Thai Food

Thai food is extremely varied, although the main differences largely reflect the Kingdom's geographical regions.

At Gecko Villa, we will be happy to prepare either Northeastern specialties, or more central Thai dishes - although we can also prepare Western food and even a delightful Indian Vindaloo should you so wish!  Just let us know what kind of  food you prefer, and what your tolerance for chilies is... We will be delighted to introduce you to the wilder side of Isaan cuisine if you are brave enough, but rest assured that we are equally happy preparing more "suitable" dishes.

Meals in Isaan Most Isaan people eat rice three times a day. The most common type is "sticky rice," which can be rolled into a ball with the fingers and dipped into a sauce. Occasionally, people eat noodles rather than rice. Pladek or fermented fish paste is an ingredient in many Isaan dishes. Hot chilis are also added to foods. Other common seasonings are lime juice, lemon grass, mint and coriander leaves.

A typical Isaan meal consists of rice, fish, vegetables and beef prepared in a variety of mouth-watering ways. Let us show you how to concoct a number of Isaan dishes: you will be surprised at the depth and intricacy of flavours that can be  kindled up in only a few simple steps!  

Traditionally,  people take off their shoes and leave them outside the eating area, and  food is served on a straw mat. Everyone sits cross-legged in a circle and the food is placed in the centre. Food is usually eaten with the fingers. People may also drink a type of whisky made out of rice called lao kao. Of course, you may find the large teak dining table more comfortable... 
The Philosophy of Thai Food
You will only very rarely see a Thai cook with a measuring device - and when you do, this is normally in a cooking class for Westerners. In fact, Thai food is quite forgiving and, once you have understood the basics, you will enjoy playing with the quantities and ratios  of various ingredients used.

In Thai cooking there are four flavors: sour, sweet, creamy and salty. Heat sits on top of the four flavors. The secret of a good dish is the right balance of the flavors - you will find that there are "sweet spots" where the flavor just tastes right.

Types of Dishes
 Many aspects of a Thai meal differ significantly from western meals.

Appetizers: these are similar to western appetizers, although often these are eaten more as snacks during the day rather than as a first course. 

Main Courses: These are dishes eaten with rice. Unlike with western food, there is actually no one "main course" in a meal. You will frequently have 1-3 different dishes per person that everyone shares. The main course can be subdivided into types of cooking: 

Yum: this literally means to mix. Meat with herbs and spices, vegetable with spices, meat and vegetables with spices mix with sauce. Some sauces are sour and spicy, some are spicy and sweet. 
Gaeng Jeud: clear broth soup with vegetable or meat or both. 
Gaeng Ped or Gaeng: spicy broth with or without coconut milk. The majority of gangs use curry paste and coconut milk.
Thord: pan fried or deep fried, (i.e. Tod Mun is fried fish cakes). 
Laap: finely chopped (rather than minced) 
Yang: grilled (i.e. Gai Yang is grilled chicken) 
Pat: vegetable or meat, stir fried. 
Tom: Boiled as a soup. 

Dessert: The majority of desserts are made of coconut milk, flour and sugar, or sticky rice and sugar in pandanus leaves. There are three parts in making dessert. The first is the flavour of the dessert which could range from different types of flour to fruits. The second is the syrup which is sugar and water. The third part is coconut milk and a pinch of salt. Some are served with crushed ice and made a wonderful summertime dessert. Fresh fruits are often served as a dessert.

Exotic Specialities
At night, around Gecko Villa, you may notice a purplish blue glow near the houses of farmers. These are lights serving to attract insects, a free and ready source of protein and delightful flavours. A huge variety of very "fast food" is available.... ask to catch and try some! 

If you see men and boys with lights on their hats in the rice fields at night, they are probably hunting for frogs to stew or fry, or for field mice to consume.

Water bugs.  Try them deep fried and sprayed with some sauce. Crunchy and creamy! Rod fai duan (a worm that eats bamboo)  are particularly prized. 

Silkworm Cocoons. A fat oval bug with visible sections: these are the cocoons of a silkworm after they unravelled the silk. Deep fried grasshoppers or " Isaan popcorn": don't forget to remove the legs as these can get stuck in your throat!

Ingredients
Vegetables
Bamboo shoots naw mai
Banana flower hua blee
Bean sprouts tuwa gnog
Bitter melon mara
Cha plu leaf cha plu
Chili pepper prig
Chinese broccoli / kale kanah
Chinese water spinach pak boong
Cucumber tangua
Eggplant makua
Green onion ton hom
Napa cabbage Pak Gahd Kow
Pea eggplant Makua Puong
Pumpkin Fug Tong
Shallot homm
Stinky Bean Sataw
Thai chili pepper prig kee nu

Herbs & spices
 Anaheim pepper prig
Cilantro pak chee
Cilantro root raag pak chee
Curry powder pong gari
Dried whole chili prig haeng
Galangal kha
Garlic kra tiem
Ginger king
Ground dried chili pepper prig kee nu bonn
Ground pepper prig thai bhon
Holy basil gra pow
Kaffir lime leaves bai ma-gruud
lemon grass ta krai
Green peppercorn prik Thai ohn
spearmint sa rra nee
Thai basil hora-pa
Turmeric kha min
Young ginger khing ohn

Noodles
 Clear noodles woon sen
Fresh egg noodles bamee
Fresh flat rice noodles goew tiew - sen yai
Thin rice noodles kanom jeen

Sauces, pastes & preserves
 Curry paste prig gang
Curry paste green prig gang kew wan
Curry paste  masaman prig gang masaman
Curry paste yellow prig gang leung
Curry paste red prig gang ped
Dark soy sauce sew ew dum
Dark sweet soy sauce si ew waan
Fish sauce nam pla
Fried garlic gratiem jiew
Fried shallot hom jiew
Ground fresh chili paste nam prig pow
Palm sugar nam taan peep
Pickled fish Pla rah
Shrimp paste ga pi
Soy sauce si ew
Sriracha sauce nam jim sriracha
Coconut milk ga-ti
Oil nam man

Grains
 Black sticky rice kow neuw dum
Cooked rice kow suay
Jasmine rice kow hom mali
Rice - Thai long grain Kow
Sticky rice kow neeow
Toasted rice kow koa

Drinks
 Thai tea cha
Young coconut ma pow ohn

Meats
 Barbeque pork moo dang
White pork sausage moo yaw
Chicken Gai
Eggs Kai
Beef Neua
Frog Gop
Pork Moo

Seafood
 Clam hoi
Dried shrimp goong haeng
Mussels hoi malang puu
Oyster hoi nang rom
Shrimp goong
Catfish pla dook
Fish paste pla kuud
King mackerel pla insee
Mudfish pla chon
Red snapper pla gapong dang
Thai mackerel pla tuu
White pomfret pla jalamed
Fruit
 Banana glauy
Durian Turian
Green mango ma muang dip
Green papaya malagaw dip
Kaffir lime ma-gruud
Lime manow
Mango ma muong
Papaya malagaw
Pineapple sapparot
Tamarind ma kam piek

Tips / Substitutes
 Genuine, fresh ingredients are always the best. If unavailable, you may use the following substitutes & bear these tips in mind:

Fish sauce (Nam Pla)
Fish sauce is one of the most important ingredients in the Thai cuisine. Fish sauce is used instead of salt. 

Galangal (Khaa)
Galangal look similar to ginger but tastes completely different. It is sold fresh or dried. You can freeze galangal in a plastic bag.

Kaffir lime leaves (Bei Magrud)
The leaves can be stored in a freezer for a long time. As a substitute you can use strips of lemon peel.

Lemon grass (Ta Krai)
Fresh lemon grass can be stored in the refrigerator. As a substitute you can use strips of lemon peel.

Palm sugar
As a substitute you can use brown sugar.

Rice vinegar
As a substitute you can use mild white vinegar.

Tamarind (Makaam)
You can use lemon or lime as a subsitute.

Thai basil (Bai Horapah, Bai Graprau, Bai Mangluk)
As a subsitute you can use European basil.