The cuisine of the orient has had a profound effect on the culture of the United States. There are many different styles of Oriental cuisine, most of which are indicative of a particular Asian culture. While Chinese and Japanese cuisine has been popular for a long time, the cuisine of Thailand has recently made an impact in the United States. Many of the most popular traditional dishes of Thailand can be sampled at a Thai restaurant near you.

Many of the dishes on the menu of a Thai restaurant are similar to other oriental dishes but tend to be a bit spicier. However, not all Thai dishes are necessarily spicy hot. In fact there are several different regions of Thai cuisine, and they vary slightly in the way the food is prepared.

The popularity of Thai cuisine has increased greatly in recent years, with at least one Thai restaurant in each major city across the United States. If you have a Thai restaurant in your area but you have hesitated to try them because you are simply not familiar with the food that is served, this simple explanation of some of the more popular dishes may encourage you to try Thai food.

While the two foods are not exactly the same, if you enjoy Chinese food you will probably enjoy Thai food as well. The mainstay in both cuisines is rice and it is probably prevalent in many of the dishes that your local restaurant offers. It is tradition to serve groups of dishes with a complement of rice accompanying it. Thai food is prepared in several different ways but the most popular are stir fry and steam cooking.

Thai cooking contains a generous use of spices, but this does not mean that all their food is spicy. In fact Thai food tends to have a variety of flavors, including sweet, salty, and bitter or sour. Most restaurants will offer a variety of condiments with their food, some of these may be unfamiliar to you.

Along with the standard soy sauce you may find that your food is served with a side of chili powder, sweet chili sauce, and different types of fish sauce such as Nam Pla. Nam Pla is an intensely flavored fish sauce that is made from anchovies, salt, and water. The ingredients are placed in a box and allowed to dry. The longer the anchovies dry the more intense the flavor will be.

There are also some ingredients that are popular in many Thai dishes, these include coconut milk, ginger, lemon grass, cilantro and chilies. While rice is commonly used as a side dish there are other ways that rice is used in Thai food. Rice is used to make noodles and wrappers for spring rolls.

Perhaps the most popular rice dish in traditional Thai cuisine is Pad Thai. Pad Thai is actually a term that translates to Thai style frying. This is a noodle dish that is made from stir fried rice noodles that are combined with eggs, peanuts, shallots, sprouts and a choice of meats. The Pad Thai that is found in many American Thai restaurants is a variation of a popular dish that is sold at roadside stands all throughout Thailand.

Rad Na is another dish that you will typically find on a Thai restaurant menu. Rad Na is a dish made from wide rice noodles, oriental style mushrooms, and garlic. It will also contain a source of protein such as seafood or poultry. The dish is topped off with thin gravy that is made from stock, soy sauce, and a type of starch such as corn starch or tapioca.

Looking to find the best Thai restaurant in St Paul, MN, then visit www.kruathailand.com to find the best Thai food in the twin city area.

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