Oh, the food!

I now know why I have liked all the Thai people I have met in my life... it's because they love to eat as much as I do! If NY is the city that never sleeps, then Bangkok is the city that never stops eating. Everywhere I go, everywhere I look... there is food. In carts, in tiny shopfronts, in the back of a van. The food courts in the malls are easily some of the largest I've ever seen in my life, with a variety to match.

From my first bite upon entering Thai soil, I have been very happy. This was the dish I ordered at the Thai border, just a simple pork on rice dish. It was so tender and seasoned really well. Best of all, this cost a single dollar!

Yes, I ate the fatty skin too!

Thai people seem to eat ALL THE TIME. Throughout the day (and even into the evening), there are dozens of street carts out and about. Some of the most popular ones grill meat over a charcoal flame; each skewer usually costs 10 baht, or about 33 cents USD. Many many other types of food are sold in other food carts and stands. Fried bananas, noodles, spring rolls, fresh fruit (conveniently sliced)... the possibilities of a between-meals snack are endless.

Skewers are grilled to order. It is often eaten with sticky rice.

Spring rolls are popular everywhere!

Seafood wrapped in banana leaf.
Not sure if there are other ingredients in the packet.

Mmm. Can I dig in yet?

Pork soup from a street stand. Fresh pork meatballs float in a meaty
broth along with other porky bits. Including rice, this hearty snack/meal
costs 47 baht, or $1.50 USD.

If the street food is mouthwatering, then food court cuisine is staggering. Bangkok is known for its large, air-conditioned malls. Turns out that many of the malls will have gigantic food courts, some covering 2 separate floors. The trick is to skip the level with the more expensive 'international' cuisine, and eat your fill at the cheap local sections (and enjoy the A/C!).

Papaya salad (medium spicy, one pepper only!) and thai iced tea.
Both items cost only 55 baht total, or $1.75 USD!

Looks like a taco, but is a dessert. A thin crepe is filled with coconut
and egg. A salty coconut version is also available. Each 'taco' costs
10 baht, or about 33 cents USD.

Crispy pork on rice, and pad thai. Only 80 baht for both dishes,
or $2.56 USD!!

Even though it's been so cheap to eat, the food has been really fantastic. I have been leaving each meal with a huge grin on my face! So since I've been enjoying Thai food so much, my friend and I decided to take a hands-on cooking course to try to learn how to recreate this at home.

I was way too busy chopping and grinding spices and cooking to take pictures, but we learned how to make a few popular and delicious dishes. The first is a chicken curry, with a curry paste that was made from scratch. Peppers, lemongrass, garlic, basil, cilantro, galangal, and other fragrant ingredients are smashed mercilessly on a mortar and pestle until a thick paste remains. The second is a tom yum soup; I have used tom yum paste in the past, but have never known how easy it is to make the soup base at home. The result is creamy from the coconut milk, tart from the lime juice, and fragrant from fish sauce and herbs. Finally, we stir fried up some pad thai noodles. The trick is within the sauce. I never could have guessed that so much tamarind juice and sugar went into it, but the result was deliciously balanced once the noodles and egg soaked it all up.

SO DELICIOUS! I hope I can recreate it at home!

I think that I am in love with how Thai people approach their food. The mix of salty, sweet, spicy, and tangy is potent, and makes me think about how the food is abundantly joyful. It's a celebration that I can definitely get behind and believe in as well!