NORTHERN THAILAND

                Northern Thailand begins where the flat rice-growing countryside to the mountains that border Myanmar and Laos. It's a vast region of Thailand.  Northern Thailand's beautiful, rugged geography is the region's great temptation. Hidden among the forested mountains are Thailand's most iconic waterfalls and caves, as well as whitewater rapids and jungle trails. The area is a playground for outdoor pursuits – hiking, rafting, kayaking and caving opportunities abound.

            The north has its own language ("Muang"), cuisine, and traditional beliefs and rituals and a sturdy architectural style that has come to be known as Lanna .

         

 All these features contrast strikingly with the distinguishing features of the rest of Thailand, where the strict practices of Buddhism have a greater hold on the people and where western influences have made greater inroads.

NORTHERN THAILAND PROVINCES

Northern Thailand is made up of 17 provinces (8 in the ‘upper North’ and 9 in the ‘lower North’) 

The Upper North here with provinces ranging

1. Chiang Mai 

2. Chiang Rai

3. Lampoon

4  Lampang

5. Mae Hong son

6.Phrae

7.Phayao.

8.Nan

One thing is for sure, spend time in any of these provinces and you’ll experience the warmth and hospitality that the North is famous for, spectacular mountains, fascinating culture and enough to keep you busy for months and months of travel. here’s our quick guide to the provinces of Upper Northern Thailand and a highlight or two in each one to help you plan your Northern Thailand adventures  

 

How to cooking "Pad Thai : ผัดไทย

             This new Pad Thai from one of Thailand's top cookbook publishers, shows you how to make many different recipes for Thailand's most famous noodle dish, Pad Thai and includes interesting background information about this famous noodle dish along with recipes for other popular Thai noodle dishes.

             Thai noodle shops , rice & curry shops , and food-to-order shops  dominate the lively street food scenes in Thailand and serve as evidence of the importance of noodle and rice dishes in the Thai culinary repertoire. Not only are noodles served as street food, 

they are also frequently served cooked at home, especially since quick and easy meals are increasingly becoming more important in modern Thai families. No matter where you are in the present, rapidly changing world, serving a full meal at home has become an exception rather than the rule. Single-plate dishes including noodle, pasta, and rice have become more and more an essential part of home cooking throughout the world.   

Ingredients

• ·        5 oz / 150 g dried Pad Thai rice noodles 
• ·        4 tbsp vegetable oil
• ·        12 raw shrimp (prawns), shelled and deveined)
• ·        3 oz / 80 g firm tofu , cut into small matchsticks
• ·        1 small red shallot , finely sliced
• ·        1.75 oz / 50 g dried shrimp
• ·         1/4 cup fish sauce2 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• ·        2 tbsp tamarind puree1 tsp white vinegar1/2 tsp + chili powder
• ·         2 eggs 1.5 oz / 45 g roasted unsalted peanuts
• ·         5 oz / 150 g bean sprouts
• ·        2 tbsp garlic chives
• ·        1 tsp white sugar Lime wedges 

Instructions

1. Place the rice noodles in a bowl and cover with lukewarm water and set aside for 1 hour. Drain then set aside.

2.  Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wok or large heavy based fry pan over medium heat. Add the prawns and cook until they just change colour.  Remove from the wok and set aside.

3.    Add the shallot and stir fry for 2 minutes. Then add the tofu, dried shrimp, fish sauce, palm sugar and tamarind puree and cook for 1 minute until the sugar has dissolved.

4.  Add the rice noodles, vinegar and 2 tsp chili powder and stir fry for 2 minutes.

5. Turn the heat down to low and push the noodles to one side. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil into the wok then the egg.

6.    Push the noodles over the egg and stir, scraping the base of the wok so the egg scrambles and mixes in with the noodles.

7.    Remove from heat. Add half the peanuts, most of the bean sprouts, garlic        chives, prawns and toss gently.

8.Transfer to serving platter. Sprinkle with white sugar and remaining peanuts. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side and sprinkled with extra chili powder, if disered.

Know about Thai Food....

Thai Food....

 The main food in Thailand is rice. Everyone has eaten it since they were born. But we can't really eat rice alone so we have to have something to go with it. There are many dishes of food to go with rice. Most of them are hot and spicy and that is what Thai food is famous for.

 Thai people are used to eating rice with their meal. Most Thai people can't have sandwiches for their meal. They call sandwiches a snack. Also, most Thai people do not sit down to eat a proper meal because they usually eat when they are hungry, especially kids and teenagers. If you know some Thai person, you might hear them say "gin khao yung" every time you meet them. It means "have you eaten yet?" or more precise "have you eaten rice yet?". If you come to Thailand and stay with a Thai family then be careful you don't put on too much weight! All of the visitors that have come to stay at our school always go home weighing more!

Top 10 Thai Food

1. Hot and sour soup with shrimp
2. Green curry with chicken
3. Fried Noodles
4. Pork fried in basil
5. Red curry with roast duck 
6. Coconut soup with chicken
7. Thai style salad with beef
8.  satay pork
9.  Fried chickenwitg ca
10. Panang curry

 

Thai food

Thai food is known for its delicate balance of sweet, sour, spicy, salty and bitter flavours. Then exploring the country, you’ll find that each region specialises in dishes that contrast strongly with the cuisine of others. In this article, we’ll take you on a geographical journey to explore the ins and outs of Thailand’s much revered fare.

Central Thailand        Central Thai cuisine is predominately hot, salty, sweet and sour in taste. Steamed jasmine rice features more than sticky rice along with nam prik (chilli dipping sauces). A variety of soups are popular in this region, including the world-renowned tom yum goong (shrimp soup with lemongrass). It’s common for a selection of condiments and dried spices to be served with meals. 👉Tom Yum Goong 

This iconic bowl of steaming goodness is bold, aromatic and comes with a fairly strong spicy kick. Tom yum goong is created with quintessential Thai ingredients like lemongrass, chilli, galangal, kaffier lime leaves, shallots, fresh lime juice and plenty of fish sauce. Fresh prawns and mushrooms are added and coconut cream if you want the creamy version.

Northern Thailand      Thai food varies from region to region due to geography and history. In the West, most Thai restaurants serve Bangkok-style cuisine, so travelling in Thailand is a culinary adventure of discovery. Lanna-style cuisine comes from the mountainous area of the country, where the winter months are much cooler then anywhere else in Thailand, with some regions even reaching freezing temperatures on the mountain tops! The region is abundant with wild mushrooms, forest vegetables and fruits and wildlife which all feature in this less well-known regional cuisine of Thailand.

Khao soi Noodles  

Khao Soi (or khao soy) is a type of curry popular in the North of Thailand, where many restaurants specializing in this dish can be found, especially in the ancient city of Chiang Mai, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. This coconut milk based soupy curry is usually made with chicken or beef and served over Chinese egg noodles garnished with crispy fried noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime, sweet soy sauce and spicy chili oil.

Nam Prik Num  

Nam Prik Num or Northern Thai Green Chili Dip is an amazing local food that you must try. People like eating Nam Prik Num with grilled pork and sticky rice or Nam prik Num with cooked or steamed vegetables. You can find in many restaurants in Chiangmai. The term of Nam prik is the Chili paste, local people always have some kind of chili paste in their meals for more flavor. Prik Num is the chili spur pepper, but in this menu, we use just the young one or the green one.

Northeast Thailand (Isan)

Northeast Thai cuisine is characterised by its hot (very hot!), salty and spicy combustion of flavours.Som tam (green papaya salad), koi (sour chopped meat salad) and larb (sour minced chicken, beef or pork salad with mint, shallots and plenty of chilli) are some of the region’s specialities. Sticky rice is consumed in large quantities, as is nam phrik bla, a  spicy fermented fish and chilli dipping sauce. Dishes are often served with plenty of raw vegetables and herbs to cleanse the palate.

Green papaya salad Som Tam

Som Tam hails from Isaan in Northeastern Thailand and is one of the most popular dishes in Thailand. Som tam comes in a variety of styles, however, the classic som tam consists of shredded green papaya, tomatoes, carrots, peanuts, dried shrimp, runner beans, palm sugar, tamarind pulp, fish sauce, lime juice, garlic and plenty of chillies. The ingredients are mixed together using a mortar and pestle, which amplifies the flavours into a super moreish dish.

Southern Thailand   Southern Thai cuisine packs a punch with its strong flavours. Influences to this region are from Malaysia, Indonesia and India. The fact that this part of the country has a large Muslim population has also had an impact on its cuisine, and, due to its proximity to the coast , people consume more fish than meat. Coconut is a key ingredient used in curries, and sour flavours feature prominently. Nam prik kapee, a dipping sauce consisting of shrimp paste, chillies, palm sugar and lime juice, is eaten with raw vegetables and fried fish, and is a local favourite.

Gaeng Tai Pla

Gang Tai Pla is a curry of the southern Thai cuisine. Its name is derived from tai pla, a salty sauce made from fermented fish entrails enwhich gives the curry a strong smell and flavor. Gaeng tai pla is a highly spicy curry; it has a very intense taste and pungent aroma that usually is only appreciated by local people in Pattalung and Songkla provinces.

Pad sator Khung sod

Sator is a prized vegetable in the southern region of Thailand. It actually is not a vegetable, but the young beanlike seeds of a large tree, carried in long, flat and wavy, over-sized, bright green seedpods. Each seedpod yields only a small handful of seeds. Bunches of these colorful seedpods can be seen hanging from stalls in just about every open-air marketplace in the southern provinces, as well as fruit and vegetable stands along major roadsides. Because it is fairly expensive and a delicacy, it is used sparingly, even in the dishes in which it is featured. Only a few bites of the tasty seeds with shrimp in a spicy sauce are enough to satisfy a craving. The sauce in this recipe is a truly southern combination of flavors – very pungent and meant to be eaten with plenty of rice.

 

Thailand of culinary interest

Of culinary interest  (อาหารไทยที่น่าสนใจ)


                 Thai food is known the world over for is blend of five major tastes; sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and hot. It is also renowned for its use of a wide variety of fresh and easy-to-find ingredients. Small wonder, then, that Thai food should be one  of the world's popular cuisines.

A world of tase sensations waiting to be discovered
One of the most pleasurable experiences of a holiday in Thailand is discovering Thai food.

                Thai food is renowned for being hot and spicy. What makes Thai food so hot? Chillies, for one thing. Phrik Luang is one of the hottest chillies around, despite its lovely yellow-orange color. Phrik Khi Nu is equally potent. Phrik Yuak and Phrik Chi Fa are relatively mild. Phrik Thai (pepper) is a common flavoring.

Tom Yam Kung

               There are several important spices. The more widely used include coriander, garlic, turmeric, ginger , lemon grass, cardamam, basil, and pandanus.
 
               A number of basic sauces accompany most meals.These include shrimp paste, fish sauce, and tamarind sauces which make the blandest food taste simply astonishing.


               Rice is the mainstay of every Thai meal which commonly comprises five or six dishes of curry, soup, omelette, vegetables, fish, and the like.

                  Thai sweet greatly complement the main course. Egg, mung beans, rice flour, glutinous rice, lotus seeds, plam sugar, cassava roots, and coconuts are common ingredients. Aromatic candles are often burned next to cake or cookies in closed containers to impart scents, and desserts are placed next to fragrant flowers overninght.

                 And who can forget those simply mouth-watering Thai fruits? One kind of tropical fruit or another is always in season. To mention just a few , we have durians, rose apples, mangoes, pineapples, coconuts, pomelloos, oranges, bananas, papyas, longans, guavas, jackfruits, and many, many more. We alsooffer fruites of temperate climate like apples and atrawberries.

Fruit carving

                 Aside from the exotic taste of thai food, Thailand offer an endless choice of international cuisines.From food of the Middle East to haute cuisines of Weatern Europe, from japanese sushi to the saucy aroma of Hungarian goulash, Thailand has everything.

My Thailand in Brief (3)

About Thaiand. (3)

             Thailand and it people radiate a glow of constant joy and a deep love of the nation, religion, and monarchy.

                A constitutional monarchy since 1932, Thailand is rule by his Majesty King  Bhumibol   Adulyadej, the ninth ruler of the Chakri Dynasty. The from of government is akin to that of Great Britain’s, with the  Prime Minister as head of the cabinet in charge of  the executive body , the National Assembly in charge of the legislative body, and the legal courts in charge of the legislative body, and the legal courts in charge of the judicial body. The Ministry of interior is responsible for the regional administration of the country with a governor for each of Thailand’s 78 provinces.

The thai race was formerly believed to have originated somewhere near present Mongolia and migrated southward. However, a new theory regards the northeastern part of Thailand as the true birtplace of Thai race, a conjecture party based on historical discoveries thousands of years old. The mute ruins of the ancient capitals of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya testit\fy to the glory and splendor once enjoyed by these two empires. Though only remnants of the past remain, there is no denying that Thailand as we know it today has been greatly influenced by a rich historical background that often encompassed fierce struggles to retain independence. The Thai people have worked to retain Thailand’s national identity. Small wonder, then. The country possesses such a magnificent cultural heritage. The positive attitudes of Thais are clearly reflected in their artistic creations, from graceful classical dances to intricately-produced handicrafts. It can be said that strong Buddhist influences also shape how a Thai thinks and acts. Buddhism is an inseparable part of Thai society.

               But to really understand Thailand, one must understand the Thai people’s undying love and respect for the monarchy. Through a long history of royal sacrifice and adroit statesmanship, Thailand has been able to maintain cherished independence. Much more than figureheads, Thai kings hold special place in the hearts of all Thais and will always do so.

My Thailand in Brief (2)

About Thailand...  (2)

         Thailand  offers innumerable thing to see and do . 

ALL year round there are fairs, festivals, and celebrations. 

That are certain to exhaust even the most avid partygoer.

Form the colourful Flower Festival in Chiang Mai to the oncredible 

ascetic displays of the Vegetarian Festival in Phuket, 

Thailand boots events that cater to everyone’s curiosity and interest. 

There is little need to emphasize the countless physical attractions 

of the country as Thailand is already regarded by many as one of 

the world’s top tourist destinations. The best way to verify this is to spend 

some time here.

         Natural Thailand is wonderfully complemented by modern Thailand. 

Transportation in the kingdom whether by road, air , rail. 

Or water-has been significantly developed in light of the country’s rapid 

economic growth. Five international airports serve as gateway to 

Thailand for millions of tourists and businessmen annually. Most educational,

financial, and scientific institutions are rated first-class. 

The same goes scientific institutions are rated first-class. 

The same goes for the many fine hotels and resorts in numerous 

tourist spots. Every conceivable item is available in this shopper’s heaven,

including silk, handicrafts, jewelry, and souvenirs. The list is endless.

Buyers of Thai products will quickly discover they are of high quality and

reasonably priced.

             Generally speaking, Thailand has three seasons; the hot season

( March - May), the rainy season (June – October ) , and the cool season 

(November – February). Average temperatures range from 17 C ( 62F))  in December to 35.5 C ( 96 F) in April. The tropical climate plus its varied geographical features play important parts in attracting tourists to Thailand

Nonetheless, no amount of natural beauty would suffice if the human element did not impress visitors. Fortunately, the Thai people are immensely proud of their cultural heritage and independence. The only nation in Southeast Asia never to have been colonized.

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