Are You Eating Thai Food Correctly?

By M. K. Albus

 I have to snicker whenever I see a television show or movie in which the actors are eating Thai food. Invariably they are eating it with chopsticks. This shows a lack of research and authenticity on the part of those who put the show or movie together. The people of Thailand do not use chopsticks! (Unless they are eating Chinese food.) And if anyone else in the world thinks they are being authentic by using chopsticks when they eat Thai food they are dead wrong!

Of course, Thai cuisine will still taste delicious no matter how one eats it, but it can be beneficial to know the official eating customs of Thailand. Just because the country is located in Southeast Asia does not automatically mean chopsticks are the appropriate way to eat Thai food.

Instead of chopsticks, the people of Thailand us forks and spoons. Knives, however, are never used. Knives belong in the kitchen, not on the dinner table. Whenever cooking and serving Thai food that contains meat, the meat is always either shredded or cut into bite-sized pieces in the cooking process so knives are unnecessary at the table.

Forks and spoons are used differently in Thai eating, though, than the rest of the world. In Thailand one never puts a fork into their mouth. Forks are only used to push food onto a spoon and it is with the spoon that the food is put in one's mouth. Using a fork to put food in one's mouth is considered rude. The fork is always held in the left hand and the spoon in the right.

Like practically every other culture across the globe, some Thai foods are designed to be eaten by hand. It is the Thai custom to only put food in one's mouth with the right hand. What may be even more important to remember is that in Thailand it is considered EXTREMELY RUDE to lick one's fingers! (Kentucky Fried Chicken never uses its slogan, 'finger-lickin' good' in Thailand.)

Something else that is fun to know about eating Thai cuisine is that in Thailand it is customary to leave at least a few pieces of uneaten food on your plate when you are done eating. This is considered a sign of gratitude to the cook for the abundance offered. Eating your plate clean is considered a sign of gluttony.

And there is one last thing that I must mention. If you are eating out at a restaurant in Thailand or even eating in a Thai restaurant elsewhere or even eating Thai food at home, it is imperative that you know this. In Thailand it is considered BEYOND RUDE to blow your nose at the dinner table!

So there, I have given everyone something to think about or talk about the next time you eat Thai food.

Bon appetite!



 See other articles by M. K. Albus: Using Roses in the Kitchen - The Wonders of Kale - Dogs and Nuts Are Not a Good Mix - A Taste of Paprika - Food and Vibration - Dad's Apple Pandowdy

A Taste of Paprika

By M.K. Albus

When we think of paprika we tend to think of Europe where it is a widely used spice. Hungarian paprika may be the most famous as it is the predominant spice used in Hungarian cooking. But it is also widely used in Spain, Turkey, all the Balkan countries, as well as the rest of Europe. It is also a common spice in Morocco and it is used often in India as a coloring agaent.

But paprika was unheard of in Europe until after Christopher Columbus opened up the wonders of the Americas to the rest of the world. Paprika is made from dried ground peppers and peppers (capsicums) are native to the Western Hemisphere. It was the Spanish who first brought pepper seeds back to Spain where they were grown and the fruit was dried and ground into a powder called pimenton.

It was not long before seeds made their way to Turkey and from there throughout the Ottoman Empire. It was in the early 1600's that peppers were introduced to Hungary and within a century paprika was a common spice, but it was only eaten by peasants. It was not until the 1800's that the noble classes adopted it.

Paprika is the main ingredient in Hungarian gulasch as well as many Hungarian veal and chicken dishes and goose or duck porkolt. In Spain it is an essential ingredient in the widely used romesco sauce and it is used to flavor fish, potato dishes, and omelettes. It is also used in sofrito, a mixture of onions and other ingredients that is fried in olive oil and used as base for slow-cooked dishes. In Morocco paprika is used in a marinade called chermoula that is used for fish dishes.

Spanish, Portuguese, and Moroccan paprika are very similar and they are not as hot as the paprika used in Hungary and the Balkans. American paprika is the very mildest.

Depending on the types of peppers used and the amount of veins and ground seeds used, paprika can be bittersweet, sweet, or hot. It is important never to overheat paprika as then it becomes bitter. That is one reason it is so popular in slow-cooked meals.

Paprika combines well with saffron, thyme, turmeric, rosemary, parsly, oregano, ginger, caraway, cardamom, and garlic. It also goes well with sour cream and yogurt. It is used to flavor practically all meats and goes well with rice and especially potatos.

There are around a dozen different kinds of European paprika and they are generally designated by the region in which the peppers were grown. Hungary, Spain, and the Balkans are the main growing regions.

There is no single paprika pepper. Various paprikas are made from different red peppers. Making your own paprika is not difficult. Let the fruits dry and then separate the flesh from the seeds and veins. Separately grind both into a fine powder. Since most of the hotness is in the veins and seeds, you then add an amount of the ground seeds and veins into the ground flesh that is proportionate to how hot you want the paprika to be. When storing paprika be sure to keep it in an airtight container away from light as light diminishes the potency and vibrancy of the paprika.

M.K. Albus is a freelance writer who writes for Culinary McCook and other websites.
See other articles by M. K. Albus: Using Roses in the Kitchen - The Wonders of Kale - Dogs and Nuts Are Not a Good Mix - Food and Vibration - Dad's Apple Pandowdy

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Using Roses in the Kitchen

By M.K. Albus

Many people will have rose bushes in their gardens but don't think to harvest rose buds for use in cooking. Roses have been used in cooking for thousands of years and they continue to be a staple in Bulgaria, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Iran, and northern India.

They are used essentially two ways; as a spice made from ground dried rose buds, and in the form of rose water, which is distilled from the rose buds. In northern India ground dried rose buds are a common spice used in marinades and kormas. Rose water is used there to flavor desserts, kheer (a rich rice pudding), and lassi (a cooling yoghurt drint).

In Turkey rose sherbet is very popular and rose water is also used to flavor cakes and creams. In Iran dried rose petals are mixed with cinnamon, cumin, and cardamom to create a flavoring for rice. It is mixed with lime to flavor stews. It is also used as a garnish and to flavor soups and salads.

Tunisian cooks perhaps use rose the most. They combine it with cinnamon and black pepper to flavor numerous meat dishes and stews and couscous. Crushed dried rose buds are a main ingredient in Tunisian Jewish meatballs.

Dried rose buds combine very complementary with saffron, cardamom, cumin, cloves, coriander, and pepper.

So how does one harvest rose buds? Simply find buds on your rose bushes that are on the verge of opening up. Snip them off and then set them to dry. The best time to cut them is early in the morning as the scent is strongest then. The best time of year is early summer. Once the buds have completely dried, they can then be crushed into a powder and stored. The dried buds can be stored as is in an air-tight glass jar for up to a year. The best roses to use are the ones that are the most fragrant. Rose water and rose oil can be found at ethnic or healthfood stores.

One obviously does not want to harvest all the rose buds in their garden. We grow the roses for their full blooms in the garden. But it might be a delightful new experience to snip a few buds from your most fragrant rose bushes, dry them, and use them in your cooking to add a new twist to your meals.

M.K. Albus is a freelance writer who has written numerous articles for internet magazines and websites.

See other articles by M. K. Albus: The Wonders of Kale - Dogs and Nuts Are Not a Good Mix - A Taste of Paprika - Food and Vibration - Dad's Apple Pandowdy

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Rose Water

The Wonders of Kale

By M.K. Albus

Back in the middle ages the most commonly eaten green vegetable was kale. It remains one of the most commonly eaten vegetables in many parts of the world but in modern America it is one of the lesser eaten green vegetables, which is a shame because it is one of the tastiest and one of the most nutritious of all green vegetables.

Kale is a form of cabbage but unlike more common cabbages its central leaves do not form into a head. It is related to broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, and brussel sprouts. It is a hardy cold weather crop grown in fall, winter, and spring. Its flavor becomes sweeter after it has experienced frost. It is eaten raw in salads and cooked in numerous ways.

Kale is an essential ingredient in the East African stew ugali. The traditional Irish dish colcannon is made with mashed potatoes and kale. Brazil's national dish, fiejoada, is served with a side dish of chopped and stir-fried kale. Kale is very popular in northern Europe and served throughout Europe. In Japan kale juice is drunk as a nutritional supplement.

The health benefits of kale are numerous. It has abundant sulfur and its juice can be used to treat stomach or duodenal ulcers. It is a very high source of chlorophyll, iron,vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin A. For those who avoid dairy products, kale is an exceptional source of calcium.

Kale also includes the phytonutrients indoles and isothiscyanates, which are known to block carcinogens. It is also very high in the phytonutrient zeaxanthin, which builds the immune system and helps prevent several forms of cancer. Kale's high chlorophyll levels help fight viruses and ease congestion in the lungs. Kale is also high in fiber.

Kale is a powerhouse vegetable that can help you improve your health and maintain vibrant health. The next time you are shopping for groceries don't walk past the kale without picking some up. In addition to the health benefits, you will discover a very tasty vegetable to enhance your meals.

© Copyright by M. K. Albus. All Rights Reserved.

See other articles by M. K. Albus: Using Roses in the Kitchen - The Wonders of Kale - Dogs and Nuts Are Not a Good Mix - A Taste of Paprika - Food and Vibration - Dad's Apple Pandowdy

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