If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me 'make sure you have enough travel insurance when you go to Asia', I'd be quite rich today. In the main however this is good advice, but as far as food goes you should have no trouble when you travel to Thailand.
People travel to Thailand for many reasons. The shopping is fantastic and cheap, the people are wonderfully friendly, warm and generous, and the food is to die for. In fact, if you're looking for a complete culinary experience you would be hard-pressed to find a more accommodating destination than Thailand.
It seems that life there revolves around food and there are no real set meal times apart from what tourists impose upon themselves, although they always eat breakfast lunch and dinner at some stage. I get the impression that Thai people tend to eat whenever they are hungry and are used to eating snacks throughout the day, and this is a habit that can certainly be recommended.
Thai food has been influenced not just by Western visitors, but also Chinese and other south-east Asian styles. Born of Buddhist traditions, Thai food was developed around the plethora of seafood and vegetables available in almost every part of Thailand, and of course, rice.
To narrow down the choices of Thai food and to recommend the top food experiences you can expect is a very difficult one indeed. Everyone's taste is influenced by their own experience, and it is only to be expected that for every traveller there will be several unexpected eating experiences that will live long in the memory.But, if you don't like spicy food, try and stick to the hamburger joints!
So let's take a look at least three things you should try for every meal when next you visit.
* Breakfast. You should really try a breakfast dish called Joke. No, that is not a misprint, and it is a delicious dish consisting of rice porridge and pork. If this is too stodgy for you try Khao Mun Khai which is a simple chicken and rice dish that is certain to give you a kick at the start of the day. If you're feeling a little bit out of sorts and are looking for something a little more Western simply order Kai Jee-o which is a very plain omelette dish.
* Lunch. I simply love the egg noodle soup served with pork and vegetables, or just vegetables if you're feeling a bit uncertain about the quality of meat. It is a simple, filling and cheap dish that you can get at almost any roadside vendor. Alternatively why not try Pad Pak, something you could have tried back home, but it is great to try it when it has been made by the locals. Pad Bai Kha Praew is quite a spicy chicken and basil dish, but delicious just the same. By the way, you don't need to worry about the quality of meat in Thailand as it is of a very high standard so you won't have to make a claim on your holiday insurance!
* Dinner. Som-Tam is a fantastic Papaya salad that starts off a memorable dining experience. Follow this up with Pla-muk neung ma-nao, steamed squid with lemon and chilli.
And there you have it, a selection of dishes in any combination which will get you started on the road to enjoying even more wonderful Thai cuisine.
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By Josh J Harrison
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