the beach.
• Gai Pad Med Mamuang Himaphan - Chicken And Cashew Nut - Cashew nuts being the key ingredient in the dish combined with strong Thai red chillies, lemongrass and young kale.
• To-hu tawt - Deep fried tofu - Light and spongy tofu puffs that are deep fried to a crispy treat that mixes well in to most vegetarian dishes. Vegetarians who travel to Thailand will definitely enjoy this dish.
• Som Tum - Thai Green Papaya Salad - This dish you'll see many of the street venders mixing up with a pestle and mortar to get all the flavours out of the ingredients. Fresh papaya, Thai string beans, palm sugar, green chillies and dried shrimp all get mixed together to create a fiery salad. A real highlight of any Thailand trip.
• Kanom Chan - Steamed layered coconut dessert - The main ingredients used to make a Kanom Cham include sugar, coconut milk and flour. One of the great features regarding the Kanom Chan is the natural colourings used to create the sweet that is also derived from herbs. Great for sweet-toothed travellers to Thailand
• Khanom Kluay - Banana Pudding - Khanom Kluay is a delicious Thai dessert that is found all over Thailand and Khanom Kluay translates as Thai steamed banana cake. You definitely have to try this during your Thailand trip.

Top 10 Must-Not-Miss Thai Food

Thai cuisine is one of the best gourmets in the world. It is well known for the diversity of ingredients, outstanding spiciness and ample medicinal properties. Most of Thai food is cooked and refined with more than two types of herbs or spices which are beneficial to health.
The (mostly unconscious) principle Thai food is the balance of five flavors which are spicy, salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The one indispensable ingredient which is generally used in seasoning a majority of Thai cuisine is fish sauce. Thai food is eaten either as a single dish or with rice. Steamed rice is the staple food although sticky rice is more popular in the north and northeast of Thailand.
Thai food is one of many things that you should not miss while you are traveling in this beautiful "Land of Smiles". Since there are numberless delectable Thai dishes, I am writing this guideline for you to select the most distinctive and authentic ones out of the plethora of Thai signature dishes.
The following list is a top 10 rank of Thai food that you must not miss. The consideration and ranking is based on the popularity, uniqueness and authenticity of the delicacies. Here are the winners.
10. Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan (Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts)
Even though Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan does not represent the overview of Thai food but it is a very nice treat to your bland taste buds. Since it is by no means spicy or hot, this slightly sweet and salty chicken fried with crunchy cashew nuts is aptly satiating for children or beginners who are not used to spices.
9. Por Pia Tord (Fried Spring Roll)
Fried spring roll is one of the most popular appetizers among foreigners because it is not spicy and comes with sweet and sour dip. Spring rolls are crispy pastries with fried vegetable fillings. Though spring rolls are commonplace in many Southeast Asian countries, Thai Por Pia is different in flavors with a special dip prepared from Japanese apricot.
8. Panaeng (Meat in Spicy Coconut Cream)
Panaeng can be cooked using either pork, chicken or beef. Panaeng tastes like Thai red curry but the coconut milk sauce is relatively thicker and richer. Compared to Thai red curry, Panaeng is mildly spicy and sweet. Paneang is best served with warm steamed rice. There is nothing to dislike about Panaeng expect the fact that it can be too greasy or fleshy for some people.
7. Som Tam (Spicy Papaya Salad)
Som Tam is one of the most popular foods among Thai people for its fiercely spicy and sour flavors. Som Tam, which literally means "Sour Pounded", is a spicy salad made from a mix of fresh vegetables including shredded unripened papaya, yardlong beans and tomato. Som Tam is unique that the spicy dressing and salad vegetables are pounded and mixed in the mortar using a pestle. Somtam is usually served with grilled chicken and sticky rice. Som Tam is good for your health that it contains no fat, low calorie and high vitamins. This is a truly authentic Thai dish that will make a great impression. The only reason why I'm ranking Som Tam at No.7 (though it deserves higher rank) is its strong spiciness that might leave your tongue burned and swollen. Just say "Mai phed" (not spicy) to your waiter if you really want to try.
6. Moo Sa-Te (Grilled Pork Sticks with Turmeric)
This tantalizing sweet-flavored grilled pork sticks are refined with rich, juicy sauce made of turmeric and curry powder. Moo Sa-Te makes a savory hors d'oeuvres that will appease any taste buds. These juicy grilled pork sticks are usually served with two saucy dips - one is a mildly spicy thick sauce with ground peanuts, coconut milk and curry powder and another one is a sweet and sour vinegar sauce with chopped shallot, pepper and cucumber to mitigate its oiliness.
5. Tom Yam Kai (Spicy Chicken Soup)
Chicken soup is very good to eat when you have a cold but Tom Yam Kai or spicy chicken soup is a yummy treat that you will fall in love with just in a first sip. Tom Yam Kai is a clear chicken soup seasoned with a blend of chili, lime and fish sauce. The broth is simmered with Thai herbs as lemon grass, shallot and galangal which give it a unique and satiating aroma. My foreign friends order this tasty soup anywhere they go so you should not miss it by any means!
4. Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup)
Although Tom Kha Kai is another variation of chicken soup, it deserves the No.4 because of its unparalleled taste and popularity. Similar to Tom Yam Kai, the broth is prepared with many types of Thai herbs with the special addition of coconut milk that makes this soup unique. Though the soup is seasoned with chili, lime and fish sauce just like Tom Kha Kai, thanks to the coconut milk, the broth is milder and less spicy. This is probably more liked by non-spicy eaters.
3. Kang Keaw Wan Kai (Green Chicken Curry)
Since we are having three dishes in a row made of "Kai", you would have guessed that it is chicken in English. Not that chicken is particularly popular in Thai cuisine; it is usually used in most curry and soup. Kang Kiew Wan, literally translated as "Sweet Green Curry", is nicely sweet and slightly spicy and tastes very delightful with a proper blend of the spiciness from green curry chili paste, blandness from coconut milk, sweetness of sugar and saltiness of fish sauce. It is usually eaten with steamed rice or served as a sauce to rice noodle known as "Kanom Jeen" likewise to how you eat Spaghetti.
2. Pad Thai (Fried Noodle)
This national dish prides itself for its long history traced back in previous centuries. Pad Thai flaunts the authenticity of Thai culinary arts in using only fresh and best ingredients and the well-balancing of the five fundamental flavors.  The stir-fried noodle becomes popular because it tastes yummy and comes with a choice to add in a set of seasonings to suit your appetites. Through history, Pad Thai has evolved into two different styles: the classic and the variation. The classic Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chili pepper plus bean sprouts, shrimp and tofu and garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander while another style is relatively dry and lightly-flavored. The latter is easily found in street vendors and dominant in Thai restaurants in the West but the having classic Pad Thai freshly cooked in its original country is a way to go.
1. Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)
No other dishes can defeat this renowned Tom Yam Goong as the optimal representative of Thai gourmet. Tom Yam Goong is truly one of a kind with its fierce spiciness and sourness and a blatant use of fragrant herbs including galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, tamarind and chili pepper. There are two styles of Tom Yam; the clear spicy soup and thick spicy soup. The latter is cooked by adding coconut milk or milk to the broth in order to thicken the stock and give the dish a milder flavor. Tom Yam is very versatile and can be made with prawns, chicken, fish and mix of seafood, and mushroom. Tom Yam Goong is the most popular variety of Tom Yam since Spicy Shrimp Soup is the original. Though not very surprising, Tom Yam Goong is definitely a signature dish of Thailand.
Even though it is commonly known that Thai food utilizes many health herbs and spices, there have always been debates whether Thai food is really good for health since they tend to be somewhat greasy. It is important to note that it depends on each dish; some can be highly caloric but many dishes make a good use of herbs. Garlic, for example, is very good healthwise because it can prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cancer.
No matter what the food is, the same old concept of moderate intake comes into play. From Mcdonald's burger to Japanese Sushi, a key to optimal fitness is to avoid overconsumption. Thus, a claim that Thai food is mainly coconut-based and fattening should never be an adequate reason for you to still order a Big Mac. Ravish your taste buds with Thai food - tasty and healthy!

Best Fresh Thai Green Curry Paste

Thai green curry paste is quick and stress free to make, as a chef I know it on an intellectual level it keeps for weeks, as a taster, it gets eaten every time no matter how much I make. Add it to pork, chicken, beef, prawns, scallops, noodles, vegetables and tofu. Its uses are only limited by your imagination.
When buying fresh lemongrass look for stalks that are fragrant, tightly formed, and with a lemony slightly green color near the bulb, then turning to a truer green at the end of the stalk. Never buy lemon grass if is brown, because this indicates that it is old dry and past its best. The part that you need to cook with is less than a third of the part that you buy; it is the fleshy inside part. Discard the tougher outer leaves, and use only the easier to slice center.
Thai green curry paste
Ingredients
6 Spring onion or 2 shallots,
2 pieces of lemon grass chopped,
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole,
1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh ginger,
Zest of 2 limes,
4 green chillies,
Handful of Kaffir lime leaves chopped (substitute the juice of an extra lime if unavailable)
2.5cm/1in piece galangal, peeled and chopped (if available)
4 handfuls of fresh coriander
4 handfuls of Thai basil
1 1/2tablespoons coriander seeds,
Sea Salt
Black pepper
Juice of 4 limes
3 tablespoons oil
Method
Blend the green Thai spices together except the herbs, until soft, then add the herbs for the last few seconds. Lightly coat the chicken breasts and leave in the fridge for an hour. Don't add too much marinade because it will boil when cooked. Stir fry for three minutes to colorize, and add the rest of the Thai green paste, and add a tin of coconut milk and simmer for ten minutes.
When your curry is cooked, if it is too spicy, add some more sugar; if it isn't spicy enough, fry a little more curry paste in some oil and add it to the sauce.Serve the curry with noodles or jasmine or basmati rice.

Thai Sauce, Pad Thai Recipe, and Thai Curry Recipe You Can't Live With Out

The secret to Thai food rely on two things, Thai Herbs and Thai Sauce. Herbs are all about the scent but the mouth watering taste comes from the sauce. Delicious Thai dishes come from perfect Thai sauce recipes. If you get the combination right, you are on your way to cooking perfect Thai Food.
The next time you find your self in a Thai restaurant, look over to your neighbors' table. Often time, you'll find small extra Thai sauces in those dishes, unless your particular Thai restaurant caters specifically to non-Thais. I guess what I'm saying is, the more Thai sauces you find on the tables the more authentic Thai food you'll get. It's usually a good sign if those sauces in the small plates taste good. You can assume that other sauces probably comes from a well made sauce recipes. Better yet, if you see condiments with Thai sauce and spices on the table, you know this restaurant is pretty authentic. Thai cooking is about blending herbs, spices, and sauces together. There's no better way to deliver all the intense flavors than Thai sauce. Thai sauce is divided into two category, cooking sauce and dipping sauce.
Thai Sauces:
Dipping Sauce

• Prik Naam Pla (fish sauce with sliced chili and lime juice) - a universal sauce that goes with almost every rice dishes. Some restaurants included it in the condiment.
• Prik Naam Som (chili & vinegar sauce) - condiment used to flavor noodles
• Naam Prik Pao (roasted chili paste) - condiment used in variety of dishes (soups, salads, stir fries). Some Thais use Nam Prik Pao as jam substitute to spread on toast.
• Aa-jaad (pickled cucumber Salad) - great dipping sauce for fried fish cakes, satay, and other fried appetizers
• Naam Jiem Saate (peanut sauce) - one of the most popular Thai sauces out side of Thailand. It tastes so good people do not only use it to dip Satay but use it as salad dressing, pizza sauce substitute, pad Thai sauce substitute, and much more. The American should call it "See Food" sauce, what ever food you see you dip in this sauce.
• Naam Jiem Talay (Seafood Sauce) - yes, you've guessed it. Naam Jiem Talay is a dipping sauce for all your seafood need. Move over melted butter! Get ready for a fiesta in your mouth. This bad boy is full of flavor and once you take a bite, the intense combination of spicy, sour, salty and sweet will knock your socks off (if made right).
• Naam Jiem Buoi (plum sauce) - popular among kid and people who cannot handle spicy food. Nam Jiem Buoi is great for any fried dishes.
• Jig Choe (vinaigrette soy sauce) - use for making hot and sour soup and dipping sauce for pot sticker and Dim Sum.
• Naam Jiem Gai (chicken dipping sauce) - sweet and spicy sauce. Great with BBQ chicken
• Naam Jiem Seir Rong Hai (crying tiger sauce) - Crying Tiger is one of the more popular dishes in the US. Seared medium rare beef served with dipping sauce, consists of fish sauce, ground roasted rice, chili pepper, soy sauce, and lime juice.

Cooking Sauce

• Nam Pla (fish sauce) - for adding salty flavor. Use in soups, stir fry, and making sauces. You will find fish sauce in dishes like Tom Yum (hot and sour soup), Tom Kah (coconut soup), and pad krapow (stir fry holy basil).
• Nam Som Sai Choo (vinegar) - for adding sour flavor. Use in soups, sweet and sour stir fry.
• Pad Thai Sauce - use for cooking pad Thai. Pad Thai recipe will be given in our later article.
• Phu Khao Tong (Green lid soy sauce) - flavored soy sauce. one of the important sauce which included in many Thai stir fry sauce recipe
• See iew Dum (Sweet black soy sauce) - for making Pad See iew (Sweet sir fried noodle with chinese broccoli and meat). Ingredient in Khao Mun Khai (Broiled chicken meat over flavored rice) dipping sauce
• See iew khao (light soy sauce) - important sauce in many dipping sauce.
• Tammarin Juice - important ingredient in pad thai sauce. Included in some dipping sauce and Thai Khang Som soup (Sour soup with tammarin based)
• Oyster sauce - ingredient in many Thai stir fry sauce recipe including sweet and sour stir fry.
• Curry paste - All curry pastes have similar herbs and spices but different proportion.

Thai Curry recipe will be given in our later article.

• Green curry paste
• Yellow curry paste
• Red curry paste
• Mussamun curry paste
• Chu chee curry paste
• Panang curry paste
• Khua Kling curry paste (Southern Thai food)
• Khang Pa curry paste (Not popular in foreign country)
• Khang Som curry paste (Not popular in foreign country)

As you can see from the list above, Thai food rely mostly on Thai sauce. When you mix and match sauces, they become totally different dishes.
Even the same dishes, different proportion make a big difference in flavor. That's why sauce recipe is the key to seperate good Thai food from outstanding Thai delicacy.
Like I said "If you got that combination right, you are on your way to cooking perfect Thai Food".

Who Loves Thai Food?
We do! And we hope you do too - or, at least we hope you will soon! Anyways, LocalThaiFood is run by just a few of us locals here in Southern California and we'd love to meet you!
Why Thai Food?
That's a great question. Now here's a great answer: we like Thai food. Well actually, we love Thai food. And we love Thai food so much that we think you should love it too. And so it's our goal to provide everyone who loves Thai food - or anyone who loves food in general - with a fast and easy way to find the food they love.
What is Local Thai Food?
The answer is pretty simple: spicy and delicious Thai food so close you can smell it! Well, maybe not that close, but close enough to fill yourself on great food, and fast. You see, LocalThaiFood.com's job is to help you find Thai restaurants that are in your immediate area, or as close as possible, and to help you choose the one that best fits your Thai food needs.
Search for Thai restaurants near you at LocalThaiFood.com.

How Long to Cook Pork Chops on the Grill

Grilling pork chops can be challenging in that it is fairly easy to have them dry and get tough. Here is a guide on how long to cook the chops so you end up with juicy, tasty meat. If you prefer to use bone-in chops that is perfectly fine. I do not recommend that you eat pork that is not cooked all the way through so arm yourself with a good meat thermometer!
Here is what you need to do for delicious, well cooked juicy pork chops:
4 boneless 1 inch thick pork chops
4 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Vegetable Oil
Rinse and pat dry the pork chops. Using your hands coat the pork with oil, evenly on both sides.
In a small bowl mix all of the spices. Mix well. Rub the meat evenly, on both sides, with the spices.
Heat your grill to high, with the lid closed, for 15 minutes. Clean the cooking grates with a wire brush. Leave one burner on high and the rest on medium low. If you are using a charcoal grill pile the hot coals on one side and leave the other one without any coals.
Place the chops on the hot part of the grill, with the lid closed, for about 3 minutes per side. You want to sear them fast and create some grill marks. Move the meat to the cooler part of the grill and cook, flipping once, for about 7 more minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 130 degrees. Remove the pork from the grill onto a platter and cover loosely with foil. Let them rest for 5 minutes as they will continue to cook while they sit. Your meat should register 145 degrees after the resting time. Serve with your favorite side. We ate these with grilled corn on the cob and grilled pineapples.
For pictures of these delicious pork chops click here.

5 of the World's Healthiest Ethnic Foods

Did you know that the Japanese have the highest life expectancy in the world? While various factors contribute to such statistics, one can't help but overlook their diet. Particularly due to today's globalization phenomenon, various ethnic foods are more available than ever. Here are some of the world's healthiest ones:
1. Chinese Food.
Chinese food tends to be quite healthy, and includes loads of rice, noodles, and veggies, which are healthy. Due to the stir-fry or steamed cooking of many Chinese dishes, the vegetables aren't overcooked or drenched in oil-thus retaining more vitamins. When eating Chinese food, be cautious about sauces and salt/MSG. Basically, they can cancel out many of the health benefits that Chinese food tends to have.
2. Greek Food.
If you want to be healthy, then Greek food shouldn't be Greek to you. Some of the healthiest components of Greek food are leafy greens, olive oil, and legumes (beans). What makes these ingredients so healthy? Legumes, for example, are extremely high in fiber, and also are effective in preventing and treating heart disease. The key to eating the healthiest Greek dishes is to ensure that the ingredients are fresh and natural.
3. Indian Food.
The complex carbohydrates and spices contained in Indian food make it an extremely healthy choice. From beans to veggies, Indian food has many healthy ingredients that can help you to stay healthy and undo some of the damage that processed food has inflicted on your body. When ordering Indian food, be cautious about the amount of fat contained in foods such as veggie side dishes, and breads. Also, remember that "ghee" is actually a type of butter that's often included in Indian food.
4. Italian Food.
This is not only one of the most popular foods in the world, but can also be one of the healthiest ones as well. When ordering Italian food, avoid dishes that contain oily meats, heavy sauces, or fatty cheeses. Such dishes can really cause the calories and fat to add up. Instead, choose dishes with chicken or seafood, marinara sauce, and a sprinkling of low-fat cheeses. If you're going to eat Italian food with some majorly unhealthy ingredients, then only eat half a serving. One of the healthiest components of Italian food is the use of olive oil, which contains a healthy amount of monounsaturated fat, or "good" fat.
5. Thai Food.
Thai food has quickly become one of the most popular ethnic foods in the world. And not only that, but it's also one of the healthiest varieties as well! This is significantly due to the fresh spices and herbs contained in Thai food. These ingredients not only add flavor to Thai food, but also boost your immune system. For instance, lemongrass is an extremely healthy herb that's often contained in Thai cooking.
While the world is getting smaller, the number of ethnic foods available has exploded to epic proportions. These are some of the healthiest ones available, and can help you to live a long and healthy life-one meal at a time.

How to Plant Lemon Grass

Lemongrass is a tall, hardy plant which grows in clumps up to about three feet in height.  It is not only known for its fragrant flavor which make it a popular herb in Asian cooking, but also as an effective remedy for various ailment which include fever, stomach cramps and arthritic pain. I have actually witnessed how my friend save the life of a seriously ill street cat with juice extracted from lemongrass.
Is this popular tropical grass difficult to grow? The answer is 'no' even a novice gardener can grow lemongrass without much problem. It is ideal for kitchen garden, and can also be planted in pot or tub.Generally the plant prefer full sunlight but grow reasonably well in semi-shaded conditions.
The easiest way to propagate the plant is to cut a few stalks of fresh lemongrass and put the slips in water for about 10 days. Even though the long leaves have already been pruned and the excess leaf sheaths removed, just make sure that a short stump of the rhizome remains at the end of the slip. Roots will emerge and then the slips can be planted right away.
The rooted slips can be planted in a small hole dug in the ground or in raised soil beds. Plant 4 to 5 slips in clumps with reasonable spacing. Mix half the soil with compost and apply 100 grams of fertilizer on each clump 2 weeks after planting. Apply fertilizer monthly at the same rate and avoid heavy watering.
The plant can be harvested in 60 days after planting. Just separate the number of stalks you want to harvest and cut off the rhizomes at the base of the stalks. Prune the leaves to about 8 inches long, remove the sheath to expose the whitish swollen base that  give out the strong scent of lemongrass. The plant will grow many years and hardly encounter serious pest and disease problems. It is advisable to replant after 4 or 5 years for better management of the growth.

5 Reasons to Order Thai Food Tonight

You have a lot of options for dinner tonight, but you want something different. It has to be something fast, easy to throw together, and out of this world delicious. One great option that meets all of those expectations is Thai take-out. When you order through a delivery service they bring fresh food directly to your home, which makes it the easiest meal you could ever put together!
There are tons of reasons you could think of to order Thai food tonight, but let us get you started with five reasons everyone deserves Thai delivery from time to time:
#1: You deserve Thai delivery because you deserve a break!
This is the number one reason anyone orders take out or delivery food, right? You work long hours and bust your butt to make a living and from time to time you deserve to just kick back and relax. You can't do that if you make your own food, no matter how easy it is to prepare.
When you order Thai delivery food it comes to your door already prepared, so you get the rest and relaxation that you deserve.
#2: You should try new flavors and ideas to influence your own cooking.
While getting that well deserved rest and relaxation, take the opportunity to explore Thai dishes that you have never tried before. Order the Thai dishes and flavors you love, but always throw in something that is new to you. This will expand your palate and help infuse new flavor and ideas into your own cooking on other days.
#3.There is always someone special in your life that deserves a treat. Show you care!
Do you have a special occasion coming up? Is there a birthday in your house or are you just feel especially appreciative of someone you love today? These are all great reasons to order Thai delivery service! You will shower love and appreciation on those you love by giving them something special.
Plus, if you have never ordered Thai delivery before, you will be giving your loved ones something unexpected. That will make them appreciate it even more.
#4: You don't always have time to prepare a delicious, fresh meal for your family.
When you run out of time to prepare a meal, don't feed your family junk food or something whipped together quickly that is unhealthy. You can order extremely healthy, fresh Thai food and have it delivered to you. This is a healthy, convenient option when you run out of time but still want to give your family something good to eat.
#5: It's fun to break out of your schedule and do something different every now and then.
You do the same things over and over, day after day. It becomes tiring and boring, right? Every now and then you need to ditch the schedule, put away the same foods you always eat, and order Thai delivery. You can eat something different, prepared by someone else, and really enjoy your meal. Do this every now and then and you will find yourself refreshed and energized to get back to that schedule.
Ordering Thai delivery is fast and easy and a good service will have a variety of authentic Thai dishes to select from. You will quickly find your favorites and want to order them frequently, but remember to shake it up and try something new from time to time.

Delicious Thai food dinner delivery service in Singapore. Check out our thai food menu here.
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Tiger Muay Thai Camp Review (Phuket, Thailand)

This is a review for Tiger Muay Thai & MMA in Phuket, Thailand. I turned up and originally planned and paid to stay here for 1 week... 1 week turned into 2 weeks. Then I came back for a month.
Pricing
The cost for training is about average for a Farang training in Thailand, and is as follows:

• Half day 300B
• Full day 500B
• Week 2500B
• Month 9000B
• 3 Months 24000B

A strong recommendation I will make, is that if you are coming here on a budget and/or have not done much intense training before, then only pay a week or so in advance. Time and time again people pay up for 3 months in advance, then only train a few times a week. Pay a week in advance and then see how much you think you will train before shelling out loads of cash in advance.
Payment is accepted via cash or credit card (Visa & MasterCard).
Accommodation
Rooms vary from 2,500B (small room with fan) to 20,000B+ (room with air con and all modern facilities and a swimming pool)/month. I was paying 12,000B for a very nice double room with cable TV, Wi-Fi, hot electric shower etc. at a place just down the road called 'The Nature House'.
My advice for accommodation is to only pre pay a few days or a week to start with. As you may find something much cheaper or if you already have a cheap room you may not like it and wish to upgrade.
A good (but not exhaustive) accommodation list is available on the TMT website.
Food
Eating in the local area can be anything from 40B a meal to 350B+ depending on where and what you eat. The cheaper meals tend to be Thai food (generally consisting of rice or noodles dishes), western food is much more expensive. A restaurant called Mama's is one of the cheapest around here and has a solid reputation. They also have cheap rooms available (9,000B/month).
Whatever you do, DON'T pay in advance for the food plan at the gym. It is overpriced and many people end up missing meals. There are plenty of other places to eat, variety is more fun than eating at the same place every day.
Training
As well as Muay Thai, the gym offers classes in MMA (mostly no gi jiu jitsu and sparring), Western Boxing, Krabi Krabong, Yoga and Circuit training.
In all honesty, the Muay Thai classes are overcrowded, and you will unlikely be recognised and given individual attention unless you stay a long period of time, or pay extra for private sessions. But you can still get a good work out.
The western boxing classes are good, with two world champions and a stadium champion instructing. But can still get very busy.
The MMA classes I have mixed feelings towards. The mornings are just no gi jiu jitsu (which is taught to a fairly decent level by Ray Elbe) and the afternoons are fairly intense sparring. And they do have a nice cage to train in. However no wrestling is taught.
If you want to do MMA here then my advice is to get the best of it by training the morning no gi BJJ class and then do the Muay Thai or Western Boxing class in the afternoons.
The gym also hosts seminars often (most of which are free) with visiting fighters. Whilst I was there Royce Gracie, Alberto Crane and Roger Huerta gave seminars!
Facilities
Tiger Muay Thai has some of the best facilities in all of Thailand. At the time of writing they have 6 rings, a MMA cage, a weights room (with enough benches, racks, machines and weights to get a really good workout), another weights area with lots of kettlebells and several spinning bikes, and many heavy bags. They are also having a large extension built.
Location
Phuket is a very large tourist destination. However, Tiger Muay Thai is located in the subdistrict of Chalong, which is cut off from most of the distractions this brings (beaches, bars, nightlife etc), but these are easily accessible by taxi or if you rent a scooter for 3-4,000B per month.
I'd recommend a scooter if you are staying for any period of time (just be careful, there are some 10,000 accidents a year in Phuket alone involving bikes).
With the freedom of a bike you can access the food and clothing markets, Central Festival shopping centre (including cinema), Beaches, Bars & Clubs, the local Zoo, the aquariam, Elephant trekking, Snake shows etc!
Equipment Shop
The price of most things in this shop are jacked up. Shop around unless there is something really specific you want here.
Personal Comments
Your time at Tiger Muay Thai will be what you make it. It can be a serious training camp or you can come here with the best of intentions yet get caught up in boozing most nights and spending your days on the beaches... or you can do a bit of both.
This place is aimed more towards the casual trainer on holiday with plenty of cash to spare, so unless you are quite tight fisted you can easily spend a lot of money.
I made lots of friends and enjoyed myself and what all the different classes had to offer, but after a time I grew tired of the overcrowded and commercial side to the gym and decided to switch over to Dragon Muay Thai just down the road...

Chiang Mai Food

One of the greatest pleasures of traveling is trying different cuisines, and if you're considering a trip to the Chiang Mai region of northern Thailand, you'll be pleased to know that Chiang Mai food is absolutely wonderful.

Places to eat are plentiful, and you can make your choice from one of the numerous street stalls serving traditional and truly delicious food (incredibly cheaply), to one of the exclusive (and much pricier) restaurants, many of which are located within some of the more up-market hotels.

Many would say that the street food in Chiang Mai is the best way to enjoy the genuine Thai food of the region, and the only way to experience - first-hand - the hustle and bustle of the local people, their charm and their customs. Street stalls, where the food is cooked freshly to order, is a great way to try Chiang Mai food for the first time. Head for the busier stalls to see what's on offer - if you don't like the look of what's cooking - simply move on to the next.

As a general guideline, if a food stall or restaurant isn't busy, but others around it are, it's probably best not to eat there. Likewise, if a stall or restaurant is popular with the locals, that's a pretty good indication that the food is going to be good.

There are so many different dishes to choose from on Chiang Mai food stalls that you'd be forgiven for not knowing where, or with what, to start. With this in mind, a traditional dish called Khao Soi could be just the thing to kick off your Chiang Mai food experience.

Khao Soi is a dish which is popular with locals and tourists alike, and you will see many stalls in Chiang Mai selling this delicious, spicy dish. The base of Khao Soi is a curry flavored broth with egg noodles and typically, either chicken or beef. Pickled Chinese cabbage, shallots, limes, cilantro, turmeric, a paste of ground chilies and garlic, coconut milk and crispy fried egg noodles to garnish, are just some of the other ingredients which go towards making up a truly tasty and hearty bowl of Khao Soi.

Whether you choose to eat at street stalls or in restaurants, you can be sure that the ingredients for your meal will be shopped for at the local fresh food markets, all of which become a hive of activity long before the sun comes up. (If you're interested, a great market to browse around is the Muang Mai market, which is an extremely popular Chiang Mai food market, frequented by numerous food suppliers, locals and tourists).

Every day, restaurateurs and street vendors will be found shopping for staples, such as rice and noodles, along with all the accompaniments and seasonings required to create culinary magic later on in the day.

Likewise, fresh produce such as bamboo shoots, eggplants, Chinese cabbage, mustard greens, bean sprouts, soybeans, mushrooms, asparagus, fish, meat and shellfish are amongst the ingredients which are purchased on a daily basis.

Also on the shopping list will be herbs, spices and flavorings such as garlic, shallots, cilantro, lemon grass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, chilies, ginger, mint, basil, fish sauce, shrimp paste, limes, tamarind, oyster sauce, soy sauce, soybean paste, coconut milk and palm sugar. These are all key ingredients in Thai cuisine and no Thai cook worth his salt would be without them.

In general, Thai food has five elements, hot, sweet, sour, salty and spicy and those who are experienced in Thai cookery can create wonderful dishes which balance all these elements beautifully.

If you visit Chiang Mai, you may like to try the traditional northern style of dining, known as Khan Toke. Typically served on a small circular pedestal set upon a table, Khan Toke comprises numerous dishes of wonderfully contrasting flavors and textures, for example; fried pumpkin, beef curry, fried chicken, meltingly tender pork with a crispy skin and stir fried greens, all accompanied by dishes of sticky rice, spicy chili sauces (some mild, some fiery), sweet and sour dips, cooling slices of cucumber and bowls of crispy noodles.

If you want a real Chiang Mai food experience, a Khan Toke meal is highly recommended.

It goes without saying that there are many things to do and see in Chiang Mai, but if you love to eat, Chiang Mai food will certainly not leave you disappointed!

Food Of Northern Thailand

I moved half way around the world to Northern Thailand in order to eat better. You might say that I'm more than a little interested in food.

I remember the food writer and TV celebrity chef Jamie Oliver saying that he dreams about herbs. Surprisingly it is the only sensible and normal sounding thing I have ever heard him say. It's not unusual for me to spend days or weeks thinking about particular recipes or foods, although I haven't yet dreamed about herbs...I'm sure though it's only a matter of time.

The foods available in Northern Thailand must rank amongst the most interesting and amazing in the world. There are influences from throughout Asia including China and India and the fragrant dishes of Malaysia, Indonesia, Lao, Vietnam and Southern Thailand (the old Siam). It's a giddy mixture and a life's work to get to know and understand them all...but I'm prepared to give it a go. It's a life changing experience in itself.

Part of the wonderful food experience in Northern Thailand is the strong market culture. There are excellent fresh markets throughout this whole region that sell the freshest and best food anywhere on the planet. Huge piles of mangoes, cabbages, chilies, coriander, strawberries, jack fruit, limes, lemon grass and every other fruit or vegetable you can think of fill the buzzing markets.

The part of the market that I frequent the most is the rice section. Back in the UK rice is just something you buy and cook and don't think a great deal about. Here in Chiang Mai, the main city in Northern Thailand, rice is almost a revered commodity. There are endless types of rice available for sale either piled high in big sacks, or already cooked in big steaming vats. My favorite and probably the most popular in this part of Chiang Mai is locally grown sticky rice. I had sticky rice once in London in a Thai restaurant and quickly wished I hadn't. It was a bit like eating glue. The sticky rice here is completely different; it's warm and soft...more like fluffy mashed potatoes than rice. It's the kind of food that will always be eaten because, like mashed potatoes, it is so damn good.

So, once you have your warm sticky rice what next? There are different ways you can go from here. Either you could try some Thai soups or curries and dip the rice straight into it, or you could invest in a tiny pot of spicy dry chili sauce called "Nam Prik Ta Dem" which is popular all over Thailand. Some people do eat the rice and the dry sauce as a meal in itself...it's the cheapest complete meal available at most markets. If however, you have a few baht left over (which I'm sure you might) you could think about getting something from the grilled section. Thai sausages are excellent, but vary enormously in spiciness. There are also grilled fish which range from the excellent and locally farmed Catfish to the expensive Snake Head Fish with soft flaky flesh or perhaps you may prefer some chicken, or honey marinated pork satay, or deep fried vegetable tempura or land crab pate or any one of the most delicious and unusual foods in the world.

Today, when it's market time I'm heading for the fresh seafood section, and buy myself a big bag full of Tiger Prawns and perhaps some Soft Shell Crabs. I'll then trundle round to the fresh herb section and pick out some big bunches of Coriander, Lemon Grass, Basil and Spring Onions. I can't wait to get cooking with all these fresh flavors. I'm sure that if Jamie Oliver shopped down at my local market he'd find it difficult to work out the difference between when he was dreaming about herbs and wide awake!

Enjoy Northern Thai food.

The Mystery of Pad Thai Sauce

Have you ever wonder if you need a Pad Thai sauce to make your delicious Pad Thai dish? Well, the answer is yes and no. For those who have never tasted it before, Pad Thai is a stir fry noodle with a unique taste which is a very popular Thai food abroad. For the sauce, it is nothing special but a pre-mix of key ingredients.

If you have a chance to visit Thailand, you will find out that it is hard to find such thing on sale anywhere. However, searching the internet, you will learn that a popular shopping site such as Amazon carries it on sale at a high price which could buy you 50 ready made dishes at the local price.

It doesn't mean that local Thais don't use it. For popular noodle shops where many customers are waiting at the same time, chef usually mixes ingredients in advance to save time and to basically quality control their taste. However, for smaller shop or home made, ingredients are usually mixed over the wok. That's the main reason why it is hard to find it on any local stores.

For the beginner, you will be better off pre-mixing the ingredients beforehand. The advantage is that you can taste it to see if the taste is right. The taste can be adjusted to perfection without any need to rush. To mix ingredients over the wok, you only have 1.5-2 minutes before the noodles are done. You can see that I will be hard for the beginner to adjust the taste over such a short period of time.

So now you decided that Pad Thai sauce is the way to go. Good news is that you don't have to spend your fortune to buy it. It is easy enough to make it yourself.

First, let's start with the original tastes. The recipe has 3 main tastes sour, salty, sweet, and spicy (which is scientifically not a taste). You can substitute any ingredient with ingredient that can be found in your area. It can be illustrated as follows:

1. Salty : Fish or Soy sauce or Soy, or even just salt
2. Sour : Tamarind paste or vinegar
3. Sweet : Palm sugar, Cane sugar, any sugar actually
4. Spicy (optional) : dry hot chili powder

You start with half a cup each of fish sauce, tamarind, and sugar. If you like it hot just add dry chili powder. However, do note that spice it is not really a mandatory, you can add hot dry chili later after the cook is done as well.

Mix all those ingredients together in a pot over a low heat oven. Taste and adjust the flavor balance until it is right for you. Continue to stir until it completely mixed. If you plan to keep it in the refrigerator, cook it until it boils. Otherwise, just stir them until they are completely mixed and you can start heating up the wok.