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 One of the
greatest joys of Thailand, and especially Samui, is the superb
cuisine. abundant and , combined with a growing number of European
restaurants, the choice is immense. It is easy to eat sumptuously
for little more than 200 Baht per person.
For desert, enjoy some of
Thailand's
exotic fruits
and
herbs.
Shellfish
Oysters on the half
shell served chilled with a garlic-lemon and chili sauce topped
with Chinese mustard. Most restaurants serve this as an
appetizer...truly irresistible! Another method of preparing
oysters is to have them fried, boiled, or stewed in a clay pot
with fragrant basil leaves. Cockles, clams, mussels, and more
shellfish choices are available in Samui. These shellfish are
either aromatically steamed with sweet herbs, or saut้ed in garlic
butter. In selecting shellfish, it is deemed fresh when the
membrane is clear.
Fish
Steamed
Fish (Pla Neung) is served in a fish-shaped tray atop a burner.
Every restaurant has its own varied of garnishing for steamed
fish. Some are topped with preserved Soya beans, ginger, garlic
and onions. Others combine minced pork with preserved lemon,
preserved leeks, chilies, onions, or shallots.
 Snapper,
groupers, sea bass, sea perch, mullet, skip jack, and trevally are
recommended fish for steaming. Sweet and Sour fish (Pla Preaw Wan)
is a deep-fried fish with a simmered sauce made from arrowroot,
baby cucumbers, tomatoes, pineapple, and onions ladled over the
fish. Fish with Tree Sauces (Pla Sam Rod) is a deep-fried fish
served with a combination of three sauces. Deep - fried mustard
green are used as garnishing. Flounder, skip jack, and sole are
recommended for this special Thai dish. Fried Fish with Garlic and
Pepper (Pla Thod Krathiam) is pan-fried and seasoned with fried
garlic and a strong dash of pepper. Bar-B-Q Fish (Pla Yang) is a
tasty treat wrapped in banana leaf and barbecued directly on the
grill.
When selecting a fresh fish, the eyes must be shining and not dull
or glazed. The body must be firm when pressed and the gills should
be a rich red color.
Squid
Garlic squid or barbecued squid are savory dishes, but squid
deep-fried in batter is a delicious way of preparation. The thin
crispy batter crumbles as you bite into the tasty, tender meat.
Lobsters
Lobsters
are usually kept in tanks. Lobsters can be steamed and served with
garlic butter. Seafood restaurants pride themselves in their own
secret sauce recipes to accompany your order. In choosing lobsters
the joint between the head and tail must be translucent and not of
a black discoloration.
Prawns
A wide
variety of prawns are available Grey or pink. Tiger prawns are
commonly called jumbo prawns. They are usually barbecued and the
meat pulls easily away from the shell. slit in half , and saut้ed
with garlic butter, is another popular way of cooking prawns.
Smaller prawns can be deliciously prepared with steamed herb,
fried with garlic and pepper, or baked with salt. But one should
not leave Samui without trying Tom Yum Goong , the undeclared
national soup of Thailand made of lemon grass, ginger, and shrimp.
When selecting prawns, the head should not be discolored, nor
should it have and unpleasant smell.
Crabs
Crabs taste great when fried with curry powder. A plate of chili
crabs with extra hot peppers is for persons who love hot food.
Crab claws with glass noodles and celery is a mild and tempting
Thai dish served in a clay pot. Barbecued crabs is an interesting
way of preparation, while steamed crabs are the European way of
savoring the natural sweetness of the meat. To assure freshness,
crabs must be alive when you select them.
Learning Thai
Cooking
If
your interest is simply in learning more about what goes into Thai
dishes in order to enhance your knowledge and enjoyment when
dining out, don't hesitate to join one of the cooking classes.
For more information Click Here.
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General
Thai Language
Kaeng
Meats &
Seafood