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The Goodness of Thai Cuisine
Sherry Roy
Chinese food with a more intense smell and taste - that for me, is Thai food. Nice and spicy, it rests well on my sub continental palate, as I allow these dishes smelling distinctively of lemon grass and galangal (a ginger variety) to overpower me.

Thai cuisine is a healthy cuisine due to its blend of ingredients used. Expat Thai chef Paum Xinsurapan takes us through his kitchen at the Oriental Pavilion, Fortune Manohar, Hyderabad, as he conjures up two Thai dishes – Thai Tiger Prawns and Pad Pak Ruam Mit Stir Fry Vegetables.
 

Though Thai cuisine is hot and spicy, their meal does not end with a curd base like in the sub continent. Instead, they serve warm jasmine tea through the meal (in lieu of water) to aid digestion. Harmony and contrast are what Thai dishes strive to achieve, as they present the five basic flavours in each dish or the overall meal - hot, sour, sweet, salty and bitter. Their primary ingredients comprise of galangal, lemon grass (I can still smell them), coconut milk and fish sauce.

Healthy Thai
 
Boost your immune system: Turmeric, coriander, galangal, and basil – Thai essentials all – have powerful antioxidants that help fight inflammation. They also protect the body from toxins and free radicals.
Pump that heart:Chilli pepper and coconut milk are great for the heart. The fatty acids in coconut promote good cholesterol, while lowering bad cholesterol.
Shoo off the cold: Lemongrass (ah, the smell again) fights off flu and cold while also relieving headache and stomach cramps.
Look Younger: The numerous greens used in Thai kitchens have anti aging benefits. Basil calms you; coconut milk beautifies your skin; turmeric wards off arthritis
 

Master the Chopsticks in Three Steps

Step 1: Hold the sticks as in the picture – don’t apply much pressure.

Step 2: Insert the middle finger between the sticks to part them.

Step 3: Bring the sticks together, by slowly removing the index finger from the middle. Now you can pick up even a noodle or a grain of rice – theoretically, though. It requires a lot of practice till you can gobble like they do in those Kung Fu films.
 
Executive Chef Kishore Kumar Sinha and Thai Chef Paum Xinsurapan at the Oriental Pavilion,Fortune Manohar, Hyderabad
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